Nifty kitchen storage ideas
Keep the chef happyand the kitchen organised and clutter-free by making sure all the cooking equipment and utensils are in their proper places.
Flip a Lid
Use dividers to keep pot lids separate from pots and pans. Place the dividers above the range to keep lids out of the way, but within reach when cooking.
Tools on Parade
Good storage ideas often can be adapted from room to room. Even the workshop has some lessons to teach. To get this look mount a painted pegboard on a backsplash to put utensils within easy reach. If your backsplash is otherwise occupied, consider mounting pegboard inside a cabinet door. Use metal pegboard accessories designed to organise tools to keep kitchen tools in line.
Up and Away
Utensils are easy to find and never out of reach when hung on 'S' hooks from a rod above the cooktop. No need to buy an expensive storage system - a simple towel rack, tension rod, or dowel can be mounted near the food-preparation area.
Steel Deal
Keep sharp utensils stored in a stainless-steel box mounted on the side of a counter or island, and they'll always be easy to find. Consider putting the box inside an upper cabinet door if your household includes small children.
Big Splash
If you're willing to do the extra cleaning required by out-in-the-open storage, take advantage of a tile or stone backsplash that can handle bumps without damage. In addition to utensils, small pots and pans can hang conveniently within reach of the cook. Keep in mind that items stored above a hob may get splattered and need to be cleaned regularly.
Hang On
If you don't have a spot for a wall - or ceiling-mount pot rack, recast one or two base cabinets flanking the range. This narrow compartment is just wide enough for favourite pots and pans, which hang from "S" hooks that fit a track on the pullout rack. Baking trays and fold-away roasting and cooling racks are also naturals to store in a narrow space.
From the Block
A small drawer containing a knife block is perfectly placed beneath the countertop where food preparation takes place. Knife blocks with slots for a variety of shapes protect the knife blades and the user.
Safe Keeping
Once you've had a built-in cutting board, you'll be smitten for life. Beneath the surface, knives are stored on a magnetic strip designed specifically to keep sharp blades from sliding around in drawers.
Smooth Operators
Pullout drawers rank with lazy Susans as among the most useful advances in kitchen storage - making heavy baking pans and oversize cookware much more accessible. Plus, your back is saved from twisting and turning to see what's at the back of the shelf.
New Order
The mantra of effective organisation: Store items close to the point of use. In times past, below-the-range storage consisted of a single oven drawer stuffed full. Today, multiple below-cooktop compartments allow ample room for pots, pans, and matching lids.
Rack 'em Up
To keep your shallow frying pans, saute pans, and lids easy to access (rather than stacked in an unwieldy pile), store them in a wire rack inside a deep drawer. Larger pots and pans can rest nearby.
Swing-Out Storage
Corner cabinets are notorious for wasting storage space due to inaccessibility. Swing-out storage solves that problem by bringing contents to the cook.
All Dressed Up
If you don't have an island, create one. In its former life, this marble-top bureau kept clothes in order. Now, its drawers hold pots, pans, and bowls. Side panels pitch in with a paper-tower bar and large utensil hooks. The island also houses spices and other at-hand food-prep items.
Mobile Home
Take the equipment where you need it with a rolling trolley or cart.
