Leave No Stone Unturned: How To Turn Dead Space In A Kitchen Into Storage

There's something undeniably satisfying about utilizing your space to its maximum potential. This is especially true for smaller homes, but also for large families, or for anyone who's a little too attached to their possessions to consider any serious strategies for decluttering their home. In the kitchen, stuff can build up faster than you can say "Friday night dinner." Not only do you need a wide variety of pantry goods to make all your favorite worldly recipes, but you may also need specific appliances for different cooking techniques, whose awkward shapes and sizes just will not fit anywhere. It can be exasperating, but with a little creativity, you can turn the dead space in your kitchen into clever, grey-hair-preventing storage.

Dead space can include the wasted cubic footage in deep cabinets, corner cabinets, and tall cabinets, but it can also include the walls, the ceiling, and any forgotten nooks and crannies that are just sitting empty and gathering dust. Simple additions like pull-out systems, racks, hooks, and shelves can help you make the most of these storage opportunities.

Reclaiming the unused space in your kitchen is all about thinking strategically. Your cooking space should be efficient and easy to move around; otherwise, all that extra storage will become more of a nuisance than a blessing. A ceiling rack to hang pots and pans is the perfect solution for frequent cookers, for example. Your most used cookware will be easily reachable, and you'll free up cabinet space for appliances you don't use as frequently. 

Complement your pot rack with wall-mounted utensil holders and magnetic knife racks above the stove, the sink, or any other previously unused surface. You can also install racks and hooks in your cabinet doors for that bit of extra storage. Another great place to keep routine essentials is the kitchen island, especially if you use this space to prepare meals. Any area in the island that is not needed for sitting room can be turned into open shelving or extra cabinetry. 

As for the highly specific gadgets you use only once a year, there are clever ways to hide these small appliances for a clutter-free kitchen. If you can spare the counter space, turn the area underneath your upper cabinets into an appliance garage by adding a flipper or pocket door. Otherwise, invest in a pull-out system for deep and corner cabinets so you can store those rare-use items without making them impossible to reach. 

If your upper cabinets don't go to the ceiling, you can store appliances in the space above them, too. Just make sure to use boxes and baskets to make it visually appealing and extra tidy. These solutions also work for backup groceries.