Storage Helpers that Help You Love Your Cabinets
Storage is often the number one thing on people’s minds when they want to redo their kitchen or bath. The space they currently have is either too small or not as optimized as it could be. They have a dreaded Tupperware drawer that no matter how many times they organize it, it’s a mess again the next time it’s opened. Various products have been on the market for a while to add on to existing cabinets, but when putting in new cabinets you have the option of adding built in storage helpers. From removable drawer dividers, to built in K-cup holders cabinets these day have just about everything.
Roll Outs
One feature that has been popular for a long time now is roll outs. These are drawers placed into cabinets in lieu of traditional shelving. They allow for easier access to items in the back of the cabinet so you can utilize the full value of your storage space. They come in different depths and sizes but are almost always on people’s list of must haves. Another common must have is the built in waste basket cabinet. This cabinet is available with one, two, or four bins to allow for easy separation of recyclables. Because it is a full cabinet you loose some storage space. However, Kraftmaid recently came out with an under sink version to make use of a typically underutilized area. The under sink version does limit your options on sink size. There are gains and loses with both options so it’s important to choose what works best for your unique space.
Baking Supply Storage
If you get frustrated trying to pull baking sheets out of the narrow drawer at the bottom of your oven you may want to add a tray rack in your base cabinets. This built in is a narrow base cabinet that is only about 9 inches wide. The rack pulls completely, allowing you to easily select the tray you want and remove it for use. There are other narrow base cabinets of a similar design. However, instead of having a rack to hold baking sheets, they have shelves to hold various kitchen supplies. If you want to install a narrow cabinet to utilize a few extra inches of space in your kitchen but do not like the pull outs they do come in other designs. You could get one of these narrow cabinets with a divider to have baking tray storage without the pull out. You could also get an open front cabinet with a wine rack!
Another tool to help store your baking supplies is the Stand Mixer Shelf. This built in shelf can support up to 60 pounds which is enough to hold a home mixer plus whatever you are mixing in the bowl. They install this shelf with a lever so that you can store the mixer in the cabinet and keep your countertops clear, but when you want to use it you simply lift it up and out to click into place outside the cabinet. Once you finish just push it back down and into the cabinet!
Corner Storage
One area of the kitchen often underutilized are blind corners. The space towards the back of these cabinets ends up either unused or full of items that require taking out half the contents of the cabinet to reach. Now many cabinet lines offer two layer Lazy Susans which spin around a full 360 degrees so you can easily access everything in the cabinet. These can be placed in upper or lower cabinets. Some brands also have the option of a swing out. This item swings all the way out of the cabinet so you can access all of your belongings at once then slides right back in!
Pantries
Pantry storage tools have also gotten an upgrade! Whether you are using a cabinet as a pantry or have a full built in pantry there are solutions! The Multi-Storage built-ins fit in base cabinets, upper cabinets, or full pantries. They involve fixed shelving units on the back wall of the cabinet and on the inside of the doors. Those in full pantries or base cabinets also have two separate shelving units that sit in the middle of the cabinet while closed but can be spun and swung out to easily access all items in the cabinet and still use the full space.
Drawer Inserts
The various built in drawer inserts available are also popular. The spice drawer inserts allow for 3-4 rows of spices in a drawer. It keeps the bottles slightly tilted up so it is easier to see labels. The cutlery divider insert can come as either one level or two with the upper level of storage capable of rolling back on a separate track to revel the lower level. This allows for more organized storage as the two levels allow you to separate out different utensils. You can also add dividers or pegs in deeper base drawers to help organize dishes or Tupperware. In drawer inserts also include cutting board and knife storage all in the same drawer now!
Bathroom Storage
It isn’t just the kitchen that gets all the cool storage designs however! There are several additions for bathrooms that really help with organization and storage. Tilt out trays can be placed at the top of the bathroom vanity, just under the countertop. They offer a great area to store tooth paste and razors so these items are readily available and not cluttering your counter. You could even use one to hold a straightener or curling iron! Here is a link to a video showing a tilt out tray in a kitchen. They also offer built in hampers for dirty laundry. These are removable in order to easily take them into the laundry room. This will help keep dirty clothes off the bathroom floor and out of sight. An extremely useful built in that is available for both kitchen and bathroom cabinet drawers are moveable dividers. These are wooden dividers that can be moved within the drawer to section off and help organize.
These options will add to the total cost of your project but they will also add to your total enjoyment of your new kitchen or bath. There are options for every remodeling budget whether you just want to add a few roll out trays or completely deck out your space with all the latest storage gadgets. Come on in to Christie’s Kitchen and Bath and we’ll be happy to help you design the perfect space for you! Happy Renovating!
