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melissastar

innovative ideas for storage in upper cabs?

melissastar
13 years ago

Cabinetmaker wants my final list of cabinets and configurations and I'm panicking. For a variety of reasons most of the bottom space in my kitchen plan is pretty much filled, and I'm left with a variety of things I am used to having in bottom cabinets, with not enough space for them there.

I do, however, have three upper cabinets (21"-24" each), plus an upper corner cabinet that are available to put stuff in. I had planned to use textured glass on the doors (to help reflect light in an otherwise darkish interior rowhouse kitchen), but I guess I can abandon that plan if need be. I know I can stuff these things in uppers...but I'd really love to see/hear about any innovative ideas for making upper storage convenient for any of the following:

-Food wrapping stuff--plastic bags, aluminum foil, etc.

-small to medium sized pans, skillets, etc.

-spices....many, many. I had filled a 33" bottom cabinet drawer plus some.

-oils, vinegars, sauces, etc....I hate having to paw through the front ones to get to those in the back.

-dishtowels, potholders

-plastic storage containers, including some fairly large ones.

I could even store some canned goods there.

Thanks!

-

Comments (16)

  • melissastar
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    thanks Monkeymo. I had seen the posting about the potrack in the upper cab....good idea. Unfortunately, I have no filler spots for spice racks on the uppers...of course, I suppose I could install three fillers in a row...to get enough space to hold all my spices. And many of the other options are for deeper base cabinets.

    Now I'm mulling seeing if I can get my cabinet maker to make me something for spices to use in the blind corner, instead of using an angled wall corner. What I have in mind is something like the rev a shelf spice filler cabinets, but with about three of them put in sideways, in the top cabinet...one in front of another. To get to the ones in back, you would slide the front ones to the side...into the blind corner of the cabinet. May not be the best use of space, but upper space is plentiful in this kitchen and space though convenient space for specific things isn't!

  • bmorepanic
    13 years ago

    For spices, maybe find a tray or basket, something like 4" by 10-11", for height - maybe a little over an average spice bottle when sitting in basket height. Ask cabinet dude make "close set drawer" openings for your new pullout spice racks put a cute label on the end designating what the basket contains. Should get about 10 bottles to the basket Would also work as a vertical stack - maybe 5 baskets high.

    :) Or, why waste money on that stainless ref - get a white one and upholster with those little round magnetic spice tins.

    For small pans, try packing in extra shelves - so one or two pans deep, a little clearance and next shelf. I've found that storing lid upside down in pan is pretty convenient and also reduces the required height. The same kind of thing works well for cans if you have similar things - line up the tomato stuff or the soups. Set shelf height by the height of spaghetti sauce jar plus an inch.

    For plastic ware, I mean, let's face it. It's made by devils who imbue it with a curse making storage of it a nightmare. Either the lid or the container will run away at the first opportunity, which triggers the other to stick like glue and you will never be free of it. Otherwise known as, nothing I've tried works well for me, so how could I have any ideas for you?

  • jrueter
    13 years ago

    Check out OrganizeIt.com for lots of products and ideas

    for wraps:
    {{!gwi}}

    for spices and bottles:
    {{!gwi}} or or {{!gwi}}

    for pot lids, mounted on cabinet door:
    {{!gwi}}

    IKEA also has great storage items.

    like bmorepanic said, plasticware is the killer. My best solution is to do what I did during reno - while packing I only packed complete sets and ditched all the orphaned bowls and lids. I have some simple wire shelves to hold the bowls and a wire lid rack to "file" the lids.
    {{!gwi}}

    These measures help, but I am under no illusion that this is a long term solution; it is temporary at best! Please post if you do find the solution.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Organize It

  • cross_stitch
    13 years ago

    I love my upper corner cabinet for spices and baking necessities. The super susan is ideal for alphabetical arrangement of spices. It's just a slim cabinet away from the cooktop and my baking space is just below the spice cabinet. The uppers in my kitchen are devoted to tableware, mixing bowls, canned goods and oils/liquids used at the cooktop.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Corner spice storage

  • joyjoyjoy
    13 years ago

    I think I'd really like the doors that have the spice racks on the door itself, and the shelves inside are shallower.. BUT doesnt work so hot on a glass door I suppose!

    I will likely have open shelving istead of uppers and will either do some sort of suspended cubby under the shelf for spices, or an inset cabinet into the wall void. I dont think I have as many spices as you, but I plan to get some pretty jars and display them. I've seen some pics on here... I'll see if i can find them!

  • joyjoyjoy
    13 years ago

    What about instead of the three sliding racks turned sideways, you have three that pull out = like the filler piece but INSIDE a cabinet with a door. So you open the door and then you pull out one of the racks.

    And then they have those swing out racks - so the front half of your oils and whatnot swings out, and exposes the back half of the cabinet.

    I'd just get some cute baskets for the dishtowels. and maybe hang a hook - like they have at Target to display the potholders for sale.. they could hang inside the cabinet waiting for their turn.

  • kathielo
    13 years ago

    I had my DH divide the upper cabinet above my oven into narrow vertical units for large serving trays. Love it. and now my tray are so handy and not stacked on top of each other.
    Easy....

  • melissastar
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    thanks for the ideas, folks!

    Cross-stitch: I thought about a susan in the upper corner, but feared that it would be annoying to have to paw through various jars of spices in the front to find the one I wanted in the middle. I've probably been spoiled by my previous huge spice drawer..all in alphabetical order, one layer, so all could be easily seen and accessed. Do you find it easy enough to put your hands immediately on what you need?

    Joy,joy, joy....I like the idea of the pullouts inside a cabinet. uses up less room and makes more sense than sliding to the side. Thanks!

  • chicagoans
    13 years ago

    Rev-a-shelf has some great stuff, but not appropriate for glass doors. If you would consider mixing in some solid door uppers (maybe use glass doors for dish cabinets and solid for other cabinets) then the bottom 2 pictures from Rev-a-shelf might help.

    Container Store makes a bamboo spice step that is nice looking enough to go behind a glass door. (Top pic.)

    Foil holder:

    If deep enough this could hold pots and pans:

  • lascatx
    13 years ago

    Can't remember who but there is a photo posted of a pot rack running across an upper cabinet -- basically a hanging rod across the top with hooks for hanging pots.

    I have a flat lazy susan in the upper cabinet next to my cook top that has most of oils and vinegars. There is space on either side for a row of bottles. I came to hate those things for spices and small things that get lost in the center, but with taller bottles, it works well.

    The most efficient spice storage I have found is a drawer with upright bottles. I have 110 bottles in a 24" drawer. I have some rubs and baking items in the cabinet above -- using one of those riser things and another lazy susan for baking decorations.

    I have always put foils and wraps in a drawer or lower space -- they are going to be longer than the depth of an upper cabient unless you have 24" deep space. My hot pads are also in a drawer next to my ovens.

  • pudgybaby
    13 years ago

    I've always liked barbse's spice storage if you have a similar layout

    Here is a link that might be useful: scroll down about 1/2 way for pic

  • melissastar
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Oooohhh, I love Barbse's spice storage. Thanks for pointing it out pudgybaby. Now, if I can find a way to work it in without driving my cabinet maker mad....

  • formerlyflorantha
    13 years ago

    I know that you're discussing upper cabs, but just thought I'd say that I have planned one almost-square bin drawer about 1.5 feet wide for Tupperware/yogurtcontainers/etc for leftovers or whatever. I plan to dump all this plastic in there, stack some inside other pieces, heave out all that cannot fit into the drawer. This kind of product seems to proliferate and I have decided that the bin will act as my stern censor to curb the collecting habit. I planned a second drawer above it for waxed paper, plastic wrap, alum. foil, and plastic food bags. Again, a finite space.

  • cross_stitch
    13 years ago

    I've misnamed my lazy susan. It has a central post. But it is fine for spices. Short containers are in alphabetical order on the outside. A few tallish containers are toward the center but are visible as I turn it since their labels are also higher. I have no problems with seeing everything on the bottom tray (I am 5'10". Others may find it harder to see everything they need.)

  • eastbaymom
    13 years ago

    Below is the link to a spice organizer that could be used inside a glass-door upper cabinet. I like the idea of this one because it would be easy to lift the whole box down out of the cabinet if I wanted to clean underneath it, or reorganize.

    I don't own one yet, but I think I may be placing an order soon... I get to unpack into the new kitchen cabinets tomorrow, so I'll find out how much more room I need after filling the pullout to the right of the stove. I know I'm going to run out of room and will put the overflow in the upper cabinet.

    Stacks and Stacks also seems to have a really wide selection of kitchen organizer ideas generally, so it might be worth poking around at their other items for storage ideas. I found the link somewhere here in the kitchen forums!

    Here is a link that might be useful: Spice Organizer to go inside an upper cabinet.

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