When I first saw Erin’s post about her amazing dream kitchen, my jaw pretty much hit the floor. It. is. GORGEOUS! She and her hubby designed it themselves after years of planning & research, and the end result really is a dream come true. She was kind enough to share some more of her organizing secrets with us today — settle in & take notes, because there is some serious kitchen storage inspo here!
Hello Pretty Organized readers! I am excited to hop in today and share some quick kitchen cabinet design and organization tips with you. This isn’t your typical “organizing with whatcha got” post, but more of a “things to consider in the future” post. Whether you’re thinking of building a home or renovating your current kitchen, consider the tips below for your new space. These are things we picked up over the years either through our own observation or from others, and we were thrilled to see them come to life when we built our new home last year.
1. Install drawers below counters instead of cabinets.
This is a great solution (where it makes sense) for plates, bowls, and heavier items, such as serving dishes. Rather than hoisting them up to overhead cabinets, they can be placed easily down into the drawers.
It also makes great storage for kids’ dishes, leftover containers, and even some appliances (think of those bulky crockpots!).
2. Widen the drawers above the lower cabinets.
This can be done in conjunction with the tip above, or even if you have regular cabinets installed. Rather than two small drawers for each set of cabinets, have just one extra wide drawer installed. You could store all of your silverware, knives, and serving utensils in one large drawer. Something cool we did was to create a special drawer for all of our spices.
Another fun idea is to create a drawer for coffee, mugs, and related supplies. We did this in the drawer below our Keurig and just love having it all in one place!
3. Extend your cabinets to the ceiling.
This will provide an extra shelf (or more) for storage of seasonal products or items that you don’t use regularly, like party supplies, vases, or certain appliances.
This may not be an option if you have really tall (say, more than 9 ft) or vaulted ceilings; but if you can make it work, you will be amazed at how much more storage space you have! If you can’t afford the extra shelves, just have toppers added to achieve the same look. You’ll at least eliminate that dust-prone area on top of the cabinets!
These are just a few things that have given us major advantage for kitchen storage and organization, and I hope you’ll consider them in your own home!
Thanks so much, Erin!! I am drooling over here!
Bonus Tip:
If you can’t do a renovation, you could still turn your lower cabinets into drawers using slide-out drawers like the ones I have under my sink. Love ‘em!
About Erin:
I believe that a beautiful, organized home can happen on any budget. We keep our projects low-cost by doing most or all of the work ourselves. Whether we’re rehabbing furniture, painting, decorating, or landscaping–we get through it one DIY project after another. I want to share what inspires us and hopefully inspire others.
Check out her blog, Managing the Manor, for more inspiration & awesomeness!
I really love this kitchen! I am so in love with white cabinets and light granite counter tops! Great tips on the drawers and extending the cabinets to the ceiling – I feel that when doing a renovation sometimes people try to cut costs without actually thinking of what that cutting will save them in the long run (you can never have too much space!).
Thank you!
Thanks Sara! We thought long and hard during the design phase, since the kitchen is such a huge part of our everyday lives. We have plenty of space for our things now and as our family grows.
Oh Erin! This kitchen is so well thought-out! I love the drawer idea for appliances. My crockpot is in a tiny cupboard and it’s a pain to get to. And the mugs under the Keurig is so smart and organized. Plus, your kitchen is beautiful!
Annie XO