Why You Should Never Store Water Bottles In A Kitchen Cabinet

Even though you're just digging through your kitchen cabinets, doesn't it sometimes feel more like you're fighting across enemy territory to find that favorite mug or storage container you need? Bulky pieces are blocking your path, and if they aren't falling out all around you, they are just crammed too tight inside the cupboard for you to make any progress. If this sounds like a familiar scenario, it might be time to rearrange and declutter your cabinets. And some of the biggest space hogs in these storage areas are your water bottles. While necessary for staying hydrated on the go, they often cramp up cupboards with their bigger size. It turns out that keeping these canisters and vessels in your cabinets is one of the least ideal places to store them, mainly because of how much space they take up.

It makes sense why a lot of people probably throw their water bottles in their cupboards. It gets them out of the way and leaves your countertops and surfaces tidy. However, their bulk takes up way too much real estate in one of the most important storage areas of the kitchen, and all the various parts mean a lot of clutter for a cabinet that you could use for more essential items. Besides, you realistically only need one or two water bottles on hand per person in the house, meaning any overflow can be stored elsewhere (or donated). There are a lot of creative organizers for your daily-use water bottles and those you won't need anytime soon, so clear out those cabinets and get ready to have a much more functional kitchen.

Once you've emptied your cupboards of all your oversized water bottles, give them a good cleaning if they've been collecting dust for awhile. This will help keep your new storage space clean, too. Since they come in all shapes and sizes, it can be tricky to find an easy place to store them, but this is where the creativity comes in. One place where you could follow a simple rule that make the most of vertical space and keep your hydration station handy is the back of your pantry door. Consider installing a shoe caddy or hanger. Instead of shoes, pop your drink holders in the little cubbies. You can also use the shelf versions of the over-the-door hangers.

If you like to upcycle items you find at the thrift store or don't use anymore, consider employing an old wine rack to hold your water bottles. It might not work with every bottle and type, but it could work for some of your collection and give each member of the household a designated slot for convenient access to their preferred container. You could also buy a rolling cart or magazine rack to keep them in or on – it might even be worth checking local secondhand shops and bringing along your largest size water bottle to see what is on the shelves that could work.

If you have the pantry space, purchase bins or totes to place on shelves or even on the floor to keep the water bottles in. This will help organize and make everything more aesthetic while still making them easy to find and reach. This opens up cabinets for food items or smaller, more fragile dishes and glassware. Make sure you are regularly going through your water bottles to get rid of any that aren't being used regularly, or place these in the garage or storage area to declutter your pantry if this is where you're mainly keeping them.

One more unexpected spot where you should be storing your water bottles is your drawers. Depending on how big and deep they are, you could place them inside tall drawers vertically using drawer dividers or lay your bottles flat in shallower drawers. These allow you to keep your larger vessels neat and tidy, freeing up space in your cabinets. High-walled lazy Susans make another good option to keep your most used water vessels easy to grab and could be placed on pantry shelves or even on the countertop if you don't mind the mixed and matched style of your various holders. This would be a nice way to show off that Stanley cup collection, too.