The average size of the Canadian house has been steadily increasing for decades. Yet whatever gains we make in overall square footage, seems to be outstripped by the ever-growing amount of stuff we need to store within them. It’s true for every room in the home – but many people find it even more so in the kitchen.

With so many specialized appliances and accessories, plus the demands of keeping dinnerware and cookware on hand for entertaining, many homeowners are finding their cupboards to be very far from bare. The solution? Creative new ideas like these that can help you put everything in its place.

No deserted islands.

Islands in kitchens are great – especially when they double as storage units. Here, the homeowner has found a great way to both store kitchen contents, as well as display some of its more attractive elements like cookbooks and wine bottles.

Hide in plain sight.

Open shelves provide an attractive way to both display items like fine cookware, while also opening up the room to greater storage potential than might be available with traditional closed cupboards.

Park it in the garage.

Some owners opt to create “appliance garages” underneath existing cabinets. If you can spare a little counterspace, it’s a great way to hide frequently used smaller appliances out of sight, yet still close at hand whenever you need them.

Got hang-ups?

That area between your cupboards and countertops is just begging to be used for storage. Add a hanging storage rack as a place for pots and pans, utensils, cutting boards and much more, and you’ll quickly find you’ve freed up a lot of space you didn’t have before.

Divide and conquer.

It may seem obvious, but simply keeping things neat, tidy and organized can go a long way to helping you maximize your space. Here, for example, attractive wooden drawer dividers make it easier for the homeowner to both store and access kitchen utensils.

Have a renovation in mind?