You rarely hear a home cook complaining about having too much space in the kitchen—but you don’t have to be one of the many people whose counters are buried under mounds of baking supplies, either. Try some of these smart tips for maximizing storage and efficiency in the kitchen. You can still adhere to all of the interior design rules while embracing the convenience of cheap storage solutions—just take a look at these inventive solutions, which keep things neat and tidy for last-minute parties or your real estate agent’s unexpected knock at the door.
Freestanding shelves
Bookshelves aren’t limited to reading materials. Locate one near your kitchen to store all your cooking odds and ends. Stack the storage unit high with dishware, spices and cookbooks to free up cabinet space. It can also do double-duty in the entryway to help corral clutter before it gets into the kitchen.
Single file
Keep water bottles within reach and in view by stacking them in magazine files. Rest the inexpensive organizers on their backs for quick grab-and-go access.
Hang baskets
Baskets are helpful for organizing kitchen utensils, cleaning supplies and fresh produce. Place a pair of baskets above a sink using a metal rod or adhesive hooks for easy access. A wire design allows you to see contents at a glance and helps wet dishes and sponges dry quicker.
Gather loose lids
Utilize thrifty organizers to make over the chaotic space where you stash food-storage containers. A wall file mounted to a cabinet door is an easy solution for separating plastic lids from bases.
Rise up
A collapsible riser designed for cabinet interiors lends heightened storage when tackling hands-on recipes. Prepare your workstation by arranging ingredients in the created space underneath, and set dishes and utensils on top.
Clutter cutter
Backsplashes are storage space waiting to happen. One strategy to put this space to work for pennies: add magnetized strips to one side of a finished board, and secure it to the backsplash to hold knives—they’re as easy to grab and use as they are to put away.
Try tension rods
Rethink how you use tension curtain rods. Place rows of the affordable window-treatment hardware inside a cabinet to keep plastic food-container lids, baking sheets or serving trays upright and organized.
Pantry polish
Maximize the space in your pantry with labeled baskets in bright colors. Group individually wrapped snacks and breakfast essentials out of their boxes and in the bins to make mornings a breeze.
Cool cache
If the items in your freezer are expiring because you can’t find what you need when you need it, seek out low-cost storage to finesse a tidy interior. A trip to a dollar discount store or down the clearance aisles at the home center can yield storage bargains galore, including colorful wire bins for sorting frozen meat. Opt for stackable clear plastic containers to keep other frozen foods tidy and on view; add labels to note contents and “use by” dates.
Simple solution
A simple pegboard is right at home in your kitchen—and the metal is a modern and industrial twist on the standard brown pegboard. This customizable solution works for pots and pans, as well as spatulas and big spoons. Combine multiple sections to create a wall of organization.
Professional storage solutions
Take a cue from restaurant kitchens and add a stainless-steel storage shelf to an empty wall in your kitchen. This approach maximizes the height and bare wall space and adds a modern look.
Hooked on order
Add hooks to the back of a shallow cabinet near the family entry to keep track of keys, umbrellas, bags and anything else you might need as you head out the door. Screw-in cup hooks are ideal for holding keys; use removable adhesive-back hooks for other items so you can change the arrangement and number of hooks when needed.
Clean and organized
Keep your cleaning supplies organized and ready to use with an over-the-door metal caddy like this one. The lower rack is perfect for holding bottles of supplies, while the upper rack keeps sponges and scrubbers at the forefront.
Door prizes
Multiply the capacity of any cabinet when you add storage to the interior side of the door. Six shallow shelves fit neatly between this door and the interior shelves to offer space for single-file lines of little luxuries and kitchen dry goods. Lips on each door shelf keep items from tumbling off.
A new angle
Turn an open display shelf into triangular storage niches for just a few dollars. Add intersecting 1x boards, as shown, to one or more shelf sections to create attractive, angular storage that works well for displaying and storing everything from wine to rolled cloth napkins.
Measuring up
Install hooks and labels on the inside of a cabinet door within your kitchen baking center so every measuring spoon and cup has its proper place. Add a conversion chart for good measure.
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