Conquer the clutter with smart kitchen storage

If you pile mugs on top of mugs, buy spices you thought you’d run out of only to find them hiding at the back of a cupboard, or can never find the right sized lid for a pan, it’s time you gave your kitchen a mess-busting makeover. A few well-placed storage solutions and a thorough declutter will turn your once-crowded kitchen into an inviting place to cook.

Revamp your cupboards

Most kitchen cabinets are underused but some thoughtful additions can make every spare inch available. Fold-out shelves, caddies and under-shelf baskets are great for maximising cupboards, while dividers and drawer inserts help keep the contents in order and protected from damage. It’ll also help to reorganise where you store everything, so be sure to keep items that are in daily use within reach and stow infrequently used things in less accessible areas.

Image source: Store

Image source: Ikea

Pare back pans

It’s easy to amass a lot of kitchenware but it’s likely that you’re only using a small amount of it on a daily basis. While you don’t have to throw everything out, it does help to consider when you last used something – and if you can’t remember, it’s ripe for recycling or the charity shop. Be ruthless with anything that doesn’t work well (e.g pans with loose or wobbly lids), has dents or a scratched coating, duplicate items (you’ll never need more than one garlic crushing gadget) or single-use items that take up valuable space. At this point, think about replacing some of your kitchenware with pieces that work a bit harder, such as multiple-use cooking utensils and cookware that stacks neatly, such as this set of three pans that only takes up the space of one.

Image source: Lakeland

Search for other storage

Once you start really looking at the space you have in your kitchen, you’ll be surprised at how much of it you’re not using and how much potential there is to take some of that back. Unless your wall cupboards continue right up to the ceiling, there should be room at the top to pop caddies of infrequently used items (with a stool nearby so you can reach them), plus your cabinetry plinths can often be put to better use. Try transforming one or two of them into drawers – great for storing baking trays and platters.

The inside of your kitchen doors is another place to repurpose, so try adapting it with hooks for tools without an obvious home, such as stand mixer attachments, or a rack for small jars and bottles. On the outside, add some removable hooks that slot over the top of doors and drawers to create storage for tea towels and oven gloves. Other places to investigate are your ceiling (think overhead racks and dropdowns), splashback and walls (transform with rails and hooks or magnetic knife strips) and other places in your home, such as an understairs cupboard that makes a good place to stash seasonal tableware or things you’re not quite ready to let go of yet.

Image source: Lakeland

Try some kitchen hacks

When conventional storage solutions don’t deliver exactly what you need, a few kitchen hacks can go a long way to taming your clutter. Desk organisers attached to the wall or the side of a cabinet can make a handy place to stash bottles around the sink or a magazine file is the perfect size for keeping boxes of clingfilm and aluminium foil neat. Similarly, a modified pegboard is great for keeping utensils and knives handy while being off the worktop.

Image source: Kreis Design

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