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Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

Space Saving Kitchen tips- affordable ones!

41 replies

PavlovtheCat · 06/04/2014 18:10

Not sure if this should go in DIY or here.

Our kitchen is falling apart. Literally drawers are coming off runners, and we have an entire wall that we can put stuff on as it needs replastering.

We need, basically, a new kitchen. We can't afford the £5k plus that it's probably going to cost to get it done, not at the moment, but it's a longer term plan. In the medium term we have some ideas, but in the immediate term we need ideas NOW to stop DH taking a sledgehammer to the entire place.

It's a small kitchen. We have our table in it, that is against the wall that needs work. We need a new table and chairs, on that! DH is a chef and so needs organisation. Neither of us are good at that.

I have looked on pinterest for some ideas and there are some beautiful space saving ideas, but they all involve planning those into a new kitchen, rather than adding to a kitchen already in situ.

We are getting a pan rack for above the sink. And wall racks for utensils.

We need space for:

cutlery (that drawer is broken, the entire 3 drawers are buggered)
utensils (to get them off the side, as it's cluttered) - getting a wall rack but don't really like any I have seen, they seem cheap.
wine/vinegar/oils (in oil bottles and in their original containers)
foil etc
knives
Other bits and bobs from the cutlery drawer need to go somewhere.
veg/potatoes
bread etc (getting a bread bin but need the other stuff off the side before we can put one there, no surface space)

We want functional, but also nice looking.

We don't unfortunately live near ikea Sad

Help!

OP posts:
Mrswellyboot · 06/04/2014 22:03

Some kind people in here :)

Mrswellyboot · 06/04/2014 22:03

On

PavlovtheCat · 06/04/2014 22:07

i found a good one for paper towels

here

we can't have the cutlery on the table, shame as I love that idea. We lock the cats in the kitchen at night (their escape is through the back door and their food/water is in there) and one of them has a tendency to sleep on the table. I know, it's yuck, but we can't stop him, he may well swish his rain soaked tail across them, or knock em over/lie on them (he's a bit stupid). (we do clean the table thoroughly every morning before we serve food, promise!), but perhaps in a box/basket might work though, a nice looking one.

OP posts:
PavlovtheCat · 06/04/2014 22:08

mrswelly MNers are the best at helping with advice and often practical help too, for sure!

OP posts:
BoffinMum · 06/04/2014 22:12

We do good kitchen on here Grin

PenelopePitstops · 06/04/2014 22:25

m.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/art/30192955/

Not sure if you could take out the drawers and replace it with something like this?

Put stuff you don't use often, special baking trays etc in a separate plastic box in another room. Anything not used in a year is thrown.

Hooks screwed in for tea towels etc even when not in use, hang and have a rule that you only use the end one.

PenelopePitstops · 06/04/2014 22:28

Forgot to say, aprons also hung up, get rid of Cutlery and plates you don't use.

Do you have cupboard in lounge glasses Could go in?

Store baking trays in the oven (occasionally this is a nightmare!)

PenelopePitstops · 06/04/2014 22:30

Also if you have any big gaps in cupboards where one shelf ends and the next one is miles up, we have a wire hangy basket that slides onto the shelf above and gives extra storage for all sorts!

erin99 · 06/04/2014 22:37

Ikea sounds like your answer!

The wire baskets are here www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/6096386.htm

Bettaware used to have a holder for cling film etc that stuck to the bottom of a shelf, or the inside of a cupboard door. They don't seem to have it now but you could hack something similar. It was just a cereal box shaped box with an open top. They have a dispenser thing now but it's ugly www.betterware.co.uk/kitchen/kitchen-storage-accessories?p=3

Clearing out any rarely used bits and reducing the number of plates, mugs etc helps too.

PavlovtheCat · 07/04/2014 09:23

Oh do you have a linky for that hanging basket penelope ? I like the sound of that.

OP posts:
PavlovtheCat · 07/04/2014 09:23

eron posted before I read your post!

OP posts:
PavlovtheCat · 07/04/2014 09:24

erin sorry silly fingers!

OP posts:
Deux · 07/04/2014 12:57

Lakeland do these little shelves that you can put inside existing cupboards or on a countertop. www.lakeland.co.uk/around-the-home/storage-and-organisers/kitchen-organisers. Also some ideas there to make the most of all your cupboard space.

I've also seen an over sink shelf that is self supporting, an upside down U-shape, so it's designed to run the length of your sink and draining board. But can't remember where i saw it.

This is a lovely thread.

Katecake · 08/04/2014 20:18

Have you looked on things like eBay or Gumtree?

I brought a lovely cream hygena kitchen second hand, was 4 years old and being taken out and replaced due to extension! Lots of units my kitchen is 6 metres long, had soft close draws, corner cupboard carousels, then I just brought work tops, flooring, tiles (all in sales) and paint, I fitted it myself with help from my dad

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