Advice on kitchen storage.

Wyshiepoo

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Ok peeps, I need some advice on kitchen storage, especially cooking pots and pans. We bought a new kitchen a year or so ago but I'm still struggling to find sensible storage space for all the most used items.

I'm obviously going to rationalise things and store little used bits and pieces elsewhere but that will still leave me with a shortfall in storage. Are there any free standing or wall mounted storage thingies you use or recommend?

I can post pics of the kitchen if you think it will help just let me tidy a bit first. :oops:
 
Well, I'm struggling with a particularly small kitchen and there isn't any wall space to hang anything wall mounted! My friend has a wall mounted metal 'grid' which has moveable hooks so that pots and pans can be hung from it.

In a previous (rented house) kitchen there was a suspended device over the central island (which had the hob on it). So pots and pans hung from the ceiling (as it were) near the hob. I think there is a name for such devices. That was particularly handy I found.

It would be very helpful indeed if you posted a photo.
 
Years and years ago, we made our own suspension grid with wooden dowels and S hooks and hung it from the ceiling with chain thru eye bolts screwed into the dowels. I think we used 1-1/4 inch dowels or thereabouts. We couldn't find the size we wanted at the time so made our own. That thing supported a lot of weight with all the pots and pans we had on it.
 
Years and years ago, we made our own suspension grid with wooden dowels and S hooks and hung it from the ceiling with chain thru eye bolts screwed into the dowels. I think we used 1-1/4 inch dowels or thereabouts. We couldn't find the size we wanted at the time so made our own. That thing supported a lot of weight with all the pots and pans we had on it.

Yes - thats the sort of thing. Its very handy to have the pots all hanging up and to hand rather than stacked in a cupboard.
 
I have a standard American kitchen layout, nothing fancy. Imagine an L shape, with the long side along the top and the short side to the right.

Along the top side is counter space, the double sink, more counter space around the corner, then the cooker and the fridge. Cupboard storage above and below. Simple.

Problem is, there's no open wall. Everything is meant to go in a cupboard, and it's a real pain to lug bigger items in an out.

I took several ideas from the internet:

1. Wall-mounted pot rack. I had to put it in the no-man's land between the kitchen and dining area (thinking of that flipped L shape, the open left side transitions to a dining area), but it's handy and keeps bigger items out of the cupboards. All my pans except for a cast iron skillet and a Dutch oven are there, among other things.

2. I have a buffet type sideboard (actually an old cobbler's bench) that a set up as an island/divider between the kitchen and dining area. Two big drawers hold potatoes, garlic, onions, and my food processor and stand mixer attachments. The food processor, stand mixer, and Dutch oven sit below. Sorted!

3. I put up a lot of those command strip hooks on the insides of my cupboard doors and that's where my measuring cups, measuring spoons, and some other smaller items go. Really helps with drawer clutter.

4. I organized my work flow. This was a biggie. Foodstuffs are in the cupboards closest to the cooker. Dishes are in the cupboards closest to the dishwasher and sink. That corner of the L that leads to cooker...that's my dedicated food prep area, so my canisters are there, my scale, my knives (stored on a magnetic strip on the wall), and my cutting board stays out. That way, I have a natural flow, left to right of ingredients -> prepping -> cooker.

Things like the kettle and the toaster are over to the left of the sink, well away from my prep area.

5. Also, something that doesn't work for everyone, but I like consolidation and minimalism. I don't need six things that can slice potatoes. I don't need a deep-fryer because I have a Dutch oven that works perfectly well. Things in my kitchen, for the most part, must be able to do double and triple duty in order to earn a place.

I own three saucepans, four fry pans (two stainless, two nonstick), a basic set of knives, a Dutch oven, a cast iron skillet, a stockpot, two sheet pans and a roasting pan. That's pretty much it for cookware, apart from a specialty item here and there (like my fondue pot). All good quality stuff so I only buy it once (except for the nonstick, that always wears out).
 
I own three saucepans, four fry pans (two stainless, two nonstick), a basic set of knives, a Dutch oven, a cast iron skillet, a stockpot, two sheet pans and a roasting pan. That's pretty much it for cookware

Excellent to keep things to a minimum. I'm working on it... but lately have added to collection because I wanted certain pans for food photography. The Staub cast iron pan below is an example - its an excellent pan but I'd probably not have bought it (expensive!) if I wasn't doing food photography.

fullsizeoutput_4e2c.jpeg

Similarly I've purchased quite a few quite expensive 'designer' plates for photos. I've now got two 'boxes' in living room unit devoted to them. But I only buy one plate at a time not a set.

fullsizeoutput_4d95.jpeg

Sorry - I digress...
 
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^^^ Do you do food photography as a profession or as a hobby? Your photos are excellent!

The one thing I have too much of...dishes. I have three sets. We have our everyday dishes, which is what I've posted food on here, the stoneware from our wedding registry (nearly 30 years ago), and I just "inherited" a set of average-quality blue willow-patterned English china.

The everyday dishes are Corelle - available at any discount department store in the US and built like a brick house. Very durable.

The stoneware is Noritake, and the entire reason we got stoneware instead of china was because we felt we'd use it more, but we never do.

The blue willow stuff, I got from an uncle. My aunt died and he remarried, and then they moved house, and she offered this stuff up. My brother knows my affinity for afternoon tea, so he snagged it for me and now I have it. I actually use it, too. We do afternoon tea maybe once a month at home.

I would dearly love to get rid of the Noritake, but the wife won't, since it was a wedding gift, but neither of us care for the pattern anymore, so we also don't care to use it.
 
^^^ Do you do food photography as a profession or as a hobby? Your photos are excellent!

The one thing I have too much of...dishes. I have three sets. We have our everyday dishes, which is what I've posted food on here, the stoneware from our wedding registry (nearly 30 years ago), and I just "inherited" a set of average-quality blue willow-patterned English china.

The everyday dishes are Corelle - available at any discount department store in the US and built like a brick house. Very durable.

The stoneware is Noritake, and the entire reason we got stoneware instead of china was because we felt we'd use it more, but we never do.

The blue willow stuff, I got from an uncle. My aunt died and he remarried, and then they moved house, and she offered this stuff up. My brother knows my affinity for afternoon tea, so he snagged it for me and now I have it. I actually use it, too. We do afternoon tea maybe once a month at home.

I would dearly love to get rid of the Noritake, but the wife won't, since it was a wedding gift, but neither of us care for the pattern anymore, so we also don't care to use it.

I sometimes do!! :wink:
 
I have a big kitchen so space no worries here. But I feel for those with not much room. I designed my own kitchen just after moving in here 30 years ago, I designed it around me. We updated a year or so, same design just new appliances , kitchen top and doors.

Russ
 
I have a big kitchen so space no worries here. But I feel for those with not much room. I designed my own kitchen just after moving in here 30 years ago, I designed it around me. We updated a year or so, same design just new appliances , kitchen top and doors.

Russ


WOW!! That's a long time at one place!! :wink:
 
Excellent to keep things to a minimum. I'm working on it... but lately have added to collection because I wanted certain pans for food photography. The Staub cast iron pan below is an example - its an excellent pan but I'd probably not have bought it (expensive!) if I wasn't doing food photography.

View attachment 29828

Similarly I've purchased quite a few quite expensive 'designer' plates for photos. I've now got two 'boxes' in living room unit devoted to them. But I only by one plate at a time not a set.

View attachment 29830

Sorry - I digress...

I use (mostly) Denby casserole dishes, expensive but nowhere near Staub and Le Creuset.
And sorry, I will try to update this thread later!!
 
I would dearly love to get rid of the Noritake, but the wife won't, since it was a wedding gift, but neither of us care for the pattern anymore, so we also don't care to use it.

Could you post a photo of the Noritake? I'd never heard of it but a spot of Googling revealed many different designs. It actually sounds the most interesting of the tableware you mention. But maybe it has an unfortunate pattern. I'd love to see it.
 
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