The best and worst kitchen organizers!
So you’ve decided you are going to remodel your kitchen, yay! Clients typically want a new kitchen either because there current layout doesn’t function very well, or they’re existing kitchen doesn’t align with they’re current style.
One element that should never be overlooked is the importance of the function and flow, meaning the placement of the appliances, sink and prep space that are vital to make the kitchen flow but the next thing that is very important is your cabinetry design, which typically includes interior features / organizers. I always suggest clients to go the custom route if you are going to invest in remodeling your kitchen but even if you are going the semi-custom, stock route I think these organizers are essential the function of your kitchen.
Below are what I consider must haves….
Double trash pullout [trash and recycling]
Corner pullout [if your kitchen has a corner]
Spice organization / pullout
Tray divider
Pantry pullouts [if you don’t have a walk in pantry]
Then your nice to haves….
cutlery drawer insert
utensil drawer insert
knife drawer insert
And finally I’ll talk about the ones I actually don’t like.
Must Haves…
TRASH PULLOUT, Below is my favorite go to trash pullout, this requires a cabinet 18” in width, which is pretty standard for a trash pullout. They make other fancy ones with more compartments that are 24”wide, but I typically always put this option in my designs. In my opinion a trash and recycling bin is all you need and then your compost bin can go under the sink.
CORNER PULLOUT, If there is a corner in a kitchen, [tip! Avoid corners if possible when designing a kitchen!] but if your space demands it, I always put the Le Mans II corner pullout in my designs. It is made by a German manufacturer Kessebohmer and they make the best solution hands down no need to look any further! :)
Often time architects and designers will put a void in the corner because no matter what type of interior feature you put in the cabinetry it does technically waste space. But I always put the Le Mans II even though there is some wasted space the pullout glides easily and is and will stand the test of time. It is great to place heavier items like small appliances [crock pot, instapot, blender] or your cast iron cookware.
SPICE ORGANIZATION, Ok so the big debate… typically and traditionally in kitchens you see a narrow pullout referred to as a “spice pullouts” on either side of the stovetop or range…I’m not saying I don’t think it’s appropriate sometimes buuuut this is my question to you. When you are preparing food, when do you typically need spices the most? In the prep phase so, I prefer to have the spices that are easy to see. Ideally in a drawer, but this really is a call to make depending on the size of your kitchen, or in the uppers with these smaller modular pullouts.
Where I think the “spice pullout” near the range makes sense…. Oils are great to have near the range so I like to put this type of pullout near the range, but advise on putting oils and vinegars in it. It’s not ideal to get down low to see a bunch of smaller spice containers and sort through things so the above two options are way more functional for spices. But this option linked is my favorite for taller/bigger options like oils and vinegars.
**Design tip! I always go for the 6.5” wide one, as shown.
TRAY DIVIDER, This is another item that can get very frustrating if not organized properly so don’t forget to put a tray divider in your kitchen somewhere.
PANTRY PULLOUT, If you don’t have a walk in pantry there are also lots of cabinetry pullout pantry options, my go to is just doing a tall cabinet and having your cabinet maker put pullouts in it. A lot of the inserts /pullout options on the market are either not durable / stable when in use or are extremely costly. So this is something that the classic method is really your best option.
Ok so trash pullouts, corner solutions, spices/oil + vinegar, tray divider, and pantry pullouts are the bare minimum in organizers as far as I’m concerned. But I think the next ones are equally as important.
Ok now on to the nice to haves…..
think if your going to be investing in a new kitchen with custom cabinetry the following drawer inserts are important to go ahead and do when you develop the cabinetry plans. No cabinet maker will want to come back when you decide later on you want them and actually most cabinet makers could very easily say they wont come back for drawer inserts. These inserts come in standard sizes and then your cabinet maker will cut them to fit perfectly into the drawer so you don’t really want to buy these later on.
DRAWER INSERTS
Cutlery, knife and utensil organizers, below are the ones I typically use because of the thin “walls” of the insert this allows for maximum storage. They also come in two finishes which is nice [walnut or birch].
You might be thinking, I could just go buy premade inserts but honestly if your investing in custom cabinetry use that resource and just commit to having them order and cut the inserts to fit perfectly into your new kitchen….I have never had a client regret custom fit drawer inserts! These ones come in a walnut or maple finish and have a variety of different options to select from. I also always prefer knives in a drawer to alleviate as much as possible off the countertops.
The final thing I really love is having pot lids organized! I prefer pots and pans in a deep wide drawer for easy access and having the cabinet maker add this partition for your lids is a must!
Ok now that we’ve covered the must haves, nice to haves, lets talk about the some more gimmicky ones I’m not the biggest fan of.
The pop up mixer stand, not going to lie this isn’t horrible if you have a large kitchen and aren’t concerned about being efficient with space. But something to keep in mind is if your planning on leaving it on the shelf provided, anything like a kitchen aid mixer or heavy duty one, this will shake when going full speed.
This pots and pan organizer, very cool to look at but not very space efficient and I will tell you when you close them back into the cabinet expect to hear clanking pots and pans for a solid 1 minute.
This is knife and utensil pullout also another cool looking one in theory but not very space efficient.
And then there’s this dish towel pullout…I mean …. Really? No comment:)
So there you have it, probably way more than you wanted to know but at the same time I feel I could talk alot longer about options! :) Feel free to let me know if you have questions about any interior features for your new kitchen and I will share more info with you!!
Much Love + Big Hugs!