“I don’t need more kitchen storage space” said no homeowner ever—at least not any we’ve met in our 12 years of helping people with pantry ideas for small kitchens, large kitchens and everything in between. Creating more storage space is always in-demand for a kitchen remodeling project. And whether you plan to stay put, or want to sell your home, smart kitchen storage will make your life better while enchanting homebuyers as well. So, whether you need better kitchen shelving units to make up for small kitchen shelves, want kitchen cabinet storage solutions, or need better kitchen island storage ideas, let’s talk about some ways to free up, clear up, clean up and organize your kitchen, no matter how big it is.
The best way to increase your kitchen storage is to maximize whatever space you have so that every inch is working beautifully for you. Take a look around your kitchen to identify your pain points, and you can already start to see where some better storage cabinet design and modular kitchen storage upgrades could help. For example, do you have deep shelves where pantry staples get lost for years (until they’re way past their expiration dates)? Do you have wall space that’s just bare and not doing anything? Once you’ve identified your pain points, we can start to come up with great kitchen storage solutions.
If you have deep, unfathomable kitchen cabinets that are super hard to keep organized (and frequently swallow your pantry staples), this may be a prime location for a pull-out pantry. It’s one of our favorite kitchen cabinet storage ideas, especially for small kitchens. You can turn a deep cabinet into a pull-out pantry, or even more than one! A slim, two-sided pull-out can help you keep everything organized and visible. You simply pull to open the roll-out shelving, see what you need and go. No more cans of soup hiding in the back.
Another area that gets cluttered and disorganized easily are kitchen drawers. They tend to be a catch-all (think “junk drawers”) and again, things get lost in there and space isn’t well-used. Custom kitchen drawers with dividers and pegs that help everything stay in its place can save a lot of space and help you stay organized. In fact, one of the more popular kitchen solutions we’ve helped people with is creating custom spice drawers that keep all the spices you could ever need in wonderful order for easy access when cooking. Keeping the spices in a cool, dark drawer actually helps them stay fresher longer than having them sit out on a counter, taking up space and being exposed to the light.
Sometimes all you need is a little creativity and expert craftsmanship to make your cabinets roomier. For example, you can use tall, deep, lower cabinets to “file” your baking sheets and cake pans. You may just need to have slats built in to keep them organized and separated, so they are easy to remove and replace. On the other hand, some taller cabinets have a lot of wasted space at the top where hooks or a built-in rod or some small kitchen shelves could be added so that space could be better used. If you have a corner cabinet that is always a pain to reach into, adding a rotating “Lazy Susan” can help you get what you need much more easily, and save a lot of space.
Not that you have to cover every wall with shelving, but chances are, you have some kitchen wall space that could really be working more efficiently for you than it currently is. Depending on your kitchen layout and available space, you can add shallow storage cabinets or shelving to create space for smaller items, or even for decorative kitchen elements you want to display. Kitchen wall storage is also a great place for a smart speaker, a touchless soap dispenser or other hands-free kitchen technology gadgets.
If you have a kitchen island, it should be a kitchen storage workhorse. This is a great place for a pull-out cabinet that hides your garbage and recycling so that it’s out of sight and out of your traffic areas. Pull out cabinets in the island can also be a great palace for a wine chiller. A countertop overhang can be the right place to store kitchen stools, or even some built-in shelving for your collection of cookbooks. If there’s no sink or water at your kitchen island, you could even create a pull-out laptop desk with built-in wiring and outlets that you can tuck away when not in use.
Of course, most homeowners want to get everything off of the counter, but that’s not always possible. The key to keeping countertops organized is smart storage that minimizes clutter and enhances accessibility. For example, get your knife block off the counter entirely by using a magnetic knife holder on the wall. Also, small, built-in shelves can help corral items into specific spaces that can help keep the rest of the countertop clean and open. You can also add hooks or a hanging rod to your backsplash to hang items, so they are on the wall instead of on the counter.
If you have trouble envisioning how to enhance your kitchen storage space, contact Silva Construction Group in Northern Virginia for a personal consultation. We have helped homeowners with kitchen remodeling, bathroom remodeling and a host of other home improvement projects you can look at in our portfolio. We serve homeowners throughout Alexandria, Arlington, Washington D.C. and all along the banks of the Potomac River. We look forward to helping you get the kitchen storage space you need and deserve.