34 Ingenious Ways to Store More in Your Kitchen

Open shelving is a pretty and practical way to utilize kitchen wall space. Line the shelves with cookbooks, displays of attractive serving bowls and dishes, stemware, vases, or baskets. Here, grouping and stacking pieces on the open shelves keep items neat and easy to find.

Turn a bare section of wall into a hook-and-hang center. Pegboard provides an easy way to keep kitchen tools handy. Use a combination of hooks and pegs to hang cookware, cutting boards, utensils, and more.

When kitchen space is limited, unconventional storage solutions can ensure you don't have to sacrifice function. Outfitting cabinetry with pullout shelves is a smart alternative to a full-size pantry. The raised edges on these shelves keep boxes and bags upright, organized, and accessible.

Dividers help organize flatware and other items inside your drawers. Choose adjustable inserts for added flexibility, or create custom organizers that fit your drawer's exact dimensions. Consider a two-tiered system to double the storage capacity.

If you're planning for new cabinetry, choose designs that reach the ceiling rather than those topped by a soffit. Although high-rise storage can be difficult to reach, it's convenient for concealing infrequently used items. Keep a step stool nearby to help you access this area when needed.

Keep the space inside your refrigerator in order with a few easy strategies. Start by grouping foods by type, such as beverages, dairy products, leftovers, and produce. Consider add-ons including clear bins, baskets, trays, and turntables to corral items and grant easy access. Keep in mind that you can adjust refrigerator shelves as needed to better accommodate different-sized items.

If you do a lot of baking, keep all your supplies in one spot. Here, cookie sheets, muffin tins, and trays for serving are stored in a cabinet over a wall oven. Retrofit an existing cabinet with inexpensive dividers to keep everything organized.

Boost kitchen storage by adding shelves or niches to the end of a cabinet run. The side of an island or cabinet is a prime spot for displaying kitchen collectibles or storing cookbooks. Adding onto an existing island will also extend your available prep space.

A deep, narrow drawer such as this one is the perfect spot for storing tall bottles of oil, vinegar, and more. Additional shelves stash smaller spice containers. Consider adding one to your next cabinetry makeover, or as a quick-fix alternative, corral all your bottles into a deep basket that you can slide onto a shelf or inside an existing cabinet.

A two-bin unit lets you sort recyclables and trash, then conceal them behind doors. The most convenient location for this unit is next to the sink so cans and bottles can go straight from a rinse into the appropriate bin. Or, choose a location near the door where you exit the house to limit how far you must lug the bins.

Store all your pantry staples in one convenient location. A floor-to-ceiling cabinet is divided into shelves so nothing gets lost in the back of the cupboard. Consider attaching a tack board to the door or side of the pantry for posting notes, a calendar, and shopping lists.

Combine open and closed storage for visual interest and accessibility. An arrangement of cabinets and cubbies makes use of typically wasted space around a refrigerator. Reserve open storage areas for items that look good on display, such as cookbooks, glassware, or serving pieces.

Attach racks to the inside of cabinet doors to boost kitchen storage options. Be sure to allow enough clearance within your cabinets to allow the door to close completely. A narrow rack such as this one is ideal for keeping small jars in order.

Turn unused space below a built-in banquette into storage. Deep drawers are a convenient spot to stash extra table linens, placemats, and napkins. For an open storage option, build cubbies or shelves into the area below the seat.

If your kitchen lacks built-in cabinetry, consider a stand-alone piece to increase the room's storage capacity. This freestanding armoire houses delicate dishware while lending warmth and charm in a transitional kitchen. The piece fits into a corner niche so it doesn't impede traffic flow.

Conquer your under-sink space with a simple, inexpensive solution. Keep your most frequently used items on a turntable for quick access. This kitchen storage idea works well for dish soap, dishwasher detergent, sponges, scrubbers, and other items you reach for often.

Make mornings easier with an all-in-one coffee station. Dedicate a drawer next to your coffee maker to holding filters, coffee beans, and travel mugs, so brewing a fresh pot is a one-step task. If you don't have a drawer to spare, consider outfitting a cabinet with pullout shelves that function similarly.

Stock your freezer with kitchen storage ideas that make use of every inch of shelf space. Use plastic baskets (an affordable organization tool) to store foods by type and put a labeled tag on each. Keep small adhesive labels and a permanent marker on hand to label individual containers.

The narrow strip between the cabinets and the floor, called the toe-kick, frequently amounts to wasted space. Put this area to work by installing a shallow drawer. Use the newfound storage spot to house kids' craft supplies or stash serving dishes and baking pans.

Organize your family's paperwork, mail, reminders, and more in one convenient spot. Built-in bins, a bulletin board, and a clock turn one side of a fridge cabinet into a household command center. This simple DIY project creates instant organization and utilizes small spaces that are otherwise wasted.

Shift dry goods into airtight, stackable containers. Packaged food products can be stored more compactly when transferred from their packaging into stacking containers. Cut out the necessary information from the package (such as cooking instructions or nutritional information) and tape it to the outside of the container.

Keep dish towels in a cabinet close to the cleanup zone. Use a pullout towel rack with multiple bars to air-dry and store towels. Add another removable bar you can load and reload with paper towel rolls.

Give order to a collection of nesting mixing bowls or small appliances with a system of cubbies. Add baskets or bins to corral items and create a streamlined look. Tuck in the necessary attachments and manuals that accompany each appliance so everything is on hand.

To store spice bottles with labels visible, lay them on their sides in shallow drawers instead of stacking them. The best location for spice storage is below a cooktop or to the side of a range. The flavor of spices stored above a cooking surface might be adversely affected by the heat.

Run out of drawer space for towels and cloth napkins? Neatly stack linens inside a basket on a shelf or inside a cabinet. This kitchen storage idea will help keep linen sets together and be easy to find when you want to use them.

Maximize space with drawers and trays that extend fully. These let you make use of back corners without having to reach deep into cabinets to retrieve a pot or small appliance. Drawers are often a more convenient choice than cabinetry because they save having to first open a set of doors.

Store shallow items, such as cutting boards and platters, upright. Even narrow spaces next to your range or your sink can be used in this manner. Use dividers to separate items for easier retrieval.

Perpendicular countertops result in extra-deep corners that often go to waste. Put this area to work storing small appliances. Here, sleek bamboo cabinet doors conceal the cabinet's contents.

Fill in the space under a cooktop with rollout trays for pots and pans. A two-tier system works well for storing lids near their corresponding pots. Alternatively, slide in a movable cart with shelves to accommodate cooking equipment.

Arranging same-sized items together is an easy way to use pantry space more efficiently. For the best use of space, adjust your shelves to fit the groupings. Keep in mind, however, that grouping similarly sized items that serve different functions, such as tall cereal boxes and a blender, might take more time when you're searching for something.

A pullout pantry system brings the ingredients you need within easy reach. Shelves with tall sides will prevent items from falling out while allowing easy viewing of the contents. Keep in mind that these systems, especially those that extend into toe-kick space near the floor, must be installed perfectly level and plumb to operate smoothly.

Your kitchen countertops should hold only things you use daily. Create a permanent spot for everything else, including small appliances. An appliance garage is an attractive solution that can store bulky items out of sight.

If you're installing open shelving, strategize your plan to accommodate what you'll be storing. For example, professional organizers recommend measuring your stacked dishes to determine the shelf height your dishware requires. Weight is another important consideration when determining how to hang your shelves.