Kitchen Storage Ideas

How to Maximize the Space under Your Kitchen Sink

For most of us, the space under the kitchen sink is a messy collection of cleaning products and other household items. It is an area that is often neglected and can be difficult to organize. But these 3 simple space-saving solutions can turn that tiny space under your sink into an effective and efficient part of your kitchen.

Getting Started

The first step to creating an organized space under your sink is to clear everything out and put items into logical groupings such as soaps, sponges, cloths and cleaners. Any item that is not used in your kitchen must be stored elsewhere. Once everything is out from under the sink and put into categories, it is time to measure. This will help you buy storage containers in the appropriate sizes for the space you have. Don’t forget to measure the space in front of the pipes as well as beside.

The final step to getting this space ready for organizing is to give it a good cleaning and put a down a protective floor covering like a rubber mat or some adhesive shelf paper.

Light & Space

The space under the kitchen sink is a dark place and it can be hard to find what you are looking for if you don’t shed some light on it. The easiest way to do this is to purchase an inexpensive stick-on light and install it inside the cabinet. These tiny lights are battery powered so there is no need to worry about complicated wiring – just peel of the adhesive backing and stick it up. You’ll soon see this area in a whole new light!

To make the most of the space, remove all cleaning products, sponges and pot scrubbers from their packaging. Boxes and wrapping can cause unnecessary clutter and can be a nuisance when you need to find something quickly. If your items are neatly organized and free of their bulky packaging, you will save yourself both time and space.

Use Every Inch

With a space this small, it is important to use every inch you can find. In most cases, areas like the back of the cabinet door and the sliver of space next to the drain pipe are under utilized. By using these spaces effectively, you will be surprised how much room you will gain.

For the back of the cabinet door, use an over-the-door hanger similar to the type you would use on your front door at the holidays to hang a wreath or decoration. This handy hanger can secure a narrow two-tiered shelf that can hold heavy items like dish soaps and sanitizers in the bottom and lighter items like dish cloths and scrubbers in the top. On the back of the other cabinet door, hang a dish towel for drying at your fingertips. This is not only an effective use of space but it keeps your drying towel out of sight from visitors to your kitchen.

For the areas around pipes, double check your measurements and then look for narrow stackable containers to fit. Since these containers will hold various cleaning supplies, it is best if they are made of clear plastic to easily see the contents and, if you have young children in the house, make sure they have locking lids.

Another great idea is to use a small removable caddy to store cleaning supplies under your sink. That way, when you are set to clean the kitchen, simply grab your caddy from under the sink and away you go. When it comes to kitchen storage ideas, don’t overlook the small spaces. These little areas can be big on storage if they are well organized.

Contributed by www.momskitchengadgets.com