3 Ways to Maximize Kitchen Storage and Minimize Clutter (And the 7 Design Secrets that Make Them Work!)

At Swartz Kitchens & Baths, we know that designing your dream kitchen means thinking beyond just the color of the cabinets or the finish of the countertops. Imagining how you will use your kitchen once it’s finished is an imperative element of the design process. After investing time, energy and money to creating your dream kitchen, the last thing you want is to see the clutter of daily life (we’re looking at you &mdash coffee maker, sponges, phone cords, and mail!) creeping in to tarnish your tip-top design.

It’s no secret that our lives happen in and around the kitchen, so it’s easy for clutter to creep in, but with smart design you can maximize kitchen storage, and keep your space looking clean, welcoming and inspiring. We’re giving you the kitchen storage secrets that will block the clutter and let your kitchen shine.

maximize kitchen storage and design tips

1. Keep Your Counters Clear

When it comes to overcoming clutter, keeping the countertops clear is one of the most effective steps you can take. Appliance garages, knife-drawer inserts, and pull-out canister organizers allow for the convenience of a lived-in kitchen without compromising on design.

Appliance Garage: No matter how much we try to keep our kitchens clutter-free, there are a few tools and appliances that always make their way back to the counter. Whether you’re making a quick breakfast or preparing for a party, you’ll probably reach for the coffee maker, toaster, or knife block (to name a few) time and time again. Why go through the trouble of finding a spot for these appliances in a cabinet when you’ll inevitably pull them back out each day? Appliance garages are the perfect kitchen storage solution to keep your most-used appliances in easy-to-reach places while clearing your countertops of clutter.

Knife Drawer Insert: Knives are often difficult to store because they need to be nestled carefully in a safe place. Whether you have little ones who might be tempted to touch, or your knives don’t match your recently remodeled kitchen, a knife-drawer insert can solve your problem. With a knife-drawer insert, each of your knives can be kept out of reach and off the counter, easing your worries about the safety of your family and guests while keeping your kitchen sleek and clutter-free.

Pull-Out Canister Organizer: The kitchen may be the most lived-in room of any home, which means that the need for convenience often wins out over the desire for order. Some of the most convenient (and least visually appealing) kitchen accessories are the canisters of miscellaneous items that often line the countertops. It seems practical to keep spatulas, whisks, ladles, and commonly used ingredients on the counter, but sadly they distract from your thoughtfully designed kitchen. A pull-out canister organizer (one of the holy grails of kitchen storage) is a great solution, providing easy access to all of the most-used kitchen accessories and ingredients without compromising on counter space or aesthetic.

kitchen storage pullouts available at Swartz Kitchens and Baths

2. Create Out of Sight Storage

Often, the most helpful kitchen storage solutions are hidden in plain sight. Tilt-out sink trays and pull-out work surfaces are some of the best-kept (and incredibly useful) design secrets in a clutter-free kitchen.

Tilt-Out Sink Tray: Imagine that you’ve just had a lovely dinner with friends and family, thoroughly cleaned the kitchen, and finally placed the last dish into the dishwasher. You feel accomplished until you notice your sponge, scrubbing brush, and scouring pad lying around your sink, seeping dirty water and suds onto your freshly wiped countertops. A tilt-out sink tray, designed to keep your sink accessories stowed away, yet still within reach, is the key to removing this mess from your otherwise pristine kitchen.

Pull-Out Work Surface: Cutting boards are kitchen workhorses — used for chopping, peeling, and prepping fruits, vegetables, cheese, breads and herbs, for starters. You want one handy at all times, yet keeping a large board on your kitchen countertop detracts from the clean aesthetic you want to maintain. A pull-out work surface is one kitchen storage secret that provides additional space for food prep and ensures that your kitchen will always be ready for meal and snack preparations.

kitchen storage cutting board kit available at Swartz Kitchens and Baths

3. Make the Most of Your Cabinet Space

Intentionally organizing your cabinets will save you a lot of future frustration. Lazy susans and tiered spice racks are some of the most effective tools to organize any kitchen in need of storage revamping.

Lazy Susan: It’s one thing to haphazardly place as many items as possible into your cabinets to keep them out of sight. It’s another thing to design and organize your kitchen cabinets in a way that fully capitalizes on their space. The latter of these brings joy, while the first is a recipe for future headaches (thanks for the tip, Marie Kondo!). A Lazy Susan allows you to make the most of your kitchen storage space while keeping each pantry item or kitchen gadget easily accessible.

Tiered Spice Rack: The spice cabinet is one of the most cluttered cabinets in any kitchen. Over time, spices of all shapes and sizes get packed together and stacked on top of one another, making them difficult to find and likely to fall out. Storing your spices in a tiered spice rack makes them easier to spot and less likely to create a mess, allowing you to live your British Bakeoff Dreams to the fullest.

maximize kitchen storage with pullouts

Take the First Steps to Make Your Dream Kitchen a Reality

Looking for more great ideas about how to maximize your kitchen storage and boost visual appeal? Whether you’re entertaining in a newly built home or hosting your 16th Thanksgiving Dinner, keep your guests dazzled by making the most of what your kitchen has to offer. The first step to making your dream kitchen a reality is to contact our experts at Swartz Kitchens & Baths today for a consultation.

3 Ways to Maximize Kitchen Storage and Minimize Clutter (And the 7 Design Secrets that Make Them Work!)

At Swartz Kitchens & Baths, we know that designing your dream kitchen means thinking beyond just the color of the cabinets or the finish of the countertops. Imagining how you will use your kitchen once it’s finished is an imperative element of the design process. After investing time, energy and money to creating your dream kitchen, the last thing you want is to see the clutter of daily life (we’re looking at you &mdash coffee maker, sponges, phone cords, and mail!) creeping in to tarnish your tip-top design.

It’s no secret that our lives happen in and around the kitchen, so it’s easy for clutter to creep in, but with smart design you can maximize kitchen storage, and keep your space looking clean, welcoming and inspiring. We’re giving you the kitchen storage secrets that will block the clutter and let your kitchen shine.

maximize kitchen storage and design tips

1. Keep Your Counters Clear

When it comes to overcoming clutter, keeping the countertops clear is one of the most effective steps you can take. Appliance garages, knife-drawer inserts, and pull-out canister organizers allow for the convenience of a lived-in kitchen without compromising on design.

Appliance Garage: No matter how much we try to keep our kitchens clutter-free, there are a few tools and appliances that always make their way back to the counter. Whether you’re making a quick breakfast or preparing for a party, you’ll probably reach for the coffee maker, toaster, or knife block (to name a few) time and time again. Why go through the trouble of finding a spot for these appliances in a cabinet when you’ll inevitably pull them back out each day? Appliance garages are the perfect kitchen storage solution to keep your most-used appliances in easy-to-reach places while clearing your countertops of clutter.

Knife Drawer Insert: Knives are often difficult to store because they need to be nestled carefully in a safe place. Whether you have little ones who might be tempted to touch, or your knives don’t match your recently remodeled kitchen, a knife-drawer insert can solve your problem. With a knife-drawer insert, each of your knives can be kept out of reach and off the counter, easing your worries about the safety of your family and guests while keeping your kitchen sleek and clutter-free.

Pull-Out Canister Organizer: The kitchen may be the most lived-in room of any home, which means that the need for convenience often wins out over the desire for order. Some of the most convenient (and least visually appealing) kitchen accessories are the canisters of miscellaneous items that often line the countertops. It seems practical to keep spatulas, whisks, ladles, and commonly used ingredients on the counter, but sadly they distract from your thoughtfully designed kitchen. A pull-out canister organizer (one of the holy grails of kitchen storage) is a great solution, providing easy access to all of the most-used kitchen accessories and ingredients without compromising on counter space or aesthetic.

kitchen storage pullouts available at Swartz Kitchens and Baths

2. Create Out of Sight Storage

Often, the most helpful kitchen storage solutions are hidden in plain sight. Tilt-out sink trays and pull-out work surfaces are some of the best-kept (and incredibly useful) design secrets in a clutter-free kitchen.

Tilt-Out Sink Tray: Imagine that you’ve just had a lovely dinner with friends and family, thoroughly cleaned the kitchen, and finally placed the last dish into the dishwasher. You feel accomplished until you notice your sponge, scrubbing brush, and scouring pad lying around your sink, seeping dirty water and suds onto your freshly wiped countertops. A tilt-out sink tray, designed to keep your sink accessories stowed away, yet still within reach, is the key to removing this mess from your otherwise pristine kitchen.

Pull-Out Work Surface: Cutting boards are kitchen workhorses — used for chopping, peeling, and prepping fruits, vegetables, cheese, breads and herbs, for starters. You want one handy at all times, yet keeping a large board on your kitchen countertop detracts from the clean aesthetic you want to maintain. A pull-out work surface is one kitchen storage secret that provides additional space for food prep and ensures that your kitchen will always be ready for meal and snack preparations.

kitchen storage cutting board kit available at Swartz Kitchens and Baths

3. Make the Most of Your Cabinet Space

Intentionally organizing your cabinets will save you a lot of future frustration. Lazy susans and tiered spice racks are some of the most effective tools to organize any kitchen in need of storage revamping.

Lazy Susan: It’s one thing to haphazardly place as many items as possible into your cabinets to keep them out of sight. It’s another thing to design and organize your kitchen cabinets in a way that fully capitalizes on their space. The latter of these brings joy, while the first is a recipe for future headaches (thanks for the tip, Marie Kondo!). A Lazy Susan allows you to make the most of your kitchen storage space while keeping each pantry item or kitchen gadget easily accessible.

Tiered Spice Rack: The spice cabinet is one of the most cluttered cabinets in any kitchen. Over time, spices of all shapes and sizes get packed together and stacked on top of one another, making them difficult to find and likely to fall out. Storing your spices in a tiered spice rack makes them easier to spot and less likely to create a mess, allowing you to live your British Bakeoff Dreams to the fullest.

maximize kitchen storage with pullouts

Take the First Steps to Make Your Dream Kitchen a Reality

Looking for more great ideas about how to maximize your kitchen storage and boost visual appeal? Whether you’re entertaining in a newly built home or hosting your 16th Thanksgiving Dinner, keep your guests dazzled by making the most of what your kitchen has to offer. The first step to making your dream kitchen a reality is to contact our experts at Swartz Kitchens & Baths today for a consultation.