Using Lazy Susans and Turntables to Fix Deep Cabinets and Awkward Corners

A lazy Susan fixes deep cabinets and awkward corners by solving access, not adding space. Load your jars, tins and bottles onto the turntable. Spin it to bring whatever you want to the front. Nothing stays lost at the back. This guide shows where turntables work best and how to choose one.

Why deep and corner spaces are a problem

Access is the trouble with deep cupboards and corner cabinets. Items at the front block the ones behind, so the back becomes a no-go zone. Jars, bottles and tins get lost there, forgotten and eventually expired, and you buy duplicates of things you already own. Reaching them means pulling everything out or knocking things over. Corner cabinets are worst of all, holding a large volume that is almost impossible to reach into. So a lot of your storage sits effectively unusable, not because it is full, but because you cannot get to what is inside. Solving access, not adding space, is the key.

How a turntable solves it

A lazy Susan fixes the access problem with beautiful simplicity: it spins. Put your items on the turntable, and instead of reaching to the back, you rotate it to bring whatever you want to the front. Now the whole cupboard, back included, is reachable with a flick of the wrist, and nothing hides behind anything else. A turntable like this two-tier lazy Susan also stacks storage in tiers and lets you adjust the height, so it works a tall cupboard as well as a deep one. It turns dead, unreachable space into some of the most usable storage in your kitchen, which is why turntables are such a loved organising trick.

Where turntables work best

Lazy Susans shine in specific spots, so put them where access is worst. Corner cabinets are the classic use. A turntable makes an otherwise almost unusable corner fully reachable. Deep pantry shelves benefit hugely, bringing the back forward. Spices and condiments are ideal too, since you spin straight to the exact jar instead of hunting. They also work on countertops for oils and everyday items, in fridges for jars and sauces, and beyond the kitchen for bathroom products, cosmetics and craft supplies. Anywhere small items pile up in an awkward-to-reach spot, a turntable is likely to help. Target your worst access points first.

Choosing the right lazy Susan

A few things make a turntable work well. Smooth rotation is essential, since a stiff or wobbly one just annoys, so look for a good bearing. A raised edge or lip keeps items from sliding off as it spins. Size it to your space: measure the cabinet depth and the turntable diameter so it fits and clears the door. Tiers and adjustable height add capacity and let you fit tall bottles, which a fixed single tier cannot. Material matters in a kitchen too. A wipe-clean, water- and heat-resistant surface copes with spills far better than bare wood or flimsy plastic. Match the turntable to the spot, choose one that spins smoothly and cleans easily, and it stays a lasting help rather than a frustration.

Organising on the turntable

To get the most from a lazy Susan, organise what goes on it. Group similar items so a single spin brings a whole category to hand: all the baking spices, all the oils. Keep the things you use most within easy reach, and put occasional items on an upper tier or toward the back of the spin. Do not overfill it, since cramming defeats the smooth-access purpose. Leave room to see and turn. Face labels outward where you can, so you read them as it rotates. A little thought about what goes where turns the turntable from simply reachable to genuinely organised, so you find things instantly rather than spinning and searching.

Beyond the turntable: other access fixes

Turntables are one tool among several for hard-to-reach storage, and combining them helps. Pull-out drawers and baskets bring the whole shelf out to you, ideal for deep base cabinets. Tiered shelf risers let you see items behind others. Clear bins that pull out group and reveal their contents. Door-mounted racks put the inside of cabinet doors to work. For a corner cabinet, a turntable or a specialised corner unit is usually the answer. Across all of them the principle matches the lazy Susan: make everything visible and reachable rather than buried. Using the right access fix for each awkward spot is what finally makes all of your storage usable.

The bottom line

Deep cabinets and awkward corners are not short of space; they are short of access, and a lazy Susan is one of the simplest, most effective ways to fix that. By spinning items to the front, a turntable makes the whole cupboard reachable, ends the lost-at-the-back problem, and turns dead space into usable storage, especially for corners, deep shelves and spices. Choose one that spins smoothly, has a lip, fits the space and wipes clean, ideally with tiers and adjustable height. Organise it into groups, and combine it with pull-outs and risers for other spots. Do that and the most frustrating storage in your kitchen becomes some of the most useful.