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I’ve been thinking a lot about the kitchen – because it’s coming to life before my eyes. And because I’m making decisions that will impact the daily use of the kitchen.
That’s got me thinking a lot about where everything will go. The kitchen has an abundance of storage space, but I know better than anyone that when space is available, it can fill up quickly.
So, I’ve been making lists of all the things we’ll be storing and mapping out the kitchen. This maybe sounds crazy to a normal person, but that’s okay. I’m used to that.
Similar to the lists I made for outlets, this helps me think about practicality and keep myself from missing something obvious. (If you haven’t seen that post, you gotta check out the comments. There are some awesome tips and ideas.)
I’m anxious to hear your ideas and inspiration in the comments here, too. So read on and share any great ideas for kitchen storage or types of storage you think I’ll need.
Here are some of the categories and storage solutions on our list, in absolutely no order:
Daily use
- Plates and bowls
- Glasses and cups
- Kids plates/cups/silverware
- Silverware
Food/drink
- Produce
- Canned goods
- Snacks
- Beverages
Cooking/baking
- Baking supplies
- Tools
- Spices and oils
- Pots and pans
- Storage containers
- Baking dishes
- Cookie sheets and cutting boards
Other
- Small appliances
- Entertaining ware
- Serving utensils/Tools
- Dishwashing
- Trash
- Trash bags, plastic bags and foil
- Paper products (and bulk)
- Linens
Do you see what I mean?
The amount of things that need a home is out of control. So to take it to the next level of crazy, here’s my little map of the space. (Some of the cabinets will look a bit different after changes we made. But you get the idea.)
Fridge/Sink wall
Organization inspiration for this wall:
(Pull-out pantry shelves via Houzz)
(Open display area above fridge via Remodelaholic)
(Kids’ drawer via Brown Family)
(Slide-outs for snacks via Dallas Shelf Genie)
Oven wall
Organization inspiration for this area:
(Pull-out utensils via Rev-A-Shelf)
(Pull-out pans via BH&G)
Center Island
Organization inspiration for this area:
(Deep drawers for pots and pans via BH&G)
(Tupperware storage via The Neat Life)
Hutch wall
Organization inspiration for this wall:
(Built-in hutch via BH&G)
(Small appliance storage WITH PLUG-INS via Brown Family)
(Microwave and coffee station via BH&G)
(Appliance organization via BH&G)
(Plate racks via Forever Cottage)
(Baking cabinet via Jenny Steffens)
Pantry closet
We have a good size closet just around the corner from the hutch, and I think it will be great for pretty much everything not covered yet, including:
- Bulk storage
- Beverages
- Produce
- Oversized items (like huge platters or giant roasting pans, if they don’t fit elsewhere)
Here are some of my inspiration images for the pantry:
(Wonderful organization and beverage storage via 1 more than 2)
(Produce baskets via HGTV)
Is there anything I’m not accounting for?
What’s your favorite kitchen organizing solution?
And if you like it, then put a pin on it …
Space planning for a brand new kitchen – inspiration and ideas for kitchen planning
Check out some other kitchen organizational ideas in this post, if this has you all excited about organizing those cabinets.
Hi Kim,
I Love your kitchen ideas! What was the software you used to design your kitchen layout? And how did you add labels to it? Thanks!
Looks amazing!
I designed our kitchen last summer and I did the same thing. Not crazy at all, maybe even brilliant! I am very glad that I put the extra time and thought into it. Having a kitchen that you designed especially for you makes very a much happier home.
I don’t think you’re crazy at all! I made a map of storage for the travel trailer (you’d think, given my love of doing things like that, that I’d be a more organized person in real life. but, no, just on paper)
One of my favorite things in our kitchen is the spice drawer. These tins came from Sur la Table, I think, but you can find them on the internet for reasonable prices. The drawer is shallow so I don’t lose anything in clutter, and the tops are clear and labelled with the handy P-Touch, so I can see what I have and what I need to refill. Love them so much that when we moved and had the chance for must custom cabinetry, I had the same essential design created in the new kitchen (but a bit wider. For more spices).
https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash2/v/t1.0-9/579296_10150996227156197_380745638_n.jpg?oh=b11379b8629d9c698f34bb3a7b1eed95&oe=57E7F38E
Ooooooo….. I love this. And I think I may have the perfect spot for it in the kitchen with the baking supplies. I have a wall-mounted spice rack right now, but not everything fits.
Maybe sharp knives? Maybe you plan to put that with silverware. We keep our steak knives with the butter knives and use the Ikea magnet for the others. Keeps them off the counter and out of little hands. :0)
You might want to move the snacks to a lower spot so that eventually Henry can help himself instead of you having to get something for him all the time. On the other hand, if you want to control his access to snacks, it’s probably better where it is.
Great point – they may end up going to the bottom (at least the snacks he can help himself to).
That looks great! Much more forethought than we put into our kitchen! We were really focused on getting the appliances in that we wanted, and since it was a demo and build instead of build from scratch there were somethings we just decided we’d live without.
Two things jump to mind:
1) Where will drying dishes go? I think you’ve got a great spot to the left of your sink, but I wish I’d thought that out more carefully since that’s an every dang day thing…
2) Maybe you aren’t coffee junkies like we are, and I love that you have hte coffee maker tucked away, but don’t foget that there’s some steam that exits the coffee maker through the lid! You could end up with some steam/water damage to the inside of your cabinet. Ours lives under hanging cabinets and we have to pull it out and then push it back in once brewing is done. Minor, but if you’re trying to think of everything.
Love the kid stuff drawer. I ended up rearranging a ton of stuff to make one of those and it’s really cool. I feel like it gives our son a little responsibility (you know, at THREE!) to be able to get his own dishes, cups and utensils and also to be able to put them away himself!
I never thought about the steam – we have a Keurig and I haven’t noticed any steam or problems with the shelf above, but thats a great point.
Have you considered having the open part over the fridge just be half open? I mean just set the cabinet doors back a bit so you display in front of them? a friend of mine has it that way and you’d never know once she displays something and she has this nifty cabinet up there for stuff she never uses (seasonal dishes, large serving platters etc)
That’s a really interesting idea!
I am taking notes for our (not-anytime-soon) kitchen remodel. Our cabinet layout has to stay the same, but I want to add a bunch of organizational stuff to them to make them more functional. I love these ideas!
My only thought is whether you might want to switch the baking supplies with the mixing bowls. Personally, I would want the little bags and jars to be more at eye level, and wouldn’t mind reaching up for bowls. But I’m sure you have your reasons for the current design- you are so stinking organized!
Great point! I think we’re on the same page here – I would definitely prefer to have the baking supplies at or just above eye level for easy access.
WOW Kim. This is so well thought out. I can’t think of much to add. Maybe only to remember to put outlets in your pantry. We did that and that is where our toaster lives which means I don’t have to take it out to use it. It is ready to go and always plugged in.
I also love our appliance garage in the corner where the kettle and blender are plugged in. I find it easier than to haul it our and we use the blender almost every day.
I love your plan and how much attention to detail you put into it. It is going to be the most fantastic kitchen on the planet 🙂
Yes! The outlets were pretty much a must-have for me. I think my husband thought I was crazy, but I love that I don’t have to drag the oft-used items out. And I find that I use some things like the toaster less often because I’m lazy and don’t want to get it out and deal with the crumbs that ensue.
Great job! I do have a suggestion though. Going from the pictures it looks like the cooking oil you use is going to be stored in that little area to the right of the oven. It may be convenient, but since that area will probably get very warm if not hot it probably isn’t a good place to store oil since oil can go rancid from heat (or light). I think you and your husband are doing a beautiful job building your dream and wish you the best of luck!
That’s a great point! Thanks for the advice!
My only note is to think about the logistics if someone is cooking, and someone needs to get a fork, do you bump into each other? Or if you are loading the dishwasher and someone needs a butter knife, will you be fighting over the same space here too? We just found we needed a big more space because of the placement of the utensil drawer right by the sink, right by the garbage pull out, next to the sink-constantly becomes a traffic jam. My mom said it never was an issue in her house till her kids became teens and it was a hassle to have more than 2 people were in a work space like a kitchen. I can attest my husband an I do “the dance” in the kitchen for things in a space, laid out better than my moms kitchen. That’s my only thought bubble for placement. Great ideas, excited to see a fully functional space-saving kitchen come to life!
I totally love the idea of the small appliance storage with plus-ins. That’s absolutely terrific.
A place for everything and everything on it’s place. When the doors are closed everything looks clean and orderly.