How to Maximize Storage Space for Small Cabinet with These 6 Kitchen Appliances

Is anything more annoying than tripping over boots and electrical cords, or bumping your head into a cabinet door, in a small kitchen with limited cupboard space? Or when you go hunting for the baking powder on a pantry shelf and have to pull out 16 different items just to see what’s on the back row? It’s enough to make you want to give up cooking and baking altogether!

Cleanliness and organization in the kitchen are crucial, for your sanity and your health. Studies have proven that cleanliness inspires vitality, good health, and good cheer, but messiness leads to depression and lethargy. Yes, unquestionably a tidy, well-organized kitchen, one that maximizes storage space and minimizes mess, is good for the mind, body, and soul!

Here, we offer some suggestions for clearing away the chaos and getting on the path to an organized – and sanitary – kitchen.

Spice Jars

All cooks know that having spices within easy reach is vital to a kitchen running smoothly and efficiently. Loading up the pantry with seldom-used spices that take up room and crowd out the important ones is a sure-fire way to bring confusion and mess to this all-important area of the kitchen. Get rid of the ones you don’t use, and bring the spices you love to the front of the pantry shelf. And clear out the ones you’ve got six of! Everyone does this – repeatedly buys certain spices, thinking they’re all out, only to discover five containers of it stuck at the back of the pantry. Do an inventory, toss out unused, old, or duplicate spices and you’ll be amazed at the extra room you create in your cupboard or pantry.

Using the inside of the pantry door shelf is another trick for maximizing extra space. Doing this is especially useful in a small kitchen, where space is at a premium.

And don’t forget that using glass jars for spices is the best way to keep them fresh and flavourful. The pantry or spice cupboard doors keep light at bay, so those are your best choices for storing spices. Darkness, dryness, and a tight seal on the spice jar are key to keeping them fresh, flavourful, and tasty. And having on hand the ones you use, and not three jars of the same spice, is the way to use space efficiently.

• Spice storage solution: https://www.holar.com.tw/product-category/salt-and-pepper/spice-shaker-bottle/

Drawer Organizers

Using dividers to organize your drawers and pantry is the best way to keep kitchen tools, like measuring spoons and spatulas, clean, tidy, and within easy reach. They offer a great solution for maximizing storage space, too. For example: If you like having salad dressing packages and marinades packets on hand, using a divider and keeping them together is a good way to keep single-serving items tidy and in one spot. Bundle them together and tie them with an elastic, then tuck them in the drawer organizer, and you’re all set.

Here’s another example: let’s say you love trying different kinds of tea. Instead of keeping five different boxes open and letting the air get to them and make the teas stale, sort them according to flavors, and put each type in a slot of its own. You can easily keep track of which kinds are running low, and have your favorite teas handy when you’re ready for a cup. Or, if you prefer, use glass jars with airtight seals, and put a handwritten label on each one, indicating its flavor. A small jar with a label reading “peppermint” actually looks pretty, as well as being an efficient way to store tea. Practical doesn’t have to mean plain, and maximizing storage space doesn’t have to be boring!

You can also use acrylic dividers like these for cosmetics, and for office supplies at work. The potential uses are almost endless!

• Drawer Tray and Storage Solution: https://www.holar.com.tw/product-category/drawer-organizers/

Wire Baskets

People tend to store vegetables of all kinds in the fridge because we don’t have root cellars anymore as folks did in the 19th century. But some veggies and fruits, root vegetables like onions and potatoes, don’t need refrigeration. But who wants bowls of them scattered around the kitchen? Nobody! That’s where hanging wire baskets come in.

Because they are mesh, these baskets allow air to flow in and around the vegetables, and that keeps them dry and fresh. Wire baskets are perfect for storing these and other much-loved fruits and vegetables, like tomatoes, bananas, and avocados. You can hang these baskets in the pantry or beside a cupboard – they often come in threes, the smaller ones at the top – and instantly gain room right along with keeping vegetables fresh. This is an attractive way to maximize space, as well as being practical.

Even other items like paper towels and canned goods can be stored in a wire basket. They are strong and see-through, so finding these things is a breeze when you’re in the pantry. They also present a tidy look that’s easy to clean and sanitize. Different styles and sizes are available in most kitchen supply shops, or on Amazon. And they aren’t expensive – another bonus!

• Fruit storage baskets solution: https://www.holar.com.tw/product-category/basket-and-rack/

Glass jars

Do you love pickles? Or any other preserved vegetables? If you do, then you’re no doubt already familiar with the many uses of glass jars. Because glass isn’t porous, nothing can stain it, and even better, smells can’t get out, while air can’t get in as long as the jar is properly sealed. All of this means that anything kept in glass jars stays fresh, flavourful and clean for much longer than in other kinds of containers.

For pickling, glass should always be your go-to choice. Using more glass is better for the environment, too; it can be washed and reused, or put in the recycle bin when you don’t need it anymore. It helps keep your foods clean, and it’s a smarter choice ecologically – a win/win all way round!

But do remember to store your glass jars at the back of, or at the bottom of, your pantry. Although the risks of the jars sliding off shelves may be minimal, if one does fall, it creates a huge mess, with food everywhere and shattered glass fragments underfoot. Not a pretty sight, and a potentially dangerous one, too.

• Glass jars storage solution: https://www.holar.com.tw/product-category/canister/glass-jars-series/

Acrylic Canisters

One of the best features of acrylic canisters is that they are “drop-proof.” They won’t shatter into a million pieces if you drop one, and on top of that, they are lightweight. They are easier to handle, particularly if you’re elderly, or have your hands full with other food, or are hoisting a child while trying to access something – in all kinds of scenarios, acrylic canisters make it simple to store and access food. You can put them on the counter, or in the cupboard, or on a pantry shelf. Stackable canisters really maximize storage space and make especially good use of the limited room, so opt for these if your kitchen storage options are few, and use them for things like flour, baking powder, and other dry goods.

Another noteworthy feature of acrylic canisters is that they are airtight, sealed so well that no air can get in and dry out the flour or spoil it. Acrylic canisters are designed expressly for this reason – the air stays out and the food stays fresh. There is no danger of the food stored in them becoming toxic.

• Acrylic canisters storage solution: https://www.holar.com.tw/product-category/canister/

Lazy Susan

Do you find yourself yanking food out of the cupboard and getting frustrated because the one item you need is invariably shoved to the back? Adding a lazy Susan to your pantry or cupboard solves this dilemma instantly. It really maximizes storage space because you can simply spin it to find the item you’re seeking, and voila! Problem solved!

Lazy Susans are the best-kept secret of kitchen design. Lots of people solve their storage issues by installing a lazy Susan, as it makes everything easily accessible. It makes it quick to find what you need and maximizes storage space because no room is wasted. Things that were once forgotten because they were out of sight and therefore out of mind are easy to spot now. With just a turn of the wheel, all the goods you didn’t know you had are visible again. And what’s more, it’s all within an easy reaching distance!

• Lazy Susan storage idea: https://www.holar.com.tw/products/tabletop/marble-series/mb-15-swivel-plate/

Conclusion

Do you have some suggestions and ideas for maximizing storage space we should add to our list?

If you’re an expert at storage in the kitchen, a true storage ninja, by all means, drop us a line in our comment section and let us know! We’ll pass on your ideas, and make our post about maximizing storage space even more comprehensive.

And head over to our link, “How to Organize Your Kitchen Pantry, Staples and Spices in Four Steps.” We’re always thinking of ways to make the most of your available kitchen space, and hope you’ll offer us some feedback soon.

Happy storing, and happy cooking, too!