We can tell the truth now because no doubt, the look of your kitchen after cooking will resemble that of a property ravaged by a tornado. Ooh, I understand. There isn t enough room between the pots, pans, spices, and that odd assortment of kitchen devices you vowed to put to use (cough, spiralizer), among others. Here is where it goes wrong though: you do not need a larger kitchen. All you require is the more intelligent shelving.
I have myself experienced the battle with the tiny kitchen, and believe me, the following 10 space-saving shelf ideas will take the chaos out of your kitchen and turn it into organizational masterpiece. Ready to have your sanity back?
Corner Floating Shelves: Your Kitchen’s Hidden Goldmine
Did you ever look around and see how empty rectangles of space hang on the wall like a reproach to you, a reminder of what you could be doing with them but aren t? The places that are most awkward to decorate are the places floating shelves work best. I put L shaped floating shelves in each of my kitchen upper corners and guess what a lot of places to put something that I use.
The benefit of corner shelves: • They use dead space and makeshift that would otherwise go to waste • Sets a convenient height with often used spices and oils • Adds interesting visual items without overpowering the surroundings • Can be placed with little more than basic wall anchors
You got to keep them 15-18 inches off the counter tops. Any lower and you’ll hit your Helmet (learned that one the Hard way:/).
Pull-Out Pantry Shelves: The Game Changer
And now to speak of those bottomless cupboards of death. You know those: where you put the cans in the back and forget they are back there until they turn three years old. This nightmare is remedied with pull-out pantry shelves.
Installing Pull-Out Systems
I converted my existing cabinets, with slide-out shelves and its like having all new kitchen. What is excellent about them is:
It is all out in the open and conveniently accessible • No more rummaging around in the back of the cabinet • Maximizes storage space vertically • Compatible with regular cabinet dimensions
| Shelf Type | Best For | Installation |
|---|---|---|
| Wire Pull-Outs | Canned goods, bottles | Easy DIY project |
| Wood Drawers | Heavy items, appliances | Professional recommended |
| Tiered Systems | Spices, small containers | Moderate DIY skill |
It is a worthwhile addition to the additional expense and worth the extra money.
Over-the-Sink Cutting Board Shelf
It changed the way that I prepare meals. The cutting boards take up loads of space on your counter; a better idea is to make a custom shelving unit over your sink. The tension rods arrangement I have with three (different) cutting boards is up and down.
So why does this work? • The cutting boards stay dry • They also stay organized • It frees up much needed counter space • It is easy to grab the correct board, when the proper board is needed • It also looks surprisingly nice when done right
What’s most important is to select board styles that work with your kitchen’s style. IMO, bamboo looks good with most builds.
Magnetic Spice Strips: Wall-Mounted Brilliance
Donate those heavy hulking spice racks occupying the counter tops. Pure genius in magnetic spice containers on metal strips. I bent three strips on the inside of my pantry door and all of a sudden I have 24 spices at my finger tips without losing any cabinet space.
Setting Up Your Magnetic System
Attach the strips to eye level to be identified easily. Pro tip: Label containers by the tops, and not the fronts. When they are hanged on the wall you will be looking down to them.
Advantages of magnetic spice storage• The balance is totally customizable• Everything can be viewed easily• Containers also remain fresher longer• The balance does not consume any counter or shelf space
Under-Cabinet Wine Glass Holders
Wine glasses are cumbersome to keep and can be broken very easily in a congested table. This problem is well solved by under-cabinet stemware racks. I put mine on the wall under my bar area and it has cleared out a whole shelf.
The installation is simple and can gain a full grasp within 30 minutes and you are going to ask yourself, why did I not do it earlier. You just have to measure your glasses first, some of these oversized wine glasses do not fit on normal racks.
Tiered Shelf Organizers: Double Your Space
These miniature step organizers in your cabinets are just genius with dishes, cans and jars. Rather than piling up the whole thing and end up with a leaning tower of doom, tiered shelves allow you to see it all.
They are utilized in three locations: • In upper cabinets that contain sticks and bowls • Pantry which contains canned foods • Under-sink in which cleaning supplies are stored
The main aspects to consider: •Adjustable length •Non-slippery legs •Solid structure where the table is not wobbly•Wipe-friendly surfaces
Ceiling-Mounted Pot Racks: Go Vertical
So, you have got high ceilings, why not utilize it? Pot racks mounted on the ceiling are professional and create a lot of space in cabinets. The “restaurant kitchen” look is something I was not going to believe in, but it contributes to personality in the room.
Choosing the Right Pot Rack
Think about these thing: • Pound capacity (forged iron is weighted!) • Hook spacing accomendding for your cookware • Height setting levers • Easy cleaning holefoods
Mount it about 18″ above your kitchen island so it’s easily reachable not heads-bumping-shakes-period.
Door-Mounted Spice Racks: Hidden Storage Gold
Serious space wastage occurs on the inside of cabinet doors. On three cabinet doors I attached narrow spice racks and it is great because you just have a secret place to store things.
The best walk-in cabinet storage ideas are: • Hanging spice shelves to hold regularly used seasoning • Cleaning supply racks under your sink • Slots in doors of food pantrys to hang cutting boards in • Lid racks to hang your pot covers on
Ensure that your hinges are up to the added weight … you can switch to heavy-duty types.
Rolling Kitchen Carts: Mobile Storage Solutions
There are occasions where you require adaptive storage that follows your cooking trend. This is ideal with the rolling kitchen carts. When I do a lot of cooking I use mine as additional prep space, then roll it away when I need some floor space.
What makes a great kitchen cart: Locking Wheels Stability Multiple Shelf Levels Easy-to- Clean Surfaces Compact footprint when out of use
FYI, the butcher-block top alternatives do double-duty as extra cutting space.
Wall-Mounted Dish Drying Racks
This one is a little off the wall, but wall-mounted dish racks over your sink make practical storage places that you can reach any time. Rather than the counter-hogging dish racks, hang a slender version on the wall.
Modern Dish Rack Solutions
Advantages you will adore: • Plates and pans drip right into the sink • No more counter space going to waste! • It will always be prepared to take the next load • Doesn!t look cluttered, it is intentional!
Select stainless steel or powder-coated paint that coincides with your kitchen hardware.
Conclusion: Your Kitchen, Transformed
Listen, I will be frank with you, the application of these 10 kitchen shelf ideas requires certain effort at the outset. But what is the payoff? A kitchen, so to speak, which will really pay you instead of working against you. You will cook more, stress less and possibly even enjoy cleaning up (okay, that is pushing it 🙂 ).
Begin with one or two ideas that address your most painful problems. The first was the pull-out pantry shelves as I was sick of losing cans in the abyss that is the pantry cabinet. My kitchen itself now runs much smoother and I finally am aware of where everything is.
What idea do you think you will be the most eager to attempt? And believe me, once you get into the experience of maximising your vertical space and being inventive with the way you store stuff, you will question why you ever managed in that cluttered kitchen mess!
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