A kitchen project is always developed in two directions, combined with each other: the first concerns design, the second concerns functionality and practical application. This means that the room should be as beautiful and comfortable as possible, with rationally located shelves and drawers. Organizing kitchen storage is a real art, combining traditional principles and unexpected ideas that help organize your workspace, kitchen utensils and products.
Railings
This is a thin pipe, supplemented with various fasteners (shelves, holders, hooks, etc.). Rails are installed under wall cabinets or along the edge of the countertop. Kitchen accessories, cutlery, jars of spices, towels, etc. are placed on them.
Stainless steel railing.
The most practical material for the product is stainless steel. Its main advantages are moisture resistance and resistance to aggressive chemicals. It is important that the railing is easy to reach with your hand while cooking; however, installing the product above the stove is not recommended. Fat and steam are not the best neighbors for any things. You will get additional drying space if you place the rail above the sink.
Note. You shouldn’t get too carried away with such a storage product, as it creates a feeling of clutter and complicates cleaning (things quickly become covered with dust). Only items that are truly in demand should be mounted on the wall.
Space under wall cabinets
Often, using the space under wall cabinets makes it much easier to find the items you need. You can make a shelf under the cabinets for spices and utensils.
For example, you can screw lids under a wall cabinet, then screw in jars of seasonings.
Mesh baskets
Place this item inside your kitchen cabinet. This is an ideal place for detergents. It can also be adapted for storing vegetables. A pull-out basket with many compartments is the easiest way to organize a large drawer.
A wide range of products allows you to find a suitable option for any furniture. Particular attention should be paid to models equipped with a height adjustment function. The mesh basket should also be placed on the side of the kitchen unit.
Extendable table
This table is an excellent solution to save space in the kitchen. It can be any size. It can be used as a cutting, working area, or for eating.
Such a device can cope with any task. The design can be on wheels, which is quite convenient to use.
The Hidden Potential of Bottlenecks
You can use even the smallest space between walls or cabinets. A win-win option is a stand with dividers and shelves. In a narrow space, it is easy to equip a place to store household items, for example, a mop, broom and detergents.
Narrow drawer.
Placemats
Using dish racks, you can organize space in the closet by stacking pans and plates. This method will help you not to take everything out at once, but take only what you need. The dish stand can be made of metal, plastic, wood, stainless steel, or combined.
The most popular is the table stand with tray. Also in recent years, hanging stands for dishes - rails - have been gaining popularity. This storage system is perfect for a small kitchen.
If the housewife does not want to place the stand in a visible place, then a built-in option for a wall cabinet or a pull-out cabinet is perfect.
Many people are interested in how to store jar lids. These devices are perfect for solving this problem.
Organizing storage in kitchen cabinets
An organized cabinet speeds up the process of preparing and serving food. The lower storage systems are used for storing large and heavy items, and the upper ones are for small and light ones.
If there is not enough space in the kitchen cabinet for dishes, it is worth increasing the number of shelves. The easiest way to do this is to use special models of mesh baskets. You can hang cups on hooks attached to the shelves. It is better to store glasses and glasses upside down. On the inner walls of the cabinet you can compactly hang attachments from electrical appliances.
Smart storage organization in the kitchen cabinet.
Another option for rational use of space is vertical storage units attached to the inside of the kitchen furniture door. It is no less practical to use special separators. With just one partition you can create a convenient place to store lids. It is also worth using cabinet doors for this purpose. A few self-adhesive hooks and the problem is solved.
For cereals and various bulk products, it is beneficial to use containers with valves and dispensers. Containers must be transparent. Spoons and forks are best stored in items with partitions. They are easy to make from plywood with your own hands, and will ensure order in the kitchen in drawers and cabinets. Knives need a separate place.
We take care of convenience in advance
Ideally, you should ask yourself the question of organizing your kitchen space not even when purchasing a set of furniture and household appliances, but even earlier - during renovation. It is when the decision is made about where the sink, heating radiators, sockets, lamps, and so on will be located.
There are no universal kitchens. Their appearance and content depend on the tastes and lifestyle of the owners: how many people are in the family, how much food they store, how many dishes and other items they have. It is important to consider how often they will cook in the kitchen and who exactly will do it - this is necessary in order to make the space the most ergonomic specifically for this person. For example, shorter-than-average height people will benefit from a lower work desk and sink.
The opportunity to organize space remains even when the kitchen renovation has already been done. You don’t have to completely remodel the furniture—it’s enough to improve its internal contents—add shelves, drawer dividers, and organizers.
Today there are a large number of modern mechanisms - door closers, lifting fasteners for facades and other things.
Lift mount makes access to upper cabinets easy
Setting up a pantry in the kitchen
If you like to stock up on things for future use, then you can’t do without a pantry. A large kitchen cabinet will do this role perfectly. Additional shelves on the doors can increase its capacity. A small corner niche is quite enough to install a pantry cabinet.
The upper part of the furniture should be reserved for frequently used things, and the lower part should be equipped with drawers. Rarely used items can be stored here. Be sure to allocate a place to store vegetable supplies. For this purpose, you can use special trays or wicker baskets. To instantly find what you need, decorate containers and drawers with inscriptions.
Pantry in the kitchen.
It’s great if there is a corner near your kitchen that can be turned into a storage area for utensils and food. In this case, organizing storage in the kitchen with your own hands is more than appropriate. Even a small nook can relieve the space. It is best to place the shelving in the free space under the stairs leading to the second floor.
Bulk products: cereals, tea and coffee
Finding beautiful jars is not a problem. But you shouldn’t buy the first containers you come across. They must have the following qualities:
- Convenient form . Rectangular jars can be placed tightly without leaving any “air” in the cabinet or shelf. Cylindrical ones are more ergonomic.
- Tight lid. It will prevent moisture and air from penetrating inside. In this case, the can should open without much effort.
- Material suitable for food storage. We do not recommend purchasing containers made of plastic of suspicious quality - they have their own smell that can absorb food. In addition, such material can be toxic. Wooden boxes absorb food odors and are suitable for storing only one type of cereal. Tin cans look cute and are lightweight. And the most durable and environmentally friendly are containers made of glass and ceramics. Unless, of course, you drop them.
Opaque cans and boxes are recommended to be signed. To do this, you can use special stickers with the names of the products or plain stickers that you sign yourself.
It is customary to put spices in small jars - this is the cutest way to store them. We will talk about this in more detail in another article.
Bulk cans form a single “ensemble” - you shouldn’t hide such sets behind cabinet doors
An alternative to jars is bags with zip fasteners. And if you like to store food in store-bought packaging, you will need clothespins or clips, as well as baskets where all the packages will stand vertically, supporting each other. Note that this method does not guarantee long-term preservation of products - it is suitable for those who purchase small packages and use them quickly.
ADVICE. Don't fill your closets 100%. If there is no space left in them, it will be inconvenient to put things in and take them out.
For tea in sealed bags, jars with tight lids are not needed - such a “house” will be enough
Kitchen design and matching storage accessories
The main rule is that everything you need should be at hand. It is advisable to store devices and products used daily under and above the work surface. The more often an item is used, the closer to the desktop it is located.
A good room design always includes a separate area for storing things. Storage areas in the kitchen should be thought through in advance. Items should be organized into categories and subcategories. If you are designing a room from scratch, rely on retractable systems.
If the size of the kitchen allows it, be sure to purchase a full-fledged cupboard. Modern manufacturers offer options in which every centimeter works. In a small kitchen, you can maximize space by using tall cabinets equipped with a large number of different sections.
To expand the work area, attach additional shelves under the top drawers (you can store a holiday dinnerware set or decor). A hanging shelf will help out where there is no space for a cabinet.
Stylish and practical accessories can always be found at IKEA. When selecting additional elements, remember that they should make the room comfortable and cozy, and not clutter it.
Liquid products: vegetable oil, canned food and honey
Let's put things in order on the shelves with glass and tin containers with liquid products: jam, compotes, canned vegetables, honey and oils. Most of them are stored in the back corners of closets or in a separate pantry. But there must be something at hand.
Canned food likes temperatures from 3 to 8 degrees Celsius, but they are often stored at room temperature - this is only permissible for closed cans. The main thing is that the place is not too wet.
ADVICE. No matter how beautiful the jars of canned food are, you should not store them in plain sight for a long time - they will quickly deteriorate from exposure to light. To decorate the interior of kitchens, special decorative canned food is made in jars and bottles of interesting shapes. For such preservation, several times more salt and vinegar are used, so it is unsuitable for food.
Honey can be stored for ages at temperatures no higher than 20 degrees Celsius. He also needs a secluded dark corner.
An airtight jar will ensure the safety of honey
It is preferable to keep vegetable oils in glass bottles, in a dark place, away from the stove - so as not to heat up. If they are in plain sight, put them in nice bottles and try to use them within a month. Some oils need to be refrigerated after opening.
If you are used to keeping oil in sight, pour it into an unusual but grippy bottle
Clothespins for rubber gloves
Ordinary clothespins glued to the locker door will help you forget forever about the problem of where rubber gloves are located.
You can also hang rags, napkins or other household utensils on clothespins.
Consumables
Towels and napkins, as well as parchment and foil, should always be at hand; storing them in kitchen cabinets will be an ideal solution for such small items. Compartments located near the sink or sink are ideal for this.
At her own discretion, each housewife will be able to choose the most successful location; fantasizing is not prohibited. Small towels should be hung on hooks; if the ventilation in the room is done properly, they will dry quickly even in a closed space.
Note!
DIY kitchen: step-by-step instructions, selection of furniture + rules for installing the kitchen
- Kitchen with gas stove: design features, photos of the finished renovation
How to make a kitchen with your own hands - examples of beautiful and modern renovations
The most practical fastening option would be one equipped with high-quality Velcro. It can be glued on the reverse side without much effort, and if the need arises for transfer, this can also be quickly accomplished.
Taking a closer look at interesting life hacks for the kitchen, storing napkins will no longer seem so complicated; roof rails or vertical holders will help out at the right time.
The location can be different: on the countertop, near the dining table, in any free corner. By purchasing at least one convenient organizer, you can significantly simplify the life in the room for preparing dishes.
Appliances
We are not talking about an electric kettle, because hiding it is very irrational. A similar attribute of the food preparation room is used every day, and sooner or later you will get tired of constantly taking it out.
But the same cannot be said about a meat grinder, food processor or blender; this technique is used quite rarely. By putting such elements in a safe place, you can significantly save space on your work surface.
But if this is not done, then the feeling of disorder will not leave either the guests or the hostess. It is better to provide a department for equipment in advance, namely when ordering furniture, because a lot of space may be required, depending on the number of things.
Organizing truly practical storage areas is quite simple; for this you need to carefully think through all the nuances. It is better to place some accessories closer to the sink, while others directly next to the stove. And vegetables should be where they can last as long as possible and not become unusable, every good and attentive owner knows this.
