Our kitchen and bathroom cabinets go to the ceiling and are great storage. The cabinet in the family room ends about 2’ from ceiling. We put photos and bric-a-brac up there on display. Same with bookshelves in dining room.
The reason all new homes don’t have cabinets up to the ceiling is because builders are cheap (even in expensive new homes.) I call that space above the cabinets, “where dust bunnies go to die.”
I have a small folding step stool I keep under kitchen sink cabinet to get to the two top shelves (I’m very short.)
@snowball, does your new place have a laundry room with cabinets? Mine has a whole wall of closets with shelves and I store a lot of really big and rarely used items (like my wok) there. Mine is right off the kitchen so convenient.
I also have a tall antique pumpkin pine wardrobe in my living room where I keep my china, crystal stemware, bar glasses, serving dishes, etc. that I only use when I’m having holiday dinners. I also keep the liquor there.
My ceilings are 8’-6" so all I need to get to the top shelf is a kick stool. Since I have a pantry, it usually lives in there. I’ve seen kitchens where they store that little ladder in the kick space under the cabinets.
@emilybee Actually the laundry room is upstairs and we are in the mist of designing the cabinets and shelving in there now. Of course the builder only includes one ventilated shelf for the price, but the model had all cabinets in it! For the price they will charge to add the cabinets like the model, I could do three rooms, so we will have someone come in and do they once we close! I have been online with Pinterest and Houzz again to see what I like best. You can bet these cabinets will go to the ceiling!
While I love a lot about this new house, I am realizing that while the floor plan is great, there is a lack of cabinets and counter space. Even the bathrooms are lacking in that area. My husband says this will keep us from accumulating junk as we will have no place to keep it. 
We are in the process of moving, too, and I realized that I will have to go to IKEA to pick up a few Pax. Had them in the old house and loved the storage! If you don’t like the door choices, there are companies that make semi-custom Pax doors, or you can veneer a Pax door or paint to match! We also have an open floor plan with a wall of windows, so I hear you on the lack of cabinets!
@BunsenBurner, I’m curious about how downsizing affects litter box issues. Where will you keep yours?
That was a must for us, @Nrdsb4 We made sure that the place would have adequate cat facilities. This house has a large laundry room that can accommodate the cat boxes!
@BunsenBurner, when we first saw our current home on an open house, I found the strangest little closet. It was small, had no place to hang clothes, and when I walked into it, I saw it had another door to the outside. THAT door leads to a small balcony space, where all the air conditioner units are stored. DH hypothesized that the little closet was intended to provide noise insulation from the compressors, which are near the master bedroom. I had the idea to put a cat door on the first interior door into that closet. The litter box is inside that closet-no smells whatsoever in the house, and we don’t have to walk around the box or be confronted by it in any way.
DH swears to this day that I wanted this house simply because of that cat closet. I let him think so; it really was because the Master has two separate full baths. 
@snowball, is there any dead space under a stairwell that you could utilize? Builders may only opt to finish out the space that’s full height but there could be some extra valuable space for things you don’t need to access often. We finished every square inch under a U-shaped stairwell and I love using the tapered space for some specific things I want to tuck out of the way.
Dang, Nrdsb4–two Master baths—soooo jealous
Congrats on getting your new, downsized home! One of the good things about such a move is getting rid of stuff that occupied space simply because you had it and the room for it. You will revise once again and it will work. Bedroom closets are made for storage.
There is always a compromise. I hate the narrow space leading to the garage that is the laundry room. I miss my old larger one but the rest of this house works well for us.
You perhaps do not realize it yet but your lifestyle will be changing as well. A smaller space can be an excuse to not try to entertain in the same way. No room for the formal dining room set up. Large gatherings adapt to a current space- do not try to replicate the old. We have no apologies for not having the extra space for guests- if more come they get shifted around. The house ids for the two of us, not a family. There is freedom in the change. Take advantage of that. The kids moved on and so do you.
I LOVE armoires . We can find very inexpensive ones at consignment shops here…that are well made and look great --especially those made for old big TV’s. Repurpose them with shelves, and they make great pantries, both flexible and fashionable to fit any taste. Older ones even break down for easy transport.