In Kitchen Transition
July 31, 2011 8:29 PM Subscribe
We're going from an inhumanely small kitchen to a huge one with more cabinets than we know what to do with. Any tips for what goes where?
We're planning to put trash and recycling bins on the other side of the sink from the dishwasher, flatware nearest the breakfast bar and glassware near the fridge. There are two moderately-deep pantries on either side of the fridge we're thinking will be great for canned goods and potatoes, rice, onions, etc. in one and small appliances (waffle maker, air popper, flat grill, etc.) in the other. This still leaves about twenty cabinets up and down to fill and we want to do our best to get it right the first time. We have no children in the home but DH is very fond of his cereals. And at the risk of evoking curses from those who must suffer with no counter space, as we have been, what shall I do now with miles of it! The way the space and light flow I'm thinking of minimalist countertops with just a cookie jar, bowl of fruit, my spice rack... Any ideas for someone learning to spread out in a cook's kitchen at last?
We're planning to put trash and recycling bins on the other side of the sink from the dishwasher, flatware nearest the breakfast bar and glassware near the fridge. There are two moderately-deep pantries on either side of the fridge we're thinking will be great for canned goods and potatoes, rice, onions, etc. in one and small appliances (waffle maker, air popper, flat grill, etc.) in the other. This still leaves about twenty cabinets up and down to fill and we want to do our best to get it right the first time. We have no children in the home but DH is very fond of his cereals. And at the risk of evoking curses from those who must suffer with no counter space, as we have been, what shall I do now with miles of it! The way the space and light flow I'm thinking of minimalist countertops with just a cookie jar, bowl of fruit, my spice rack... Any ideas for someone learning to spread out in a cook's kitchen at last?
Best answer: Keep your spices in the dark, not on your counter, even if you *do* use them a lot.
posted by janell at 8:49 PM on July 31, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by janell at 8:49 PM on July 31, 2011 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Take a cupboard door off one or two cupboards and store cookbooks or even just decor items.
posted by vitabellosi at 8:58 PM on July 31, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by vitabellosi at 8:58 PM on July 31, 2011 [2 favorites]
Best answer: I like glassware to be close to the sink. Plates and bowls close to the dishwasher for fast unloading. Pots and pans are easy to get to if they're kept in deep drawers. I like to keep tupperware in drawers too because it all tends to fall over and get messed up in cupboards.
posted by bonobothegreat at 9:04 PM on July 31, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by bonobothegreat at 9:04 PM on July 31, 2011 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Keep things where you'll use them, in stations. If you put the coffeepot on the counter but you want to put the coffee, filters, etc in a counter, put them directly above the coffeepot. Organizing your kitchen in to different stations will make it a million times easier for you to use.
posted by kro at 9:05 PM on July 31, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by kro at 9:05 PM on July 31, 2011 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I moved from a place with ZERO counter space to a home with 7 feet on one wall with cupboards below, a huge pantry cupboard next to the fridge (with cupboards above the fridge and the pantry), a stove with counter between it and the farmer's style kitchen sink, and even more counter space to the right of the sink, extending in a L to the right with even more counter space and cupboards below that.
In addition, I have a very large island with even MORE counter space and stools on one side and an end, with more cupboards underneath and a "hole" where I put my trash can.
Far wall: I put my canisters, with recipe books, KitchenAid mixer, blender, food processor, Magic Bullet and blender. On the same counter, next to the fridge, I put my mini food processor and cans of cat food (there is a window there so I don't put much in between).
Pantry: Top is stuff I use a lot, like cooking spray, balsamic vinegar, cereal on the right. Toward the back is stuff I use rarely like malt and rice vinegar.
Second shelf is crackers and pastas, tupperwares with grains and beans. On the left is a bag of sugar and extra flour.
Third shelf is baking items like cornstarch, a little plastic bin with all my flavorings and other baking doo-dads like jimmies.
Bottom is pretty much empty except for some extra cooking oils and a bottle of sherry (useful when making trifle).
Drawers near stove contain flatware and knives, extra towels and dishrags and potholders, saran wraps, foils and baggies, and extra table cloth and aprons, top to bottom.
Under the sink is cleaning supplies and dishrack.
To the right of the sink is a coffee pot, coffee grinder, mugs we use every day, and a toaster. Plus a pile of LL Bean catalogs to round out the corner, which is pretty much useless and unreachable. Oh, and a mortar and pestle.
On the L is a paper towel rack and then nothing and then a pillbox for my elderly father-in-law, plus vitamins for us, and then nothing all the way to the end.
Underneath I have pots and pans in the lazy susan corner cupboard, lids on the top in the next cupboard, a cast iron pan below. In the next cupboard I have a Le Creuset below and oh, some lightbulbs for the can lights overhead.
We have also a lot of drawer pull-out style trays in the cupboards so I put all my spices in one of those in the island, opposite the stove. Basically, I spread out all of my stuff in the manner that I use it the most often. It seems to work, except that the bigass pantry cupboard hides a lot of stuff in the back and I'll probably end up throwing out 2 year old bags of macaroni or something later on.
I arranged my bakeware under the big counter under my KitchenAid mixer and there are huge drawers in one section so I put my large measuring bowls in there, along with my measuring cups and grater and things like that. Cookie drying racks in the bottom drawer because I don't use those that much. Cookie sheets in the drawer under the stove.
So the stuff that I use every day is right next to the stove or in the cupboard to the right of the sink. Glassware, dishes, etc. An enamel jar with spatulas and whisks, pepper grinder, etc. are all right there.
I don't "do" anything with the extra counters, except I have one of those 4-footed oblong glass fruit bowls on my island with a bunch of napkins in it. The rest has turned into counter surfing homes for my cats (who are not allowed ((technically)) on the stove and cooking counter between the sink and the stove).
That's it. Oh, and my husband slaps his briefcase on one end of the counter when he comes home and the cats immediately make a bed out of it. I am constantly spraying and wiping, but all I really use is the area near the stove and sink. However, the extra storage is much appreciated, even if it seems weird at first. You might even want to buy new pots and pans (and I do, there being an awesome cookware store just down the road from here, argh).
posted by Marie Mon Dieu at 9:30 PM on July 31, 2011
In addition, I have a very large island with even MORE counter space and stools on one side and an end, with more cupboards underneath and a "hole" where I put my trash can.
Far wall: I put my canisters, with recipe books, KitchenAid mixer, blender, food processor, Magic Bullet and blender. On the same counter, next to the fridge, I put my mini food processor and cans of cat food (there is a window there so I don't put much in between).
Pantry: Top is stuff I use a lot, like cooking spray, balsamic vinegar, cereal on the right. Toward the back is stuff I use rarely like malt and rice vinegar.
Second shelf is crackers and pastas, tupperwares with grains and beans. On the left is a bag of sugar and extra flour.
Third shelf is baking items like cornstarch, a little plastic bin with all my flavorings and other baking doo-dads like jimmies.
Bottom is pretty much empty except for some extra cooking oils and a bottle of sherry (useful when making trifle).
Drawers near stove contain flatware and knives, extra towels and dishrags and potholders, saran wraps, foils and baggies, and extra table cloth and aprons, top to bottom.
Under the sink is cleaning supplies and dishrack.
To the right of the sink is a coffee pot, coffee grinder, mugs we use every day, and a toaster. Plus a pile of LL Bean catalogs to round out the corner, which is pretty much useless and unreachable. Oh, and a mortar and pestle.
On the L is a paper towel rack and then nothing and then a pillbox for my elderly father-in-law, plus vitamins for us, and then nothing all the way to the end.
Underneath I have pots and pans in the lazy susan corner cupboard, lids on the top in the next cupboard, a cast iron pan below. In the next cupboard I have a Le Creuset below and oh, some lightbulbs for the can lights overhead.
We have also a lot of drawer pull-out style trays in the cupboards so I put all my spices in one of those in the island, opposite the stove. Basically, I spread out all of my stuff in the manner that I use it the most often. It seems to work, except that the bigass pantry cupboard hides a lot of stuff in the back and I'll probably end up throwing out 2 year old bags of macaroni or something later on.
I arranged my bakeware under the big counter under my KitchenAid mixer and there are huge drawers in one section so I put my large measuring bowls in there, along with my measuring cups and grater and things like that. Cookie drying racks in the bottom drawer because I don't use those that much. Cookie sheets in the drawer under the stove.
So the stuff that I use every day is right next to the stove or in the cupboard to the right of the sink. Glassware, dishes, etc. An enamel jar with spatulas and whisks, pepper grinder, etc. are all right there.
I don't "do" anything with the extra counters, except I have one of those 4-footed oblong glass fruit bowls on my island with a bunch of napkins in it. The rest has turned into counter surfing homes for my cats (who are not allowed ((technically)) on the stove and cooking counter between the sink and the stove).
That's it. Oh, and my husband slaps his briefcase on one end of the counter when he comes home and the cats immediately make a bed out of it. I am constantly spraying and wiping, but all I really use is the area near the stove and sink. However, the extra storage is much appreciated, even if it seems weird at first. You might even want to buy new pots and pans (and I do, there being an awesome cookware store just down the road from here, argh).
posted by Marie Mon Dieu at 9:30 PM on July 31, 2011
Best answer: Lucky you! I too recently moved into a place with mega-counter-and-storage space. I arranged the counters like this: a breakfast area (coffe-maker, toaster, tea/coffee/sugar), a food prep area (chopping board, cookbooks fit neatly into the corner, close access to knives, prep bowls and containers in the cupboards underneath) and a serving area (crockery & cutlery in cupboards underneath, close to sink/dishwashers to immediately put dirty bowls etc in).
I have re-arranged slightly since. But only slightly, unlike houses where space is at a minimum and you are constantly shoving unused stuff to the back of cupboards to fit frequently-used stuff in front.
Work out what you need close-at-hand multiple times a day. Put that stuff either on the counters or under the counter where it will be used.
Oh, and I 'file' my tupperware in separate cupboards according to the shape. Round stuff stacks on top of other round stuff, square/rectangular stuff stacks on top of other square/rectangular stuff... you get the drift. Much easier to find what you're looking for (if your mother is an ex-tupperware dealer, and you have a mountain of it).
posted by malibustacey9999 at 9:58 PM on July 31, 2011 [1 favorite]
I have re-arranged slightly since. But only slightly, unlike houses where space is at a minimum and you are constantly shoving unused stuff to the back of cupboards to fit frequently-used stuff in front.
Work out what you need close-at-hand multiple times a day. Put that stuff either on the counters or under the counter where it will be used.
Oh, and I 'file' my tupperware in separate cupboards according to the shape. Round stuff stacks on top of other round stuff, square/rectangular stuff stacks on top of other square/rectangular stuff... you get the drift. Much easier to find what you're looking for (if your mother is an ex-tupperware dealer, and you have a mountain of it).
posted by malibustacey9999 at 9:58 PM on July 31, 2011 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Try to think in triangles. If you pull out a cutting board, your knife block should be no further than 60 degrees away. Your sautee pan should be right by your range. When you remove some veggies from the fridge, the sink and prep surface should be ready to reach. Keep your mixing bowls near your cutting boards and mise en place bowls. Keep your serving plates near your stove. Running around a kitchen is the surest way to waste a whole lot of time and turn a 1hr prep into a nightmare.
posted by Gilbert at 10:09 PM on July 31, 2011
posted by Gilbert at 10:09 PM on July 31, 2011
Best answer: Commandeer a cabinet to be a nice dark place for your spices, you can get risers to make it easy to see them all. Exception for your salt pig, sugar bowl, pepper grinder, of course.
Leave the every-day-use items on the counter, plugged in. (For us this is coffee grinder and 3-cup baby Cuisinart.) Also leave items on the counter that would be madly useful for many applications but are heavy as all hell to drag out of a cabinet. (For us, this is the stand mixer.)
You've got some luxury of space for the stuff you'll want at your fingertips. Take the doors off of a cabinet if you can, and use some space dividers to resection the lowest shelf. Make the Most Convenient-Ever Cubby for stuff like wooden spoons, rubber scrapers, whisks, slotted spoon/spider strainers, etc. Install a knife block, too.
What else will you do in the kitchen? We hang out in ours -- I'd love a cabinet for the stereo. And gardening supplies, since our back door is right there. I'm looking around my kitchen at things that don't fit in cabinets: Cookbooks. Wine rack. Liquor cabinet. Canning jars and kettle. Stepstool. No-one says you have to use all your cabinets for cooking-related items, either. Medicine cabinet. Cleaning supplies closet. Toolkit of most-frequently-used household tools (regular screwdriver, Phillips-head, wrench, flashlight, etc.) File boxes for warranties.
Browse the Container Store and its brethren, and, paradoxically, space-saving-experts like Apartment Therapy for ideas of how to repurpose storage space.
posted by desuetude at 10:51 PM on July 31, 2011 [1 favorite]
Leave the every-day-use items on the counter, plugged in. (For us this is coffee grinder and 3-cup baby Cuisinart.) Also leave items on the counter that would be madly useful for many applications but are heavy as all hell to drag out of a cabinet. (For us, this is the stand mixer.)
You've got some luxury of space for the stuff you'll want at your fingertips. Take the doors off of a cabinet if you can, and use some space dividers to resection the lowest shelf. Make the Most Convenient-Ever Cubby for stuff like wooden spoons, rubber scrapers, whisks, slotted spoon/spider strainers, etc. Install a knife block, too.
What else will you do in the kitchen? We hang out in ours -- I'd love a cabinet for the stereo. And gardening supplies, since our back door is right there. I'm looking around my kitchen at things that don't fit in cabinets: Cookbooks. Wine rack. Liquor cabinet. Canning jars and kettle. Stepstool. No-one says you have to use all your cabinets for cooking-related items, either. Medicine cabinet. Cleaning supplies closet. Toolkit of most-frequently-used household tools (regular screwdriver, Phillips-head, wrench, flashlight, etc.) File boxes for warranties.
Browse the Container Store and its brethren, and, paradoxically, space-saving-experts like Apartment Therapy for ideas of how to repurpose storage space.
posted by desuetude at 10:51 PM on July 31, 2011 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Another thing to think about is shared use of the kitchen. If you're going to have people over a lot, you may want to put the tea and coffee station, the cups and glasses and the drinks cupboard somewhere that other people can come and get at them without being in your way if you're doing food prep or washing up.
If there may be more than one of you cooking in there, then even more important to separate food prep (fridge, counter, knives, chopping boards, bowls) from the stove area (pans, wooden spoons, plates, serving dishes) from the washing up area (space for two people to stand and wash up without being in the way of any of the above).
If there's a dishwasher, work out which cupboards are blocked by the dishwasher door when open, and try to put rarely used things in there so you're not clambering over the door to get to the pans.
In my kitchen, the glasses are by the booze, and the cups are in the tea and coffee cupboard that's right above the kettle and by the fridge, even though that leaves the cups nowhere near the glasses.
Putting plug sockets in cupboards allows you to leave small appliances plugged in, in a cupboard, and just pull them out quickly to use them.
posted by emilyw at 11:52 PM on July 31, 2011
If there may be more than one of you cooking in there, then even more important to separate food prep (fridge, counter, knives, chopping boards, bowls) from the stove area (pans, wooden spoons, plates, serving dishes) from the washing up area (space for two people to stand and wash up without being in the way of any of the above).
If there's a dishwasher, work out which cupboards are blocked by the dishwasher door when open, and try to put rarely used things in there so you're not clambering over the door to get to the pans.
In my kitchen, the glasses are by the booze, and the cups are in the tea and coffee cupboard that's right above the kettle and by the fridge, even though that leaves the cups nowhere near the glasses.
Putting plug sockets in cupboards allows you to leave small appliances plugged in, in a cupboard, and just pull them out quickly to use them.
posted by emilyw at 11:52 PM on July 31, 2011
Response by poster: Great ideas everyone! emilyw you're a genius!
posted by R2WeTwo at 3:15 AM on August 1, 2011
posted by R2WeTwo at 3:15 AM on August 1, 2011
Best answer: One suggestion: my dad has the space to keep store his plastic containers (tupperware etc...) with the lids on (or almost on, if it's still a bit wet). This makes using them fantastically more convenient.
posted by ropeladder at 5:55 AM on August 1, 2011
posted by ropeladder at 5:55 AM on August 1, 2011
Best answer: This is more of an extension of what everyone else has been generally saying (blocking areas by use) - if you handwash, put your kitchen towels nearby. Mine are in the bottom cabinet just left to the sink and I have a big bag in a corner where I can toss them when they get dirty.
I stack my tupperware/takeout containers by shape and then pile the lids together on top.
I also have a deep corner by the stove. It's too deep to easily grab food unless it was on a lazy susan, but I use it to store my slow cooker. A cookbook holder, cd player, or any fairly large but occaisionally used appliance would also probably work in such a space.
Also, are the sides of your fridge magnetized? If so, you could probably keep an inventory/grocery list on the pantry side of the fridge.
posted by zix at 6:23 AM on August 1, 2011
I stack my tupperware/takeout containers by shape and then pile the lids together on top.
I also have a deep corner by the stove. It's too deep to easily grab food unless it was on a lazy susan, but I use it to store my slow cooker. A cookbook holder, cd player, or any fairly large but occaisionally used appliance would also probably work in such a space.
Also, are the sides of your fridge magnetized? If so, you could probably keep an inventory/grocery list on the pantry side of the fridge.
posted by zix at 6:23 AM on August 1, 2011
Best answer: Remember that the most frequent "trip" for most of your stuff will be dishwasher-to-storage. The stuff you use the most and therefore wash the most should be stored closest to the dishwasher. In particular, the flatware drawer should be as close as possible, because that's probably the most things you need to shift every time you do the dishes.
posted by Etrigan at 6:27 AM on August 1, 2011
posted by Etrigan at 6:27 AM on August 1, 2011
Best answer: We placed the glasses, cereal bowls and cereal in the upper cupboard next to the fridge. The drawer directly below holds the flatware. Plates are in the upper next to the stove for easy reach when dishing up. Pots and pans are in the lower next to the oven and storage containers are in the lower next to the fridge. Kitchen towels are in the large drawer next to the sink.
If you can swing it, removing some doors and installing drawers may make sense for you if you have lots of spices and utensils. If you use a stand mixer a lot you might want to install a hinged shelf for it. In general, cabinet inserts, drawers and organizers are very helpful.
I had this same problem two years ago. It's funny how one accumulates stuff to fill the space available.
posted by PorcineWithMe at 7:55 AM on August 1, 2011
If you can swing it, removing some doors and installing drawers may make sense for you if you have lots of spices and utensils. If you use a stand mixer a lot you might want to install a hinged shelf for it. In general, cabinet inserts, drawers and organizers are very helpful.
I had this same problem two years ago. It's funny how one accumulates stuff to fill the space available.
posted by PorcineWithMe at 7:55 AM on August 1, 2011
Best answer: Lucky! You have room to make a "gift cabinet" where you keep stuff you find on sale/that perfect birthday present for so-and-so, etc. Also a few generic hostess type gifts so that if someone shows up with an unexpected present for you, you can reciprocate.
Also you may want to designate a cabinet for last-minute/drop-in guests and keep it stocked with non-perishable gourmetish goodies. Instant cocktail party!
posted by cyndigo at 12:18 PM on August 1, 2011
Also you may want to designate a cabinet for last-minute/drop-in guests and keep it stocked with non-perishable gourmetish goodies. Instant cocktail party!
posted by cyndigo at 12:18 PM on August 1, 2011
Best answer: You've got a ton of great ideas above and I only want to add one thing:
It will help you and your guests and visitors to navigate your kitchen if you create zones for like things and functions.
A "zone" is a place where you can stand, or take a step or two left or right, to find like things or accomplish a task.
So -- make zones:
Zone 1: Where plates, glasses, and silverware live
Zone 2: Where food is kept
Zone 3: Where food is prepared (chopped, trimmed, etc -- cutting boards, knives, ...)
Zone 4: Where food is cooked (stove, stirring spoons, potholders, ...)
Zone 5: Where cleanup materials are (cleaning solution, towels, etc)
etc.
"Where's your silverware?" = "Drawers under the cabinet where the glasses are"
"Where are your cutting boards?" = "Cabinet under the knife block on the counter"
"Where's the pasta?" = "Cabinet above the bread box"
"Ooops, I spilled water on the floor!" = "Kitchen towels in the drawer under the paper towel holder"
Defer to you, of course, on how often you entertain and get help in the kitchen, but having like things grouped together with clear visual cues makes it easier for people to grok your organization.
posted by woot at 6:44 AM on August 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
It will help you and your guests and visitors to navigate your kitchen if you create zones for like things and functions.
A "zone" is a place where you can stand, or take a step or two left or right, to find like things or accomplish a task.
So -- make zones:
Zone 1: Where plates, glasses, and silverware live
Zone 2: Where food is kept
Zone 3: Where food is prepared (chopped, trimmed, etc -- cutting boards, knives, ...)
Zone 4: Where food is cooked (stove, stirring spoons, potholders, ...)
Zone 5: Where cleanup materials are (cleaning solution, towels, etc)
etc.
"Where's your silverware?" = "Drawers under the cabinet where the glasses are"
"Where are your cutting boards?" = "Cabinet under the knife block on the counter"
"Where's the pasta?" = "Cabinet above the bread box"
"Ooops, I spilled water on the floor!" = "Kitchen towels in the drawer under the paper towel holder"
Defer to you, of course, on how often you entertain and get help in the kitchen, but having like things grouped together with clear visual cues makes it easier for people to grok your organization.
posted by woot at 6:44 AM on August 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by theichibun at 8:33 PM on July 31, 2011