Kitchen Storage Solutions

When creating a new kitchen, the aesthetic quality is always a major factor. However, an attractive kitchen will be no good to the busy cook if it is badly organised and cluttered. If you are contemplating a kitchen overhaul, have a good look at the many options now available that make kitchen storage simple.

Landscaping For Privacy New kitchen plans should take into account the amount of dried goods, pots, cutlery and other items that you need to store. It is often advisable to add a little extra space on top of this as you will probably underestimate the amount you have, or acquire more in the future. That said, if you keep your storage solutions to a few necessary designs, it will prevent you creating more clutter to fill up the available space. Gather any pens, buttons or safety pins that are often stored loose in draws and put them into small plastic boxes for easy storage. With some thought out planning and clever storage designs, you may find that where there were once cupboards taking up space, the area can now be turned into a breakfast bar.

The shape of your kitchen will automatically determine what kind of storage can be implemented. Whatever the shape and however small your kitchen is though; there are more solutions than you think.

Good storage means that items are kept in the best location…

Separate crockery storage from food, but keep cold food and dry food storage together
Try to keep the main bin below the worktop out of sight, but near enough to be accessed quickly
Put the items you use the less on the highest shelves
Small, narrow kitchens benefit from tall wall cupboards rather than protruding ones to create more space and allow more movement
Don't forget your cookery books!

Lower space:

The spaces below your worktops are usually used to store heavier and larger items such as pots, pans and oven dishes. Although they are often cumbersome items, there are easier ways to store your pots than simply piling them in a cupboard. This is the least efficient way of storing your heavy items; the stacking inevitably becomes haphazard and requires everything at the front to be pulled out when you want something at the back.

Landscaping For Privacy In L shaped or U shaped kitchens, the corners can be made use of by installing carousels or lazy susans. These spinning shelf units provide a neat solution where everything can be easily accessed. Alternatively, stepped shelving drawers are another option. Deep slide out drawers can be installed for your pots and pans, while other styles are suited to dried goods, small appliances, and even crockery.

These kinds of sliding shelving are made with an extremely smooth motion so that oven and dinner dishes to not rattle vigorously. Sliding wire baskets are another variant on this theme and are an ideal way of storing your cleaning products, for example.

Vegetables will benefit from being stored in the cool dark spaces or drawers. Wicker baskets are a particularly nice touch as they are both practical and attractive. Just remember not to store them too near to the cooker. If you are a wine collector, these can be stored in the lower part of the kitchen on a pullout trolley. The wheeled trolley can be pulled right out so you can easily see what to choose with your evening meal.

If your kitchen space allows it, a separate island unit provides four sides of storage potential which can involve the solutions above, as well as cutlery draws, spice racks and more. Cutlery should be kept as near to the sink as possible so it can be quickly stored after cleaning.

Higher space:

Whilst the majority of your cutlery will still be kept in a drawer, larger utensils can be stored in a jar on the worktop for easy accessibility, not to mention for reducing the incidences of a large object preventing the cutlery draw from opening. Magnetic strips can be attached to the wall to keep knives in reach just above the worktop, or they can be kept orderly in a knife block.

Landscaping For Privacy As the heavier kitchen items are stored nearer to the ground, the top cupboards are open to more experimentation and decoration. They can be top opening so that you reach in easily from any angle and not bang your elbow. Glass fronted cupboards can be installed to display those items that you wish to protect from kitchen grease. Plate racks are practical and make a decorative feature, while spice racks can work a similar effect. Plate racks have the added bonus of minimising the risk of chipping as they will no longer be stacked atop each other.

Different rails and shelving can be implemented to reduce cluttered storing. Mugs can be hung along a peg rail, as can onions, garlic, and larger utensils.

To make full use of your kitchen space, don't be afraid to use the ceiling. Hanging ceiling racks are an ideal way of storing pots and pans without taking up a lot of room. Moreover, it can even make an interesting focal point. Always ensure that both the rack and the ceiling will sustain the weight of your pan collection.