Kitchen space savers (limited number of storage options) - so must haves??

[mandy214]

We have just had a wall knocked down between the dining room and kitchen. This wall was where we had a large larder type cupboard (so hoover, ironing board, mountains of cereal packets above that on a shelf, my cookery books on another shelf above that) and the fridge freezer. We are left with space for kitchen cupboards down 2 walls (both about 3 metres) but can't have wall cupboards down one wall and part of the other (2 very large windows) and there are 2 columns supporting the extension which mean at least 2 of the base cupboards will not actually be cupboards (they'll have a door on the front but will just cover up the column) or will have part of the shelving inside cut out.

We're probably going to be left with 4 x 60cm base units, 1 thin larder cupboard and built in oven / fridge freezer. We are a family of 5. I love to cook. Can anyone please help with space saving solutions to make a small kitchen work? How to store things / genuis' ideas for making cupboard space work harder kind of thing?

---------

Looking for advice on keeping things organised or making the most of a small space? Check out our round-up of Mumsnetters’ life-changing storage boxes, space-saving tips, and decluttering hacks. MNHQ.

No real advice but will be watching with interest! We are moving into a lovely new home hopefully by the end of the month but I will have less cupboard space in the new kitchen than I have at the moment so trying to work out how to save a bit more space

We do have quite a bit of shelf space so I will just have to make the most of them - although I prefer to have everything shut away rather than on display... The main problem is pantry/food space so am going to have to get tea, coffee, sugar, biscuit, pasta canisters etc.

Might get a unit in the dinning room to keep 'best' glasses etc in too.

Having to be ruthless packing stuff up - old vases and gadgets that I never use are all going on freecycle.

Thankfully we have a utility room so at least that gets rid of the washing machine, hoover and ironing board!

I have a tiny kitchen, one thing which is really helpful is a hanging rack for pots and pans. I think we got it from ikea.

Our hoover lives in the shoe cupboard!

Drawers! Drawers with inners more importantly. so much more useful storage than cupboards

I was just about to type DRAWERS, DRAWERS as well!
Because they let you load right to the back and then slide out

eg if you got a unit with four drawers and dividers, that would hold a LOT of tins and jars and packets so you can slide them out and look and store

Talkinpeace - It was your wisdomness that led to my drawer obsession!

Drawers are one of those things that until you have seen them in action make little sense, and once you have you'll NEVER go back

OP
Have a look at this sort of thing
www.stockpile.co.uk/v/vspfiles/assets/images/basket4.jpg

Agree drawers.

Also spice racks inside cupboard doors, to store all spices/ small packets/ cake bits ie sprinkles/ baking powder

Built in double bin if possible. If 3/4 height on cupboard the space above is good for tin foil/ cling film/ bin bags/ etc

I'm at the planning stage with my new-kitchen-to-be and will be watching this with interest

Drawers you say? I have a feeling that might be where I'm going sick of rummaging through cupboards for the item I want, which will always be in the corner under everything else

Wow, thank you for all the replies. That stockpile link is amazing - although I do think the cupboard should be tipping forward under the weight of everything it holds - that is just what I need.

We are looking at IKEA and their new range has cupboards that look like plain cupboards but when you pull them open they have lots of drawers. Will peruse...

I have an Ikea kitchen - picture on my profile
the tall cupboard is all baskets that hold, from the bottom

• cake mixer and crisps
• flour and baking stuff
• tins
• cereal and chocolate and dried fruit
• pasta and carbs
• jars
• storage jars and packets

I then have one corner cupboard with carousels that hold all the other food stuffs.

We used to live in a flat with a tiny kitchen. We kept lots of stuff which we didn't use very often in other rooms/places. eg big casserole dishes under the spare room bed, posh glasses on top of the wardrobe etc.

I would second the suggestion of lots of drawers.

Our kitchen designer made it clear that the more inserts you have in cupboards so things that swing out or are for specific use really limit storage as often they have a weight limit meaning you put less in ( if that makes sense)
I also love to cook so in my laundry room I had one of those chrome storage freestanding racks that are often used in restaurants. It holds all my baking tins,bowls and cookbooks along with gadgets I don't use everyday. Maybe one in the garage?

Yes to pull-out baskets in base units - I have two just like in the stockpile link and they are jammed with packets and stuff, but it's all accessible. If there is a weight limit I haven't encountered it.

Layout wise make sure you have a good workspace where you need it between sink and cooker and not overshadowed by wall cupboards if possible. If you have any little odd corners or spaces, still use them for little shelves or racks.

Have a good corner unit - I think these often waste space - suggestions pictured, you can always get your fitter to customise one with a couple of extra shelves.

Really challenge your kitchen designer for non standard solutions - nothing to stop you putting extra shelves or inner-drawers or racks into basic units. Ikea are quite good for this sort of thing.

If you have deep drawers get them with solid full depth sides. We have all our plates and bowls (about 50 Denby ones) in one 80cm heavy duty pan drawer in those Ikea holders.

I think you will still be tight for space - can you annex space in the dining room for a dresser or an attractive free standing larder to take slightly less-used stuff? Also get hoover and ironing board and anything not cooking related away to somewhere else in the house.

Do you have a garage? If so, I would suggest you use some space in there to store non every day cooking stuff. We now have a big kitchen but still never seem to have enough storage, so big roasting tins, bakeware etc gets kept in there. Easily accessible, but not taking up space in the kitchen.

We had a built in oven plus microwave put in last year, and above the microwave we have a small cupboard where our baking trays can be stood up vertically. So much easier than having to pull then all out of a low cupbaord to find the one you need.

Can you build in units on a wall of what's used to nbe the dining room, opposite the wall that you took down? They don't have to be full depth units eg. It is possible to use wall units at floor level to get a more slimline depth.

Another thought....maybe you're coming at it from the wrong angle. Maybe the cabinets shouldn't be on the wall with the windows. Maybe the table and the cabinets could swap locations.

Scrap all of that if I'm picturing it wrong.

PS
my Island (in the picture) is in fact four wall units back to back with half depth drawers and shelves
the dining room side has glasses, crockery, cutlery and table cloths.
The other side (by the hob) has mixing bowls, serving dishes and the like.
One silly thing : induction hobs are highly magnetic so I store wooden and plastic stuff in the drawer right under it.
Pans are in the drawers under the oven so that I can stand at the hob and get a pan out ...
just LOVE drawers (and the kitchen is 6 years old)

We have a very small kitchen.

I keep cleaning stuff (hoover, broom etc.) and products in a cupboard in the bathroom (downstairs - could be your loo?), and a lot of the big appliances downstairs in our basement.

In the dining room we have a dresser with the "posh" plates etc. so really only the mininium every day stuff is in the kitchen.

hi sometimes you can plan with narrower cabinets on the perimeter to then have a big work/prep/cook island - if it suits the room too ?! use the shallow ( wall cabinet depth ) for pantry type storage and holding china and glassware and as an appliance garage then use the island for all the other things like pans in big drawer storage ...

Thanks everyone (sorry for late reply). There are lots of useful suggestions, but think we need to declutter too. Thank you

If you are left with any small gaps anywhere this is fab. You can buy extra shelves to build it higher. We have ours down the side of our fridge freezer, has really expanded our food storage

www.coopersofstortford.co.uk/coopers-of-stortford-slide-out-storage-tower-prodst08891i/