Affordable Kitchen Storage Ideas

May 11, 2016
You don't have to shell out the big bucks to get a beautifully organized kitchen. These affordable storage solutions let you keep your cash while making your own kitchen storage-rich.
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Freestanding Shelves

Bookshelves aren't limited to reading materials. Locate one near your kitchen to store all your cooking odds and ends. Stack the storage unit high with dishware, spices, and cookbooks to free up cabinet space.

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Single File

Keep water bottles within reach and in view by stacking them in magazine files. Rest the inexpensive organizers on their backs for quick grab-and-go access.

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Hang Baskets

Baskets are helpful for organizing kitchen utensils, cleaning supplies, and fresh produce. Place a pair of baskets above a sink using a metal rod or adhesive hooks for easy access. A wire design allows you to see contents at a glance and helps wet dishes and sponges dry quicker.

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Gather Loose Lids

Utilize thrifty organizers to make over the chaotic space where you stash food-storage containers. A wall file mounted to a cabinet door is an easy solution for separating plastic lids from bases.

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Floating Shelves

If you have a bit of extra wall space but not enough room for cabinetry, add a pair of floating shelves. Install hooks under the bottom shelf for hanging coffee mugs, utensils, or hand towels.

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How to Make Open Shelves

Don't want to spend money on new shelves? See how to convert your existing cabinetry into open shelves.

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Rise Up

A collapsible riser designed for cabinet interiors lends heightened storage when tackling hands-on recipes. Prepare your workstation by arranging ingredients in the created space underneath, and set dishes and utensils on top.

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Clutter Cutter

Backsplashes are storage space waiting to happen. One strategy to put this space to work for pennies: Add magnetized strips to one side of a finished board, and secure it to the backsplash to hold knives -- they're as easy to grab and use as they are to put away.

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Clear Containers

Keep a uniform look on your countertops with clear storage containers. Buy them in bulk online from kitchen supply stores for less. They're good for storing dry cereals, pet foods, and snacks, too. Even apothecary jars with long lost or broken lids can be used to store a countertop collection of rolling pins on end.

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Try Tension Rods

Rethink how you use tension curtain rods. Place rows of the affordable window-treatment hardware inside a cabinet to keep plastic food-container lids, baking sheets, or serving trays upright and organized.

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Corkboard Cabinetry

Applying cork to a door face or cabinet interior is a handy way to organize notes and lists. Use spray adhesive to apply the inexpensive sheets of corkboard. Store recipes, chore lists, and coupon clippings on the boards while keeping the surface of your cabinetry clutter-free.

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Spice Central

Repurpose a vintage metal caddy or milk crate as a moveable seasoning station. Keep the holder near food prep and cooking zones, then transfer it to the table during meals.

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Solutions to Common Kitchen Storage Problems

Learn how to tackle some of the most annoying kitchen storage problems with these smart tips and tricks.

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Pantry Polish

Maximize the space in your pantry with labeled baskets in bright colors. Group individually wrapped snacks and breakfast essentials out of their boxes and in the bins to make mornings a breeze.

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On a Roll

Wheels take a standard kitchen cabinet to a new level! Roll it in when you need extra counter space or a set of specialized tools stored within.

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Cool Cache

If the items in your freezer are expiring because you can't find what you need when you need it, seek out low-cost storage to finesse a tidy interior. A trip to a dollar discount store or down the clearance aisles at the home center can yield storage bargains galore, including colorful wire bins for sorting frozen meat. Opt for stackable clear plastic containers to keep other frozen foods tidy and on view; add labels to note contents and "use by" dates.

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Simple Solution

A simple pegboard is right at home in your kitchen -- and the metal is a modern and industrial twist on the standard brown pegboard. This customizable solution works for pots and pans, as well as spatulas and big spoons. Combine multiple sections to create a wall of organization.

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Professional Storage Solutions

Take a cue from restaurant kitchens and add a stainless-steel storage shelf to an empty wall in your kitchen. This approach maximizes the height and bare wall space and adds a modern look.

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Singular Solution

For a baker, a rolling pin must be close at hand at all times. By adding a simple storage solution to the end of the cabinet, the kitchen makes a personal style statement and adds function for everyday baking.

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Cottage Chic

This utensil caddy is made out of Mason jars and a simple metal handle. Add cottage style to any table setting and make serving a snap!

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Make this Baking Cabinet

See how to easily transform an armoire into a hardworking baking cabinet!

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Out of Sight

Keep the mix of mismatched towels out of sight with an over-the-door storage unit. Get smart and make use of the backside of cabinet doors, as well as the insides for storage.

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Hooked on Order

Add hooks to the back of a shallow cabinet near the family entry to keep track of keys, umbrellas, bags, and anything else you might need as you head out the door. Screw-in cup hooks are ideal for holding keys; use removable adhesive-back hooks for other items so you can change the arrangement and number of hooks when needed.

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Drawer Organization

An average drawer becomes all the more purposeful with the addition of a drawer organizer. A compartmentalized insert such as this neatly stores utensils. Add labels to the compartments to designate spaces for specific items.

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Clean and Organized

Keep your cleaning supplies organized and ready to use with an over-the-door metal caddy like this one. The lower rack is perfect for holding bottles of supplies, while the upper rack keeps sponges and scrubbers at the forefront.

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Island Oasis

Not all storage belongs behind closed doors. Make oft-used items easy to find and access when you outfit the food-prep side of an island with affordable add-ons: bars for tea towels and paper towels, as well as a repurposed wire bin to house cutting boards and rolling pins.

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Door Prizes

Multiply the capacity of any cabinet when you add storage to the interior side of the door. Six shallow shelves fit neatly between this door and the interior shelves to offer space for single-file lines of little luxuries and kitchen dry goods. Lips on each door shelf keep items from tumbling off.

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Basket Case

Keep your eyes peeled for newer or vintage wicker picnic baskets at flea markets or estate sales, and use them to stow kitchen gear and keep countertops clear of clutter. Stack baskets in a countertop corner to store linens, dishware, or even stacks of coupons and household papers.

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A New Angle

Turn an open display shelf into triangular storage niches for just a few dollars. Add intersecting 1x boards, as shown, to one or more shelf sections to create attractive, angular storage that works well for displaying and storing everything from wine to rolled cloth napkins.

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