systems have evolved to hold this trove and to keep it manageable. In addition, manufacturers have devised hundreds of ways to store the overflow on walls and ceilings, under cabinets, and in every empty corner imaginable. Appliance manufacturers, for example, offer their wares in every size and configuration, allowing you to put only what you use most where you need it most. Split fridges and freezers, for example, allow you to put the fridge where it’s handy, without gobbling up prime real estate with a less-used freezer. Many appliances can now perform multiple tricks, another space-conserving opportunity.
In this book, you’ll find out how to use every cubic inch of space for storage, from up near the ceiling to behind the toe kick panel— and everywhere in between.
What This Book Will Deliver
1001 Ideas for Kitchen Organization has been created to help you design a kitchen that’s right for you. Part 1, “The Essentials,” covers the two things that are fundamental to optimal storage: organizational wisdom and cabinets. In Chapter 1, “Finding Efficiency,” you’ll learn how to make decisions about how to increase your available storage. You’ll also learn how to go about deciding where to put things for maximum efficiency. Chapter 2, “Cabinets and Accessories,” will explain the many choices you have when buying cabinets. It will also show you how to outfit new or existing cabinets to suit your needs.
Part 2, “Beyond the Cabinet,” discusses the storage options that are “outside the box.” Chapter 3, “Countertop and Under-Cabinet Storage,” for example, is loaded with ideas for how to use the valuable kitchen real estate that lies between your countertop and wall cabinets. In Chapter 4, “Overhead and Vertical Spaces,” you are encouraged to look around for useful storage opportunities that are often neglected. They include walls, windows, doors, ceilings, and even appliance fronts. Chapter 5, “Getting Creative with Leftovers,” suggests ways to use leftover nooks and crannies for useful storage just when you thought you’d run out of space. The chapter deals with all those necessities that need a home but are often simply stashed in a corner. What’s the best place for cleaning supplies, step stools, pet food, tool kits, and the fire extinguisher? You’ll find the answers.
Want to get serious about organization? Find a spot for a kitchen command center for the business of everyday life. You’ll discover how.
Buying kitchen cabinets ranks high in remodeling expenses. See Chapter 2, “Cabinets and Accessories,” for guidance on getting the most for your dollar.
Part 3, “Specialized Storage,” covers everything from where to store food so it lasts to where to keep the pen for writing your shopping list. In Chapter 6, “Cool and Cold Storage,” this book fills you in on how to use your refrigerator and freezer more effectively, as well as what new and exciting units to consider when you remodel. It also lets you know the proper way to store your finest wines. Chapter 7, “Trash and Recyclables,” gets down and dirty, describing the best ways to stow garbage, recyclables, and compost. Chapter 8, “Kitchen Offices and Message Centers,” offers ideas for incorporating a desk, files, electronics, and a message center into your kitchen plan—and tips on how to keep them orderly.
PART 1
The Essentials
CHAPTER 1
Finding Efficiency
Before delving into the guidelines for creating a well-organized kitchen with lots of sensible storage solutions, it’s important to be clear about the difference between storage and organization. The former has to do with better use of space, accessibility, and clever hardware. The latter has more to do with how to group items and where to put them.
An efficient kitchen has storage for everything and locates that storage where you’ll need it when engaged in kitchen activities.
You may design a kitchen so that every single utensil, pot, or box of cereal is stored without wasting a single cubic inch. But that doesn’t necessarily mean your kitchen will be well organized or an efficient place to work. To perform all of the daily tasks that take place there, quickly and easily, everything will need to be optimally stored in places that result in optimal organization. A bag of flour may be optimally stored in a clear, airtight container on a shelf that’s clearly lit and within easy reach, but if that shelf is on the other side of the kitchen from where you do your baking, it’s not optimally organized. Now move the flour container to a shelf over the counter where you bake. It may still be in a less than optimal place if you bake infrequently or if some other item that you use every day would be better stored there.
There is often no right answer for everyone. Too much depends on the size of your kitchen, the people it serves, and your cooking habits. Notice, however, we didn’t say that optimal organization depends on your budget. A low-budget kitchen remodeling can be a dream in terms of efficiency. Conversely, there are many high-end kitchens that are a nightmare to work in. In this chapter, we spell out the rules of optimal storage and organization.
Make the Most of Your Space
What do the catch phrases “maximize your space,” “avoid wasting space,” and “saving space” really mean? They all boil down to getting more from the storage space you have (or plan to have in the case of remodeling or new construction). To do this, you may need to use all of the available space in your kitchen, whether it’s up by the ceiling, on the floor of a closet, or buried deep in a corner cabinet. The soffits above your wall cabinets, for example, can be fitted with small cabinets or shelves for less-used items, such as a collection of flower vases or a fondue pot. Put rolling tubs on the floor under shelves in a closet or walk-in pantry and store paper goods and cleaning supplies inside. Use clever hardware to pivot and pull your way to the deepest recesses of any cabinet.
Sometimes the “wasted” space is right before your eyes. Open any kitchen cabinet and observe how much of it is actually used for storage and how much is empty. In other words, is there a big void above your collection of soup cans? Often, you’ll find you can add 30 to 50 percent more storage to a cabinet simply by optimizing the placement of shelves. Get into the habit of thinking in terms of cubic inches/volume when planning storage. Otherwise, you’re likely to waste much of your prime storage space.