Kitchen Storage: Systems and Solutions for Organizing Utensils
You may not ever edit your collection of utensils down to the perfectly minimal arrangements shown in these photos, but the more items you can eliminate the easier the truly useful ones will be to store and find when you need them. Don’t ever use the little dessert spoons that came with your cutlery set? Only used that special spatula (designed to perfectly flip a single egg) the one time? Stash these items away in less reachable spaces like high upper cabinets to free up more of the prime cabinet real estate.Find kitchen drawer organizers
If Renovating, Make a Plan for SuccessIf you’re renovating or building a kitchen, you shouldn’t leave the organizational considerations until after all the construction is complete. Planning in advance to hold your collection of tools will produce a much better result. Planning to include a few drawers specifically sized for utensils will save a lot of potentially wasted space.
Give depth some (deep) thought. Besides the width of the drawers, don’t forget to consider the depth. Drawers are often 6- to 8-inches deep (on the exterior face) by default, simply because the cabinet has been split evenly into 3-4 drawers without much more thought. However a 4- to 5-inch drawer (again, on the face, which translates to just a few inches inside) is all you need to store well organized utensils. Using more, shallower drawers avoids items getting piled on top of each other and lost in the mix.
Ideally, you should look at the collection of utensils you have (or plan to have) and map out exactly how much space they will need. This takes some extra effort up front, but you will achieve a much better use of space than simply including drawers in an arbitrary width. You can try laying out your utensils on a dining table to get a visual picture (and some measurements) of how much space they would ideally get.
Cabinets with a drawer at the top and doors and shelves below put the small, often-used items up at a more reachable height, with the shelf storage left for more occasional items and oversized pieces. If you use lots of little chefs tools when you cook, consider including many utensil drawers at the top level. It will save you a lot of bending down over time.
Consider going vertical. Want to tidy up your cutlery drawer without having to assign each piece an individual place? Try a drawer with vertical cutlery bins that let you simply drop in pieces with long handles (like spatulas, slotted spoons, etc.) and grab them out easily. You’ll be able to spot each piece but you won’t have to remember exactly where you got it later.
This style of cabinet can make a great use of skinny spaces left over in your cabinet plans, such as the small spaces left next to a range, sink, etc.The screens on the sides of this example make for a particularly attractive finish, letting you see inside just enough while giving an uncluttered appearance.
Create layers. Another way to make best use of deep drawers is to break them up internally into layers. You can either use a built-in drawer divider system, or find a layered drop-in unit.A tiered organizer like this can create compartments smaller than an individual drawer would ever be, for maximum space efficiency. Just keep in mind that the upper layer will partially cover the lower layer (or need to be slid individually) so you should put the most used items on the most reachable tier.
Single trays. A classic single cutlery tray is sometimes all you need, but keep in mind: these trays are not truly one-size-fits-all. Finding one that comes close to filling your drawer width will provide more structure, vs a small tray that shifts around with use. Measure the interior of your drawer and look for a tray that fills it. Online shops will usually have more size options than a small local kitchen supply store.
Configurable trays. A step above the prefabricated single trays is a divider system made up of single compartments that can be mixed and matched like Tetris pieces to create spaces for all your items. If you can’t quite perfectly fill the full width, use the open space for a sturdy item like a rolling pin or box of foil that will keep the other pieces from shifting.
Resizable dividers. Another step closer to a custom built in is a resizable divider system like this one that lets you snap together pieces to create any size compartments you like. An advantage of this sort of system is that you can changed the configuration later to fit a different mix of items, or even to fit a new drawer if you move or renovate.
Pegboards. Like a rail, a pegboard can give you lots of flexible storage space on the wall. Whether this look is charmingly relaxed or too busy is a matter of personal taste, but if you like this aesthetic it gives lots of practical options for arranging and rearranging your tools. MoreHow to Get Your Pullout Waste and Recycling Cabinets Just Right11 Foolproof Storage Solutions for Corner Kitchen CabinetsThe 15 Most Popular Kitchen Storage Ideas on HouzzMore Resources on HouzzSearch for professionals Find kitchen drawer organizers
Step One: EliminatingBefore you can organize any part of your home properly, you need to do some editing, and this holds especially true in the kitchen. Drawers can quickly become filled with unused tools and gadgets, so take a harsh look at the items you currently own and find as many as possible to give away or box up.
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