Declutter With Kitchen Storage Solutions

No matter how perfectly your kitchen remodel marries form and function, its full potential won’t be realized without clever storage. Taking clutter off your countertops and organizing what’s in cabinets and on shelving makes your Gainesville kitchen design more efficient and a stylish place in which to live and entertain.

If you spend any time working from home, it makes sense to design a multi-functional living space where you can prep, cook, work, relax, and entertain with ease. The key is to design a neat, well-organized space that allows you to enjoy your kitchen and to easily shift gears from cooking to entertaining to work or study. Let’s look at the best ways to declutter your kitchen design with storage solutions that won’t compromise style.

First Things First

Before you embark on planning your kitchen remodel, you need to assess what you’ll be keeping and how best to store it. Your kitchen design expert can inform you about the latest storage trends as well as tried and tested storage solutions. Rethink the way your kitchen works if you want it to improve efficiency and functionality and incorporate new ideas such as recycling stations, beverage bars, and double islands. Once you have decided what the best options are for you, it means every inch of your kitchen design is being used properly and not taken up by clutter.

Streamline for A Sleek Look

Streamlining is a kitchen design trend that’s gaining in popularity. It uses floor-to-ceiling cabinets that stretch from wall to wall. It’s particularly good in a galley-style kitchen if space is at a premium, but it maximizes storage and gives a sleek look to a kitchen remodel of any size.

Handleless doors go one step further to encapsulate modern elegance in contemporary kitchen cabinets and are becoming a big design hit. Push-open doors are completely flat and are a popular choice in cabinetry at the moment. Recessed handles are also huge this year and offer a choice of colors and materials to give another dimension to your remodel while retaining a sleek look. Streamlined custom storage gives a calm appearance to your kitchen design with quality materials and strong, clean lines. Internal solutions keep everything organized and easily accessible.

Go Deep With Custom Drawers

Why not incorporate drawers that have enough depth to take larger items in your kitchen remodel? They are the ideal solution for baking aficionados as they can store pans, racks, and baking trays. Customize built-in slots to store cutting boards and baking sheets on their sides. This way, you can see at a glance what you need instead of searching through a pile. As they are so deep, you can also keep things upright. Use containers and customized storage inserts to stand up items such as baking utensils or bottles.

Don’t Forget About the Little Things

Larger items like pots and pans can go in deep drawers but it gets chaotic storing lids in there too. This is where a shallow drawer comes into play. It can be used exclusively as a lid drawer over or under a pot drawer. Laying them flat means they’re easy to access and won’t get scratched.

Pull-Out Solutions for Any Space

There are many clever pull-out storage solutions available for all your kitchen necessities. Everything slots neatly away so nothing takes up space on your countertops when not in use. Position everything you need for maximum efficiency and easy accessibility. A cutting board that pulls out from a counter is very accessible and works even better when you have a pull-out trash can underneath it for compostable waste. Pull-out island extensions are another smart idea. A drawer gives way to an extendable counter so you can have as much extra island worktop space as you need.

Discreet Storage With an Element of Surprise

The clutter on your countertops is made up of things you use all the time. If you are planning on storing them elsewhere in your kitchen remodel, then they need to be nearby so you can easily access those items. Cooking supplies can easily clog up cabinets that could store other things, so an ideal solution is a shallow storage area like a recessed niche or narrow pull-outs that fit neatly on either side of the oven. Simply reach in to grab supplies while cooking and close it again when you’re done.

A toe kick drawer is another great use of space. It goes under lower cabinets behind the baseboard and can be simply kicked open with a push-activated mechanism. Small appliances can be brought up to counter height with an appliance lift built into cabinets. Dishwashers and refrigerators can also be discreetly covered by cabinet doors for a sleek aesthetic.

Maximize All Awkward Spaces

To get the most out of your storage, try customizing it to include units in all the nooks and crannies of your kitchen design. Slim, sliding cabinets can slot into a long, narrow space and can store everything from spices to utensils. Another clever niche storage solution is a tilt-down compartment at the front of your sink to store sponges, brushes, and dish-cleaning products that clog up the area around your sink.

Open Storage can Be Attractive and Functional

The open storage trend continues in popularity this year, complementing open-plan living. Not only can you store kitchen essentials, but it lets you display your favorite items. A shelf is also a more budget-friendly option than a row of cabinets. You can retain lower cabinets and replace upper units with shelving to open up your kitchen remodel.

Open storage needs to be maintained and organized for it to be both aesthetic and functional. Try and group similar things in small groups to avoid a chaotic look. Keeping regularly used items near your countertop means they won’t collect dust since they will be moved around frequently but make sure you clean the shelves regularly. Displaying knives on a magnetic strip is a design feature that is also practical. Hooks and rails are also good storage options to keep things off valuable counter space.

Contain All the Clutter

Containers are necessary to prevent open shelving from looking too cluttered. Clear containers are perfect for accessing things quickly and seeing how much is left. Other attractive containers such as baskets, ceramic, tin, and wire can be chosen to complement the style of your kitchen remodel and hold everything from baking supplies to recipe books. Containers are especially vital in a pantry and large drawers to keep contents organized.

Make Space for A Pantry

Pantries are more popular than ever just as larger refrigerators and freezers are in high demand for kitchen remodeling. Storing everything in one place means that all your essential food and cooking items are easily accessible, but you can also see what you need to stock up on. Dedicated pantry food storage means you can free up kitchen cabinets and wall space in your new kitchen design. If you don’t have space to install a separate pantry then modify an alcove or existing cabinet as a custom-made pantry. Pull-out drawers, roll-out trays, and lazy susans enable you to fit all your essentials into a convenient space that suits your needs.

Install a Beverage Bar

Beverage bars are the ultimate in modern convenience and chic storage. Designating an area for a coffee machine, cups, and beverage ingredients streamlines what you need to make drinks whether you’re alone or entertaining. You can keep it small or include a sink, mini-fridge, dishwasher, and wine rack for all your beverage requirements. You can also save space by attaching a wine glass holder underneath an upper cabinet to let your glasses hang in style. Conceal large appliances behind cabinet doors and install a pull-down shutter or bi-fold doors for the countertop area to maintain a seamless and sophisticated kitchen design.

Double Up on Island Storage

Storage creates space and space, in turn, creates room for more storage. Modern open-plan kitchen design tends to focus on islands as the center of food prep, dining, work, and entertainment. Islands also store a multitude of kitchen essentials on the counter and underneath. If you have space in your kitchen layout, including a second island in your kitchen design increases storage and therefore efficiency while also giving your design another focal point. As dining tables become less of a requirement in kitchen remodels you can allocate different purposes to each island. One is for prep and one is for serving food. One is for work and one is for dining and relaxing around. Either way, both will work hard to reduce clutter in your kitchen design. A peninsula in addition to your island is another excellent option. If you don’t want two islands, then go for a multi-leveled model to facilitate multiple activities and keep your kitchen countertops clear.

Sort Out Your Pet Peeves

If you have a pet, it’s a valued member of your family but comes with its stuff that needs to be kept organized. Pet beds can fit into a custom-built island or niche storage or a small dog or cat could curl up in a modified lower cabinet. Food and water bowls can be stored in a stylish feeding station along with a faucet and compartments for medication, leashes, and toys.

With open-plan kitchen designs, there is an increased need for stylish and functional storage to reduce clutter. Technology is also pervasive throughout our lives including in the kitchen, and it brings extra things into our living spaces. Drawers and cabinetry with charging docks and power supplies take care of devices and wires, reducing stress and chaos in your kitchen remodel so you can relax and enjoy the benefits of technological integration.

Contact us at Haile Kitchen & Bath LLC today and we can help you plan your dream kitchen remodel. We offer design expertise and top brands with the latest storage solutions, customized to your requirements and style. Visit our products page to learn more!