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The kitchen is the heart of the home and chances are, you spend a lot of time there. That’s why we’re sharing tips that can help you make the most of the space you have, whether you’re starting a big remodel project or simply organizing things to make your life a little easier.
Conventional Wisdom
While every home is different, following a few conventional guidelines can help make your kitchen more functional.
- Keep like with like: Storing similar items together makes them easier to find when you’re in the middle of prepping a meal, but it can also add some pleasing visual cohesion to your kitchen.
- First in first out: Waste less by using older ingredients first. Make it easier by putting new purchases behind the things you already have.
- Keep things visible: It can be tempting to fill every surface and pack your cupboards full, but keeping things visible in your pantry and cabinets can help you use what you have, avoid purchasing things you don’t need and quickly find things when you need them.
Quick Improvements
- Add drawer dividers to all your drawers—not just the ones you use for storing silverware.
- Install hooks for mugs underneath your cabinets to free up space inside the cabinets.
- Put turntables inside your cabinets to make it easier to access everything.
- Use Command hooks to store pot lids on cupboard doors.
- Add cabinet shelves to fit more things inside your cabinets without hiding them.
- Use clear, airtight containers with labels to store commonly used ingredients.
- Instead of stacking them, get a vertical organizer for baking sheets, pans and serving platters.
Bigger Upgrades
- Use vertical space by installing storage above your kitchen island. Hang pots and pans and other frequently used kitchen gadgets there.
- Build a kitchen island as part of your remodel and integrate appliances (e.g., dishwashers, microwaves) into the island to save space.
- If you’re not ready to build a permanent island, consider investing in a quality rolling cart to store your cooking essentials.
- Build a slide-out cutting board and prep station into your cabinets. This gives you a surface when you need it but lets you put it away when you need room for more foot traffic in your kitchen.
Smart organization can go a long way, but if you are ready for a kitchen upgrade or a new home altogether, we’re happy to help with the financing. We have a wide variety of loan options for almost any situation.
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