It's like a law: No matter how big your kitchen is and how many cabinets and closets you have, you will end up with more things to store than you have space to store them. That's why in the kitchen, more than anyplace else in the house, it's important to think creatively about storage space.
Not all of the photos below are of kitchens, but they do all include storage ideas that would work well in that part of the house. If you've got any additional thoughts or storage ideas, please share them - the more, the better!
Let's be honest - without a full-time staff, it's unlikely that anybody's pantry could stay so clean and neatly organized. Plus, where are the cereal boxes? But it's nice to dream about a space this pretty, though, isn't it?
This photo makes me look longingly at the side of my own stairs, wishing that the other side of that wall wasn't...more stairs. I love this neat little nook and think baskets are a fantastic way to hide clutter.
Yes this is a bathroom and, also yes, this would only work in a space where all of the undersink plumbing is hidden. But I love the convenience factor and like the idea of using similarly industrial cubbies all over the kitchen.
Ah, the mud room/family "hub." It's a Pottery Barn-driven dream, and with good reason. Designating one spot for all that stuff that families accumulate. Stuff that often ends up right inside a kitchen door.
Martha knows what she's doing. This is perfect for laundry space that's in the kitchen and hiding shelves behind a simple curtain is actually a great idea for many storage-starved kitchens.
I am an enormous fan of hanging tools in the kitchen. Pots and pans, frequently used utensils, whatever. It looks good and it is oh-so convenient when you're cooking.
There's no reason why you can't incorporate some playroom-style storage in the kitchen. Bookcases like these are usually inexpensive (I have some from Target), cute, colorful, and perfect for hiding stacks of mail, rarely used kitchen tools, or half-eaten bags of chips.
I've long been a fan of this concept. Keeping books and magazines in the kitchen makes a ton of sense - it's much easier to grab a recipe if it's next to you. And these shelves make use of otherwise wasted wall space.
Again - pulling from kids' spaces is a great way to find storage inspiration. After all, kids have so much stuff! Pegboard in the kitchen is a great tool - Julia Child famously used it to hang her pots and pans. If it's good enough for her, it's good enough for me!
If you've got the space - even a little space - make the most of it. This pantry is great - it maximizes the space and looks to really take the owner's behaviors into account. I love that there's a combination fo drawers and shelves and that a couple of the less frequently used, but big, kitchen tools are within easy reach.
Comments
Rough Linen Don't you wonder how people who decant into jars manage? do they hide the packaged refill away, or do they put new stuff in on top of the old, so the bottom layer of oats or whatever just gets older and older? Two jars for each product, and rotate?
andrea_of_ffft I wait till it's almost gone as well, if I need to, I just dump the older into a bowl, put the new in and then put the older stuff on top. I buy everything in bulk and it only takes a few minutes to put the whole thing away. It looks way better, and in a lot of cases, I go through it so quickly there is no need to worry about too old. I also re-use the bags by putting the labeled twist ties back onto the folded up plastic bag and putting them back into the cloth shopping bag. Then they are there the next time (sometimes it even helps me to go through a mental list of what I need if I am in the store.)
joiebug Thank you, sinobell, for sharing where items in a picture can be obtained. Love the ideas here! Those floor-to-ceiling shelves make my mouth water!
matty thank you for this great ideas, i love the picture of the closet'pantry,just close the door and the stuff go away,and you reach all the tools quicky. i keep this idea in mind for my kitchen. thanks a lot matty
rileysgranny I love the look of the glass containers in the pantry. My sweet husband built me a walk-in pantry for Christmas and I've been buying one or two square glass storage jars at a time to store things in. I plan to make "chalkboard" tags using chalkboard contact paper, labeled with the contents, for each jar and attach them with jute twine around the neck of each jar. I will dump out the contents, refill with new and add the older contents back on top so it gets used first. I'm also using vintage mason jars to hold some items. Then I'll add all of my freshly home canned items to the shelves too. It should give me a real country look and I'll be able to see when I need to restock. Plus I can put all of the packing materials in my recycle bins after each shopping trip and maybe make fewer trips to the recycle site. My husband hopes I'll do more home cooking if I'm more organized!
1. Let the jar go to empty before refilling.
2. Bottom layer gets older and older. For example, sugar.
Was amused by the white pillow in the dogs' bed (mudroom). Yeah, that's going to stay looking good.