A Must-see For Kitchen Storage Connoisseurs! Sharing Of Creative Storage And Organization Techniques For Small Spaces

The kitchen of a small apartment often carries the most intense fireworks in the world, but it is particularly easy to fall into the embarrassing situation of "it becomes messy when cooking". As an organizer who has been deeply involved in storage for many years, I firmly believe that the essence of storage is not to hide items, but to find a place for each item that best suits the route of action. Today, I will start with space analysis and teach you step by step to build a kitchen storage system with high storage capacity, so that this small area can achieve dual improvements in both functionality and aesthetics.

1. Moving lines first: Make a “space diagnosis” for the kitchen

Before buying any storage tools, please spend 10 minutes to observe the flow of your kitchen. Generally speaking, kitchen work revolves around "taking-washing-cutting-frying-stuffing". What you need to do is to clear the countertop and redefine the area called the golden operating area according to the frequency of use.

One of the high-frequency areas is next to the stove, the second is above the sink, and the third is below the food preparation area. In this place, there should be seasoning items, cutting items, cooking utensils and pots that must be used every day.

2. Medium frequency area : The middle layer of the wall cabinet is the area covered here, and the inside of the base cabinet is also in this range. Spare condiments are stored here, dry goods are stored in this area, and small household appliances that are not commonly used are placed within this range.

3. Low frequency area : the top of the wall cabinet and the deepest part of the base cabinet. Save it as a place for holiday dinnerware and a place to stash extra supplies.

One of the key points is to arrange according to the principle of "the upper light, the lower and the middle are often used". Only when the overall action route reaches a smooth state, can the various tools used to store items achieve the effect of one plus one greater than two, that is, play a more ideal role.

2. Vertical expansion: ask for space on walls and gaps

The most troubling key pain point in small kitchens is that the countertops are not used enough, resulting in an insufficient situation. My suggestion is that items that can be installed on the wall should never be placed on the ground, and items that can be embedded in gaps should never occupy a space, in order to achieve a certain rationality.

For spaces that feel awkward in the corner of the kitchen or at the entrance, the eight-basket trolley is definitely a storage artifact. It uses a metal frame with a basket made of PP material, which has the characteristics of strong load-bearing capacity, breathability and easy cleaning. The eight baskets that can be flexibly disassembled can perfectly classify and store ingredients and tools: the top layer stores commonly used onions, ginger, and garlic, the middle layer stores bagged seasonings, and the bottom layer stores unwashed root vegetables. If there is a vertical gap next to the refrigerator or inside the cabinet, it is recommended to use a milky ventilation rack. This kind of shelf does not need to be installed. It has amazing stability when placed against the wall and maintained at a 30° tilt angle. It is specially used to store bottles and jars of condiments, and can turn narrow gaps into efficient vertical storage areas.

3. Zoning operations: practical implementation of the nine storage lists

We combined our own actual measurement lists to overcome storage problems in different regions.

Area 1: Sink cleaning area

When it comes to where the moisture is most concentrated, placing a double drain rack next to the sink is extremely important. There are many drainage holes at the bottom, which can drain water stains very quickly, thereby properly maintaining the dryness of the countertop. Place the dishes upside down on the upper layer, and insert knives and chopsticks vertically on the lower layer to achieve natural ventilation and drying. Matched with the hooks on the side, you can easily hang the rag or peeler according to your own needs, so that the cleaning tools finally have a fixed place to place them.

Area 2: Countertop operating area

The key place for pre-processing of ingredients for backup is the operating table. It is the core battlefield, where there are two magic weapons that can play important roles and have unique functions. One of the magic weapons is the flip-top water cup cabinet, and the other magic weapon is the desktop storage box. For flip-top water cup cabinets, it is recommended to choose models with TPE seals and stainless steel materials. They are mainly used to store straws, stir sticks or tea leaves that are inevitably used every day. The fact that the lid can be flipped out brings convenience to access. At the same time, the TPE seal can keep dust out, and the stainless steel material also has a certain degree of durability, so that items can be easily accessed when placed inside. As for the desktop storage box, it is recommended to choose the type with a ventilated design. It has multiple compartments for partitioning, which can be used to place and organize those scattered seasoning packets, or to store pastes or liquids such as eggs and cream that are usually used. There is a whisk for food and a sealing clip for sealing the mouth of the bag to prevent air from entering. This multi-functional design can prevent moisture from condensing in it to form water droplets and dewdrops, thereby ensuring that the food stored inside is dry and free of moisture.

Area 3: Food storage area

Food storage requires the coexistence of "ventilation" and "sealing".

There are dry goods and finished products. For unsealed snacks or bread, it is recommended to use a bread storage box, and choose 45cm, 30cm, 35cm related specifications. It has a sealing strip and a handle design. It can be easily moved to the bedroom or storage room while being moisture-proof and insect-proof.

Highly recommend the vegetable storage trolley, which has fresh vegetables, (picture from @小张太爆香). It has rollers and dividers, so root vegetables like potatoes and sweet potatoes, and leafy vegetables like spinach and lettuce can be stored in separate sections. Its material is thickened PP, which can ensure load-bearing. Push it to the living balcony or the entrance of the kitchen to make it ventilated and beautiful.

Area 4: Aisle and expansion area

In the kitchen aisle or on the living balcony, there is a four-story trolley that can be called a mobile storage warehouse. You should choose the type with four wheels with brakes and a load capacity of more than 30kg. It should follow the principle of "light on top and heavy on the bottom". Under this principle, the upper layer is placed with plastic wrap and kitchen towels, the middle layer is used to store the pre-processed dishes, and the lower layer is placed with the large barrel of oil or rice box.

As a side note, I often set up a "temporary spot" in the kitchen doorway, which is a book holder. After adjusting the spacing, it is not only suitable for placing recipes, but when paired with a small basket, it can become a temporary place for snacks, or a dedicated place for placing shopping bags, which can effectively prevent all kinds of messy items from returning to the kitchen area.

4. Effect review: from chaos to orderliness

When you follow the above steps, tuck the eight-basket trolley into a corner, sort the vegetables into special racks with rollers, and put all the condiments into the gap racks, you will notice amazing changes:

The countertop emptying rate has increased by 90%, and all items are stored vertically and mobilely, freeing up valuable space for cutting vegetables.

The search time is shortened by 50%. Classified storage results in each item having a fixed "house number" and only one action is required to retrieve it.

The cart with wheels and the dish rack placed off the ground eliminate any dead spots for hygiene, making cleaning work without even a single dead spot, and the kitchen truly achieves a "transparent and bright" state.

Storage is not a tiring job that you do once and for all, but a life habit that needs to be maintained regularly. There is no need for small families or renters to copy the entire set. As long as they combine two or three items in this plan according to their own space planning, they can build an efficient and convenient kitchen system step by step. Remember, every inch of optimized space will ultimately give you a more leisurely cooking time.