So much stuff, so little room. Stuff you need, such as food and pots and pans. Stuff you collect, such as pottery and cookbooks. Stuff that seems to multiply overnight, such as bills, recyclables, and rubber bands. Fortunately, there are plenty of solutions to help you store your stuff -- and quickly retrieve it. Check out the following custom cabinetry ideas, easy-to-install products, no-install containers, and tips about organizing that will help whip your kitchen into shape.
1. Bring the pantry closer to you. A pullout pantry system has wire shelf sides that prevent items from falling out and allow easy viewing of the contents. Pullout pantry systems, especially those that extend into toe-kick space near the floor, must be installed perfectly level and plumb to operate smoothly.
2. Take cabinets to the top. If you're planning for new cabinetry, choose designs that reach the ceiling rather than those topped by a soffit. Although high-rise storage is more difficult to reach, it can conveniently conceal infrequently used items.
3. Specify upper cabinets that rest on the countertop. Shelves positioned between your shoulders and waist require no reaching to store stacks of dinnerware.
4. Shift dry goods into airtight, stackable containers. Often, packaged food products can be stored more compactly when transferred from their packaging into stacking containers.
5. Install a wire wall grid to keep kitchen tools handy. Turn a bare section of wall into a hook-and-hang center. For more storage, add accessories, such as spice racks and cookbook holders.
6. Store spice bottles one deep, on their sides with labels visible, in shallow drawers, instead of stacking them, says organization consultant Ginny Scott of California Closets in Portland, Oregon. The best location for spice storage is below a cooktop or to the side of your range. The flavor of spices stored above a cooking surface may be adversely affected by the heat.
7. Claim shallow storage spaces. It's easier to see what's on hand when items aren't hidden behind each other.
8. Divide your drawer space. Adjustable inserts help organize flatware and other items inside your drawers. When designing custom drawer space, specify shallow drawers to store utensils one deep for easy viewing.
9. Choose full-extension pullouts. Drawers and trays that extend fully allow the use of back corners without having to reach deep into cabinets to retrieve a pot or small appliance. You may prefer drawers because they save having to first open a set of doors.
10. Attach racks to the inside of cabinet doors to boost storage options. Be sure to allow enough clearance within your cabinets for racks that tidily stow paper products.
11. Adjust shelves to fit specific contents. Choose adjustable shelves that can be as widely or closely spaced as necessary. Professional organizers recommend measuring your stacked dishes to determine the shelf height your dishware requires.
12. Make the most of between-shelf spaces. Wire baskets that hang from shelves let you fill unclaimed "air space" with more food items, dishware, or linens.
13. Retrofit cabinets with tray dividers, slide-out bins, and plate stackers. Bins are especially useful for containing and organizing small items, such as tea bags, spice packets, and gelatin boxes.
14. Avoid stacking or nesting items that fit badly together, such as cups with handles. Use cup hooks that attach to the bottom of an upper shelf, and pull out for access.
15. Keep things conveniently out in the open. Pot racks make use of space above an island. Keep in mind that pots displayed on a rack look picture-perfect only when they aren't used much.
16. Store shallow items, such as cutting boards and platters, upright. Even narrow spaces next to your range or your sink can be used in this manner. Use dividers to separate items for easier retrieval.
17. Put unused space to work. Incorporate shallow drawers into the toe-kick space below lower cabinets to hold a folding step stool, dustpan, or newspapers for recycling.
18. Fill in the space under a cooktop with a tilt-out tray for spices and roll-out trays for pots and pans. Or, slide in a movable cart with shelves to accommodate cooking equipment.
19. Wrap storage around plumbing lines and ductwork. A wire unit fits around the water lines and drain pipe under a sink, a handy spot for cleaning supplies. (Avoid storing food items in areas that may get too warm.)
20. Add shelves or niches to the end of a cabinet run. The side of an island or cabinet is a prime spot for storing cookbooks and displaying kitchen collectibles.
