There’s so much you need to store in the kitchen. How do you fit it all in? Check out these solutions.
Explore the Kitchen
You don’t need a big kitchen to store a lot of stuff. We took the floor plan of a modest-size space and marked the key storage features.
Open Shelves
Open shelves near the sink and cooking area make everyday dishes and glasses easier to see and reach when serving meals, let you display favorite collectibles, and create some visual breathing room in a smaller kitchen.
Vertical Slots
Cookie sheets and baking pans don’t fit well in standard cabinets or drawers. But next to your range, you can have a narrow, slotted cabinet that keeps these long, flat items close to where you’ll use them. Add a hook (#321371) for oven mitts and potholders.
Recycling Bins
Meals generate a lot of recyclables, so the kitchen is a logical place to store them. This pullout turns standard cabinet space into a two-bin recycling center. It’s out of the way, yet close to the sink -- you can rinse out containers before tossing them in the bins.
Appliance Garage
Free up counter space by storing your mixer, toaster, coffeemaker, or other small appliances in a built-in garage. This one has a lift-up door for easy access. You can also use the garage as a baking center or coffee station. Proximity to drawers and prep space makes this storage space extra convenient, as does an electrical outlet inside.
Cleanup Center
Under the sink is a natural place to consolidate kitchen cleanup supplies. Paint a pail (#3712) and fill it with your most-used items to store everything in one spot. Mount a toilet paper holder (#321478) on the inside of the door to hang a towel.
Compact Island
This compact island fits in a modest-size room, yet it offers the same kind of storage as bigger versions -- a swath of counter space on top, conventional cabinets below, and open shelving for displaying cookbooks and collectibles. You can even build it yourself.
Junk Drawer
Practically every kitchen has some kind of junk drawer a place for all those miscellaneous little items that don’t seem to fit anywhere else. But even a junk drawer can be organized. This drawer’s two-level divider does the job, letting you sort items into categories and find what you’re looking for faster.
Mini Bar
Storing wine and spirits in a glass-front pantry cabinet keeps your inventory easy to see and reach without taking up a lot of room. Choose a spot that’s close to where you’ll entertain guests. Include a rack (#367201) for wineglasses and a tray for serving.