There’s a lot to be said for a neat, tidy home where everything has its place. If you’re anything like me, you’ll find it extremely hard to focus when the place is a mess or you have the feeling that things aren’t precisely where they should be.

Of course, that wasn’t always the case. When I was young I didn’t place much emphasis on organization around the house – I guess I’ve got my mother to thank for the fact that it always looked like it was ready to be pictured for an estate agent’s portfolio.

She taught me many tips and trick too, my mother, amongst those the best ways to use those small cupboards many kitchens have above refrigerators. Know the ones I mean? Well, if you have them as well, read on to see how they might be best utilized.

At first glance, the small cupboards you might find above the refrigerator might not look like they can be all that useful.

They’re simply not big enough for some things, and having plates or cups up that high just simply isn’t practical.

So, what to do with them?

Well, if you’re at a loose end as to what you want to do with these cupboards, we’re here to lend some nifty tips and tricks.

As stated, these cupboards probably aren’t ideal for things you’re going to be using twice a day every day, but that doesn’t mean they can’t hold things that only come out every now and then. Think food processors, blenders, waffle makers, etc.

Most canned food and produce have extremely long life-spans, meaning they can be placed up here and it’s okay if you forget about them for a while. Or how about baking essentials that you might only use on weekends?

Got a few cookbooks you don’t want just lying around? I know I have, so I actually use the top compartment of my cupboard to keep my books.

Similar to what we mentioned about canned foods, there are likely items you have in your pantry that can fit nicely in such a cupboard. Or you might consider getting a small spice rack to keep your cooking spices up there.