Solstice Kitchen & Bath

Declutter with Kitchen Storage Solutions

September 21, 2022

A well-planned and executed kitchen remodel is a big investment, but it is a worthwhile one that will enhance your home and lifestyle for years to come. To achieve longevity in a kitchen model it should be as functional as it is aesthetic. Kitchens are truly multi-functional spaces where so much happens that you need your kitchen design to be ready for anything. The style you choose for your kitchen design also must express who you are while matching your practical requirements.

The key to maintaining both style and functionality is to avoid clutter. If every surface is needlessly covered then it’s hard to find workspace and your kitchen design feels chaotic. It’s vital to plan custom storage at the design stage of your kitchen remodel. Think about what you need to store and what you can do without. Plan what you’d like to display in open storage.

Your kitchen design expert can help you to solve storage issues in a way that suits your style. With clever storage solutions you can make a space feel larger and easier to work in. Here are some of the best storage solutions to declutter your kitchen design.

blue and white kitchen design

START AFRESH

Start with a clean slate by emptying out your current kitchen cabinets, removing everything from open shelves, and clearing countertops to see what you are storing. If you are embarking on a full kitchen remodel you will need to do this anyway, but a full declutter is a positive step even if you are only updating certain elements of your kitchen.

This is the time to decide what to keep for practical reasons and what you just love. Everything that doesn’t fit these criteria can be donated or recycled. Get rid of any food that has reached its expiration date. Consider if you really need to hang on to appliances, gadgets, or dinnerware that you haven’t used in a long time.

When you have finally stripped your contents down to the bare minimum, your kitchen design expert can recommend storage solutions that work for your kitchen remodel and your day-to-day needs. There are recommended ways to store different items, so it’s important to know exactly what you plan on storing when creating a kitchen design plan. A combination of internal storage accessories, stylish and practical cabinetry, and open storage make for a highly functional and streamlined kitchen design.

kitchen design with gray cabinets

BEHIND CLOSED DOORS

Cabinets are the best way to store everything you don’t want to display. A glass-fronted cabinet with downlighting, is a good way of breaking up a bank of closed storage and provides display space for any items you do want to show off. A streamlined kitchen cabinet style is on trend and a practical solution to kitchen storage needs.

Extend these cabinets floor to ceiling to maximize storage potential. Incorporate their strong, clean lines and handleless doors to bring an instant air of calm to a busy kitchen design. Push-open cabinet doors are perfect for maintaining the flow of cabinetry, especially if you are choosing wall-to-wall and floor-to-ceiling storage. If you want to free up floor space then consider sliding doors with simple recessed handles that can be made into a kitchen design feature. A lift-up door for upper cabinets is a luxurious and space-saving touch. Swing-out doors on corner cabinets make accessing them easy and stylish. You can maximize storage potential with sleek cabinetry that won’t overwhelm your kitchen remodel.

OUT IN THE OPEN

Open storage is a more cost-effective form of storage but can contribute to clutter if not well organized and maintained. Keep your shelving clean and place contents in groups, linking the items by color, style, or texture. Open storage can bring character to a kitchen but keep your design aesthetic cohesive by ensuring there is a common thread.

Replacing upper cabinetry with shelving is still a current trend that is a simple, yet stylish storage solution. If you are changing some cabinets to open shelves in an existing kitchen design, remember that you’ll have to finish the newly exposed wall. In a full kitchen remodel, open shelves offer a prime opportunity to create a feature wall by extending your backsplash material behind the shelves or accenting your design with wallpaper or a contrasting paint color.

Shelving is also ideal for utilizing small or awkward spaces. Corner shelves can be cleverly positioned at the end of cabinets to store recipe books or a container for essentials such as house keys. Another way of organizing smaller things is to hang them on pegboards or magnetic strips. Keep these to a minimum to avoid your open storage becoming cluttered.

kitchen design with floating shelves

A KITCHEN HERO

Pantry storage is essential in a kitchen remodel. If you have space, an adjacent walk-in pantry could store an extra freezer or even a second dishwasher. Smaller kitchen designs can still incorporate a pantry in a designated section of cabinetry or a converted alcove.

Wherever you can fit a pantry, design custom storage to accommodate everything you need to store there. Keep less-used items on a higher level since you aren’t climbing up to reach them very often. Keep dry foodstuffs in clear containers and a note of their expiration dates, so you can see exactly what you have at a glance. Cabinets utilized for pantry storage should have tailor-made features to maximize space and efficiency. Roll out shelves and pull outs can hold a multitude of kitchen essentials and be easily viewed when you need them, making your pantry a forerunner when it comes to decluttering.

kitchen pantry and tray storage

EVEN FLOW

It’s important to maintain the flow of your cabinetry to avoid a cluttered look. Appliances can interrupt a streamlined look, so try integrating them into your cabinetry with paneled fronts that match your cabinet doors. This gives a modern and elegant look to your kitchen remodel.

You can conceal kitchen accessories by storing them in all kinds of clever storage. Slide-out towel rails keep towels under your sink when not in use. Tilt-out compartments are another hidden solution in front of your sink where you can store dishwashing products. Slide-out cutting boards can be supported by open drawers and then pushed back in under your countertop. Smaller appliances can be stored in a cabinet with an integrated appliance lift or concealed in an appliance garage on your countertop.

RAISE THE BAR

If you really want to take your kitchen remodel from average to high-end, include a beverage bar in your design. It consolidates everything you need to make any type of drink and reduces stress when hosting a party. Factoring in a beverage bar at the design stage of your kitchen remodel allows you to include all possibilities. That way, you can use it for making coffee in the morning and easily transition to serving cocktails that evening.

If you have the space and the budget, allow for a built-in coffee machine, beverage or wine refrigerator, dishwasher, sink, and custom storage. Include wine racks and stemware storage as well as space to store mugs, drink accessories, and anything else you’ll need for yourself or guests.

You could cover the whole area with doors, or just expose your coffee-making section to keep your bar sleek and stylish. If space is at a premium, beverage bars can be set upon a countertop, in a section of cabinetry, or simply on a movable cart. However you plan your beverage bar, it will dramatically reduce the clutter in your kitchen design as you streamline your drinks area.

beverage bar

HELPING HANDS

Tailor-made storage solutions are vital in both your pantry and kitchen cabinet design. Utilizing internal organizers and mechanical features ensures your cabinets are highly functional and accessible. This also maintains your kitchen design’s aesthetic as it reduces clutter.

Customized kitchen storage

Include drawers of different widths and depths to accommodate the smallest to the largest item and to hold compartments that organize their contents. You can install all kinds of solutions from knife blocks to peg storage systems, dividers, or slats inside a drawer to make the most of every inch.

custom storage pullout

Awkward corner cabinets can be hard to reach into so let their contents come to you with the aid of swing-out shelves or pull-out rails, Super Susans, or swing out baskets. Spices can be stored in pull-out racks that can be built into cabinets or in a custom spice drawer. If you have a narrow space, design pull-outs or tray dividers to fit everything beautifully. Hide away your trash with roll-out storage to take care of all your disposal and recycling requirements. Make your kitchen design work hard behind a sleek aesthetic.

spice pull out storage

When it comes to reducing clutter in your kitchen design, the first rule is to enhance your storage space. Instead of making the room feel smaller, it enlarges it by creating a feeling of openness. The more places you have to organize your kitchen’s contents, the less you need to keep out in the open and therefore the less chaotic it will feel. A clutter free space maintains focus on the design aesthetic itself and lets your kitchen perform efficiently.

At Solstice Kitchen and Bath, we can work with you to achieve not only the right style but also to ensure that your kitchen storage solutions are customized to suit your family’s needs. Contact us today to discuss a kitchen remodel you’ll love for years to come.