The humble kitchen. The heart of a home, and the room that creates the most magical memories.
No matter its size, the importance of the kitchen, and the central role it plays in your day-to-day life cannot be diminished.
This is why kitchen remodels and extensions are among the most popular home improvement projects undertaken by homeowners.
But, as shocking as it seems, your kitchen space does not necessarily require an extensive expansion or costly remodel. Simple, space-saving solutions, and smart organisation can go a long way in helping you to tone down the chaos and revamp your kitchen, and transform it into a beautiful room, full of calm efficiency.
How? Here’s what you need to do:
1. Learn to discard
Believe it or not, this is a practised skill. One that generally requires some getting used to.
This is especially true if you are a closet hoarder who is convinced that the sudden need for a particular item is bound to arise in the near future. Spoiler alert: It won’t!
By eliminating the expired, dated, and never-to-be-used items, you can ensure an obvious and automatic increase in the amount of storage space available.
2. Elongate the space available with floor-to-ceiling cupboards
Floor-to-ceiling cupboards are a wonderful option for your kitchen for two main reasons. Firstly, they clearly add in a large amount of storage space to your kitchen, especially for items that you don’t use very often, and therefore wouldn’t mind being out of sight.
Secondly, the fact that the cupboards utilise all the space against the kitchen wall means that there are no awkward corners left that essentially become wasted space. Otherwise, the space left on top of kitchen cupboards and cabinets generally tend to become inadvertent storage spaces that look unsightly and are a hassle to clean.
3. Incorporate and integrate
When dealing with small spaces that have to fit in multiple appliances, it is often best to create built-in storage spaces.
This works for virtually all devices and appliances. From the microwave and coffee-maker, to the refrigerator and toaster. Not only do these built-in and integrated appliances create a cleaner and clutter-free aesthetic by drastically reducing the chaos on the kitchen counters, but they even add some valuable inches to the floor space for a sleek and minimalist design.
4. Convert a closet
If you have a closet that leads off the kitchen, consider expanding into the adjacent room by creating a walk-in pantry.
The addition of shelving units and racks throughout the closet, allows you to stock and store all your ingredients, and even bulky pots and pans, in an organised and easily-accessible manner, while freeing up space on your kitchen counters and cabinets.
5. Drawers galore!
When working with a small space, every bit of storage matters. This is why drawers are so useful in helping you to organise and declutter your kitchen; because they help create a great deal of extra storage space. And they need not be limited to only under the worktops.
Instead, try adding drawers to both sides of the kitchen island, and even incorporating them inside kitchen cabinets. And most importantly, get creative with how you use them!
Pull-out drawers are a great way to help avoid losing items within deep and hard-to-reach cabinets. And they are ideal for storing away everything from trash bins to spice racks.
Shallow drawers, movable pegs, cutlery trays, ridged inserts, and drawer dividers are just some of the ways by which these spaces can be organised and customised to store everything from spice jars to crockery.
6. Put up those shelves
To maximise the counter space available, make use of the vertical spaces in your kitchen. This includes the walls, sides of cabinets, and even the splashback.
Floating shelves above windows, the stove, or the sink, can not only be made to look pretty by displaying your beautiful dishware, but can also make frequently-used items that much more accessible.
7. Hang everything
Yes, we mean everything. Hooks can be your best friends when it comes to decluttering your kitchen, because there is almost nothing that cannot be hung.
Pots, pans, spatulas, knives, cutting boards, canisters, aprons, and mugs, the list is endless. But where can you suspend these from?
Anywhere and everywhere!
Think of pegboards on the wall, hooks on the doors and undersides of cabinets, or rail racks on the splashback. All of which work well to declutter your space, create ease of access, and enhance the rustic appeal of your kitchen.
The kitchen is easily everyone’s favourite room. But it is also the busiest and most chaotic. And with the foot traffic it is subjected to, an uncluttered kitchen can do wonders for the overall, smooth functioning of your home.
Incorporating these clever, effortless, and innovative ideas into your design, allows you to create your ideal kitchen, that is beautiful, efficient, and perhaps most-importantly, clutter free.
If you are looking declutter your kitchen, and optimise the space available, through simple, space-saving means, contact the kitchen experts at Good Design and Build today!
We take immense pride in designing and creating the best bespoke kitchen extensions and transformations, that not only add ample space to your kitchen, but also increase the value of your home.
