If home is where the heart is, then the kitchen is where that heart spends most of its time. Kitchens are where family and friends tend to congregate during holiday celebrations, and many a homework assignment has been completed at a kitchen island while parents prepare dinner.
The popularity of kitchens is reflected in the attention these rooms get from renovation-minded homeowners. Data from the National Association of Home Builders indicates kitchens are the most popular room to remodel. Upgrading kitchen storage is a popular renovation project, and it’s also one that has practical appeal. Adding more storage in the kitchen gives the room a more organized feel, which can make preparing meals more enjoyable and create space when hosting and guests inevitably congregate around an island. With those benefits in mind, would-be organizers can consider these strategies to create more storage space in the kitchen.
Take stock of the spice rack. Creating more storage space does not necessarily have to involve tools like screwdrivers, hammers and nails. Spice racks can easily become overcrowded as amateur cooks expand their culinary repertoire. A crowded spice rack inevitably spills out onto the surrounding countertop. Take stock of the spice rack and discard any spices or seasonings you haven’t used in a while. This can create a more organized look and free up extra counter space.
Make a digital cookbook. If your go-to recipes are filling a binder or two, those binders are almost certainly taking up precious storage space. Scan printed recipes and covert your physical recipe collection into a digital cookbook you store on a tablet.
Install roll-out shelving in the pantry. Roll-out shelving puts the entire pantry to use. Without such shelving, items are destined to be relegated to that nether region known as the back of the pantry. Some items never emerge from this area, as cooks forget they’re there and then purchase duplicates, which inevitably contributes to storage issues. Roll-out shelving ensures all items in the pantry can be found and greatly reduces the likelihood that cooks will have lots of duplicate items taking up precious kitchen space.
Remove single-use gadgets from the kitchen. Much like spices and seasonings vital to the preparation of specialty meals have a tendency to be used just once, kitchen gadgets that lack versatility have a way of gathering dust and taking up storage space. Whether it’s a popcorn maker, a seldom-used but space-needy wok or another gadget that’s used infrequently, if at all, store single-use gadgets in the garage or another area of the house where they won’t get in the way or contribute to a less-than-organized look in the room.
A handful of simple strategies can help anyone create more storage space in the kitchen.
