5 Tips to Avoid Wasted Storage Space in Your New Kitchen
Storage space is one of the most important elements of a kitchen. Whether you don't have enough space or you have a large and potentially inefficient kitchen, avoiding wasted storage space is key to designing the most functional and comfortable kitchen renovation. How can you ensure that your storage areas aren't wasted? Here are a few important tips.
1. Make Storage Accessible
A large, deep cabinet isn't a lot of good if you can't successfully use the back half of it. Similarly, those tall upper cabinets might be completely unusable if short family members can't reach into them. So, make sure you can easily access all parts of all storage areas. This may call for anything from rethinking a cabinet's shape to adding a lazy Susan or pull-out shelves.
2. Be Wary of Garages
Appliance garages are dedicated storage areas on countertops for small appliances like toasters and coffee makers. While these can be very useful for providing a covered home for everything, they take up a lot of counter surface and aren't very efficient. Decide whether you actually need the appliance — such as a blender for smoothies each morning — on a counter or if you really could store it in a cabinet.
3. Customize Storage Spaces
The best way to avoid wasted space is to design a deliberate storage location for as many things as possible. Unusually-shaped items, like your oversize baking sheets or cake platter collection, can take up a lot more room in a standard storage area than they will in a specially-designed cabinet made to fit them.
4. Think Outside the Box
There may be more wasted space in your kitchen than you realize. The inches below base cabinets, overhead spaces where you could hang things, the backs of doors, and narrow spots between appliances could all be turned into clever storage locations with some creative thinking. Don't rule out any unused spot.
5. Go Mobile
Permanent, built-in storage like shelves and cabinets aren't the only way to add storage to most kitchens. Mobile options like rolling carts or islands can be moved around to serve various purposes, including storage and prep space. If you place that coffee maker on a cart, for example, you could store it just about anywhere and still ensure good access for your cup of hot joe each morning.
Could your kitchen be made more useful by following these tips? Certainly, with smart storage design, you will have a great room no matter how large or small it is. Get started today by consulting with an experienced interior designer today to look at your kitchen remodel.