Kitchen Storage Ideas

The dish rack has long been the bane of my kitchen counter, taking up space and looking none too pretty in the process. A slight lift and it's no longer a space suck. Huzzah! Better idea still is the one I saw in Israel, above the sink on a pulley, pull down to eye level to stack, then push up behind a faux cupboard door while drying

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LOVE THIS IDEA!!! Mise en place: The French term for "everything in its place" when referring to kitchen preparation. If this were in a restaurant kitchen, the bins would be full of chopped tomatoes, onions, herbs, etc. But for a home kitchen, fresh food sitting out won't get used the way it would in a restaurant. This kitchen utilizes actual pans from a restaurant supply store, dropped into cutouts in the countertop. Rather than fresh food, they're used to hold salt, pepper, and utensils. Get this look: The counters shown are 5" deeper than standard (30" vs. 25") so the bins don't interfere with the closing of the drawers. The cabinets have been pulled off the wall to create room for the bins.

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Caddies for dishes work great if you don't have a ton of wall cabinets. Plus, these handy ones can be picked up and brought to the dishwasher for unloading or to the table for setting.

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A place for everything equals happiness. Not every kitchen can make storage under the sink work due to plumbing pipes, but if you can figure it out, it's heaven.

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Good idea for microwave, better than built in

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Love this pegboard idea for inside a drawer. It allows you to adjust dividers for your needs. It's also a great way to create wine storage when you don't have a place for it!

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Dowel systems for holding dishes in place inside a drawer are another option.

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Pull out pantries don't have to be huge — they can be the size of a 6" filler!

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Pull Out Pantries. This is a great solution for taller spices, oils and vinegars. It's amazing that a small little cabinet like this can solve so many dilemmas and keep down clutter in that wall cabinet full of spices.

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Love this hybrid tray divider and drawer. It's a great way to get at things a bit more easily.

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More horizontal drawer dividers. This is a solution I haven't tried before and I can't wait to try it out — great way to store casserole dishes!

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Drawer Dividers. This is a great solution for storing lids: Put a horizontal divider in the back or front of the drawer where you store your pots. This can be done in wood as well.

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Rethinking Furniture Pieces. This custom-designed cabinet is right off the kitchen in the breakfast room and was designed specifically for serving dishes, placemats and barware. The stainless top doubles as a bar or buffet for serving at parties.

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Rethinking Pantry Space. Pantries don't have to be all about food. If you have lots of tall storage, use one for your dishes and glassware. It's at eye level, so it's more convenient than pulling them down from a high shelf.

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