Beyond Simple Storage: Kitchen Cabinet Accessories

When you’re in the middle of a kitchen remodel, it’s easy to get swept up in design photos of trendy colors and finishes for your cabinets — and that’s OK! Part of the joy of a kitchen renovation is getting to make all your own design decisions. But as you do your research, remember to look on the inside of those cabinets, too. The right kitchen cabinet storage has the potential to transform more than just the look of your kitchen. Make good choices, and it can be life changing to have a completely organized storage space where every item has a home.

Minimalism Is In

Ever notice what’s missing in all those photos of beautiful kitchens? It’s the stuff! Today’s trends definitely lean towards empty expanses of counters that make you think no one actually cooks in there — but really, you can get the look and still hang on to all your favorite kitchen gadgets. You just need to make sure you make the absolute best use of your cabinets so that not a single square inch goes to waste. Semi-custom cabinets provide loads of storage options to transform a basic base cabinet into a useable pull-out pantry or a handy recycling station. They’re a great way to get a lot of bang for your organizational buck — and you’ll wonder how you ever lived without some of these smart storage solutions.

Check out some of our favorite ideas:

• Pull-Out Pot Rack: A country kitchen may look fab with an old fashioned pot rack above the stove, but if you don’t have a collection of copper to show off, it makes more sense to keep your pans out of sight. A pull-out rack with hooks keep all your cookware within easy reach so you’ll never have to go digging for the pot you need again.
• Deep Drawers: Consider replacing some of your standard base cabinets with deep drawers instead. They save you the trouble of stooping down to find things, and you can even add a peg board or other dividers to further customize the space for everything from casserole dishes to colanders.
•  Stand Mixer Storage: Want totally clean counters without having to move around that heavy stand mixer?  A sturdy stand mixer shelf that flips out to near-counter height is just the bit of convenience you’ve been waiting for. When you’re done making that cookie dough, just flip it back down and close the cabinet for a perfectly uncluttered kitchen.
• Pull-Out Corner Storage: In basic base cabinets, all that space in the corners goes to waste because you can’t see — or reach! — all the way in. Reclaim some square footage with racks that pull out so you can see everything all at once. It’s like gaining a whole extra cabinet’s worth of useable space!
• Spice Rack Inserts: If you have an extra cutlery drawer, add some angled spice storage to keep all those little jars visible. If you prefer to keep your spices in a base cabinet, a small pull-out pantry shelf will do the trick as well.
• Sink Caddy: Make cleaning a breeze with the transportable sink caddy! Detachable shelves allow you to keep cleaning supplies in one place and then just detach and go when you need to clean a different area of the house.

When planning your kitchen cabinet layout, it’s a good idea to make note of your current appliances, dinnerware and other kitchen gadgets to get a sense of how you’d like to store them. Then try making a wish list of storage accessories for your semi-custom cabinets to make sure you’re designing your new kitchen with a place for everything. Not sure what you need? Just ask! Sometimes it’s possible to order inserts and storage extras after the fact, so be sure you understand your options when you sit down to order your new cabinets.