Conquer Your Clutter
Professional Organizing Blog
Not Lazy Susans! Turntable Organization
Turntables, formerly known as Lazy Susans, can be some of the hardest working items in your home to keep items organized and accessible.
A bit surprising since they’re meant to be so helpful, right?
Turntables have come a long way since your grandmother’s Lazy Susan on the dinner table.
Now you can find turntables in many materials, sizes, and styles.
Turntables are really great to keep smaller items accessible in a cabinet.
Spices and bottles won’t be forgotten in the back when you can spin the turntable around to see everything. These are also excellent to use in the corners of pantries.
A bin doesn’t fit in this space easily and items can easily pile up and get lost. We’ve also used these to contain items on kitchen and bathroom counters, cabinets with cleaning supplies, and under-the-sink storage. The possibilities are endless!
We’ll share all our tips and things to consider when choosing a turntable for your space.
Click on the images below to see the products linked for an example of what we’re describing.
Disclaimer: Joyful Spaces is an Amazon Associate. As an Amazon Associate, we earn a small commission from qualifying purchases. We appreciate your support!
Turntable Materials
Plastic Turntables
These are easy to clean and come in a wide variety of sizes and styles. We like using clear acrylic in cupboards and dark pantry corners.
Stainless Steel Turntables
Stainless steel turntables go beautifully in modern kitchens with stainless steel appliances or satin nickel hardware. It’s a nice non-plastic option that’s equally durable.
Bamboo and Wood Turntables
The warm wood tone adds warmth and style to any space. We like to use these in pantries and kitchen countertops.
KEEP IN MIND – They’re harder to keep clean if they’re being used in a space prone to spills.
Turntable Styles
Shallow or Flat
This is the most common style available in many options.
BEWARE – Tall or lightweight items may tip if spun too quickly on this style.
The one linked above has a non-split surface that helps prevent that. These are necessary for tight spaces where there isn’t a lot of vertical height to lift an item over a rimmed edge, like in a refrigerator.
Deep or Rimmed
These have an edge to keep items contained.
They can act more like a bin with extra accessibility.
KEEP IN MIND – Consider the height of your space and whether your items will be easy to remove. We love these for bigger spaces to contain larger items.
Divided
Divided turntables make it possible to have categories within your turntable.
The to-go snacks turntable pictured above is a great example.
KEEP IN MIND – The dividers can limit what you can fit in the turntable.
Tiered
Tiered turntables nicely maximize vertical space.
We like using them to store short items on the bottom tier and taller items on the top. The picture at the top of this post uses a tiered turntable.
Turntable Size
Measure your space and select your turntable based on the smallest measurement. Also double check that you can get it in and out of the space (think of your small cabinet openings).
TIP – Check the height of your shelf.
If you get a 4-inch rimmed turntable with only 11 inches of clearance, you might not have the vertical height to lift a bottle over the rim.
Our Favorite Ways to Use Turntables
Kitchen
- Spice cabinet
- Cooking staples on the counter or in a cabinet: oils, vinegar, and pepper grinder.
- Pantry corners
- Refrigerators
- Serving trays: cocktail ingredients or a charcuterie board.
Bathroom
- Frequently used skincare items
- Hair care tools and products
- Vitamin storage
Other Great Uses
- Cleaning Supplies: In a laundry space or underneath the sink.
- Arts & Crafts: Contain crayons, markers, colored pencils all together.
- Office Supplies: Hold pens, markers, paperclips, and Post-Its within easy reach.
What’s next?
Check out photos of spaces we have organized to see different ways we use turntables to organize spaces.
Please share your favorite uses for the Hard-Working Susan!
We would love to see your unique way of using a turntable. If you send us a photo, you might end up on our Instagram at @joyfulspaces.co!
At Joyful Spaces, we provide low-stress organizing sessions in Colorado Springs to help you conquer your clutter, and transform your space to make it creatively efficient, so you can get back to what you actually love!
We know that you want to be an organized person who has it all together.
In order to do that, you need less stress from mess.
The problem is — you're surrounded by clutter, which makes you feel overwhelmed. We believe that getting your space organized shouldn't be so hard.
You shouldn't have to do it alone either!
March 4, 2023