Clever Kitchen Storage Ideas to Include In Your Renovation

When renovating a kitchen, it can be very easy to focus time and resources on the ‘fun’ aspects of the area – such as a breakfast bar or creating an open floor concept. Most realtors agree that the kitchen is the most important room of the house and it should be designed to not only appeal for the here and now, but also to potential buyers in the future. It’s along these lines that many homeowners make a crucial mistake in creating their design – not taking into account room for storage.

The kitchen needs to be multi-functional, perhaps more so than any other room in the house. Depending on how a house is laid out, the kitchen can serve as the entry way into the home, a place to cook, a spot to eat, an area to entertain guests, and so on. Thus, while creating space is a premium, so is planning for storage whether it be food, cooking supplies, or other kitchen essentials.

In the spirit of versatility in a kitchen, the best way to renovate to create space is with multi-functional design tasks. What this basically means is using (or planning) unused space or features that were going to be there anyway, but allowing them for storage.

If you’re suffering from an outdated kitchen or an overflowing pantry, you have two options:
1) Get rid of “stuff” – either food bank donations for non-expired items, trash, or a mystery casserole; or
2) Renovate your kitchen and incorporate creative storage solutions and maximize unused space.

These clever storage ideas will make your kitchen
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Walk-In/Custom Pantry

A pantry in itself offers a great ROI, not only because it appeals to buyers but because it can save you a bundle on groceries (Costco FTW!). Unfortunately, when you take advantage of one too many case lot sales, the back of your pantry can quickly turn into the black hole of food storage. A walk-in or custom designed pantry helps save even more money and prevent food waste by allowing easier access to the entire pantry shelf – gone are the days of the spring pantry purge and tossing out old cans of food you don’t remember buying.

Pull-Out Trash Can

Trash cans are a necessary evil in a kitchen but leaving them out in the open is not only unsightly, it presents a bigger risk to attract insects. Instead, devoting a section underneath the countertops to place pull-out trash cans is a much more appealing option. Doing so uses up under-cabinet space, but at the same time it creates floor space which can be used for shelving or other storage options.

Lower Cabinets

Another renovation to consider to increase kitchen storage is to lower your cabinets if room permits. This not only makes reaching items on the top shelf of the cabinet much easier, it also opens up space on top of the units for increased storage. Combined with some accent lighting on top of the cabinet the opened up top space can actually be an upgrade in design as well.

Install Kitchen Islands

Kitchens with spacious open floors are nice because they allow for an uncongested work area but at the same time a lot of the area is not functional. In reality, installing a centre kitchen island may block some of the foot traffic, but it will also create a focal point and room to store small appliances or other kitchen essentials.

Full-Length Cabinets

If a section of countertop isn’t used as a work zone, it’s worth looking into getting rid of the spot completely by installing full length cabinets. These features reach from floor to ceiling as well and can also be used in corners or as décor and storage in a dining room.

Sliding Storage

There are a lot of ‘dead’ areas in the traditional kitchen layout, specifically with gaps next to refrigerators or the dead space in a cabinet between shelves. Sliding or rotating storage devices are a way to create functional room with an existing spot, thus maximizing the kitchen’s efficiency.

Finding clever ways to create storage space is definitely a critical component of any kitchen renovation. Not only will you benefit from a tidy, well-organized kitchen with plenty of room to cook, but you’ll also have more room to accommodate those unexpected Costco shopping sprees.