Clear away the clutter in the kitchen with these space saving hacks.
One of the areas of the home where we accumulate the most clutter is the kitchen.
Between our non-perishables, our kitchenware, appliances, spices, fruit and so on, there can hardly be room for a mouse to squeak! It’s very easy to accumulate clutter and mess piled up on your bench, have food go off that you forgot about, or accidently buy yet ANOTHER bottle of sherry that you only ever use at Christmas.
Good planning and creativity makes all the difference in the world when it comes to storage. Once you can store away your cookware you suddenly have all this room to *gasp* actually cook! Plus when you can actually see what you have in your pantry you won’t end up with fifteen cans of beans like a doomsday prepper.
Pull Out Is Where It’s At
As soon as you can’t see into the back of your cupboards, it’s all over. Not only is this the beginning of the long downward slope of can hoarding, it can be bad for your back and knees to have to lift and drag items from awkward back corners in a crouch. It hurts, it’s annoying, you knock things over and it’s just not fun.
If you don’t have a walk in pantry, pull out drawers and lazy susans are a godsend. Ever single bit of storage space you have, adopt it so you can easily access all the nooks and crannies. If you’re not handy with a hammer, your local handyman will be able to help you put together some cabinetry modifications and roller drawers units.
Get Original with Organising
There are all sorts of handy items you can purchase to help you to help you make the best use of your storage space. If you have deep spaces between your shelves, consider under baskets or wire racks to fill the space more effectively. Run out of space for your utensils? A utensil rack gets them out of your way but also ready at hand for your stove cooking. Going potty over pots and pans space? Hang them up high on a pot rack and out of the way. Install a floating shelf over your stove for spices and use a stemware hanger for wine glasses. Use EVERY bit of space - even the sides of your cabinets to hang more utensils and pans.
Restructure FTW
If budget allows, reconfigure your cabinetry to reach to the ceiling. Although some of it will be tricky to get to, it still provides a good space for that special Christmas china you only pull out once a year and frees up other space for your everyday items. If you’ve got a tricky space under the sink or next to the rangehood this can still be used for storage with a bit of creativity – thin narrow spaces for example are great for cutting boards and pans. You can purchase DIY cabinetry but for a solid and attractive installation, or for a customised job, chat to your local handyman or cabinetry professional.
If you have spare space, use it. Install shelving on walls and make use of your kitchen island – installing drawers under your counter is both handy and practical.
It’s all doable. I have a kitchen the size of a postage stamp but I squeeze every bit out of it - I am so in love with my hanging racks, pull out drawers and lazy susan! Not only does it make cooking easier and save you money from preventing wasted food, you just feel so much better when the clutter is cleared away.
-Em from the Look Local WA team
