How to Plan Kitchen Storage

August 9, 2018

At times, it can seem like there is never enough storage space available, especially in the kitchen. When you get to design and build a custom home, you have the opportunity to ensure your kitchen has plenty of storage. Here’s how to plan kitchen storage:

1. Think About What You’ll Need to Store

When it comes to planning effectively for enough kitchen storage, it’s helpful to figure out what you’ll need to store and how much space will be needed to store it. Not thinking about this is one of the most common kitchen organizing mistakes to avoid and can result in a kitchen design that does not have enough storage space.

You want to think about everything you currently have and also consider the future as well to figure out what you might add that will also need to be stored. This will help you determine how much of your kitchen layout should be dedicated to storage and lets you add more storage to your kitchen design from the start.

2. Consider How the Kitchen Will be Used

Consider how your new kitchen will be used and how you will most commonly be using it. Understanding the overall function and potential traffic flow will help the designer plan a layout that makes the most sense for you. This will also give you a good idea of where certain items may need to be stored so that they are within easy reach. This is where it is helpful to know what you need access to every day and what you need to use less frequently.

Pots, pans, baking sheets, and cooking utensils can be stored near the stove and the oven, so that they are easily accessible during prep and cooking. Storing cutting boards, knives, and other items commonly used in meal preparation can be stored near the main prep space. Putting silverware drawers near the sink and dishwasher helps make cleanup easier. Taking some time to think about these considerations can help you plan enough kitchen storage and ensure its placement will be useful to you.

3. Use a Variety of Storage Types

Using a variety of storage types can help you organize your kitchen more efficiently. A combination of cabinets, drawers, and shelves can help ensure that you have plenty of space for everything. Upper and lower cabinets are great for storage. Stacks of narrow drawers are great for silverware and utensils while wide and deep drawers offer a lot of versatile storage. The use of dividers and flexible compartments can help you find a secure place for everything. A corner cabinet featuring a carousel shelf or a set of corner drawers allows you to maximize the available space.

A set of open shelves above your cabinets or built into your kitchen island works well for storing large and bulky items. If your kitchen island will not have seating or a dining bar, you can mount a heavy-duty pegboard onto it. This will allow you to hang metal hooks as you need to in order to store more items.

A walk-in pantry ensures you have plenty of storage for what you have now and anything you add in the future. Plus, you can store the things you use less frequently in it to leave the space in the kitchen available for what you use the most. A pull-out pantry can be built into narrow spaces to make the most use of the space.

Taking the time to consider your current storage needs as well as future storage needs and common kitchen usage will help you plan the kitchen storage that works the best for you. You can bring your dream kitchen to life in your very own custom home where every detail is designed for you. Call Custom Home Group at 717-284-4090 to get started on the path to your dream home!