Ok. So, you’ve picked your finish, door type, countertops and have beautiful kitchen cabinets planned. Now you can unleash your inner neat-freak and pick cabinet organizers to help make your life easier!
You may be thinking, “Can’t I add the organizers myself after the cabinets are installed?” The short answer is yes. There are plenty of retrofit organizers that can be installed by homeowners. However, the retrofit organizers have their drawbacks. Since the cabinets are already installed, the mounting locations are often limited and require unsightly hardware attachment that can look cheap and out-of-place. Also, any wood elements will not likely match the cabinet itself. While the retrofit organizers have their place, it’s highly recommended that you go ahead and integrate them during a new cabinet build.
As a starting point, its good to understand what organizer accomplish that your normal shelves and drawers cannot:
First, they make items in a more accessible. For example, trash can pull outs and Lazy-Susan.
Next, they utilize dead space. For example, spice racks inside doors and stemware racks.
Finally, they separate and compartmentalize. For example, trays and bins.
With an understanding of what organizers can accomplish, it’s easier to plan out your kitchen.
As silly as it may seem, it’s often helpful to do some mental play-pretend to help visualize your new kitchen and where you may need organizers. Start with breakfast; where will you enter the kitchen and what will you do first? Likely grab a coffee cup, maybe a Keurig pod, then start your coffee. You may want a shelf of coffee cups and a pull-out tray of K-cups near each other. Continue through breakfast and walk all the way through a normal day’s meals and snacks. Co-locating items commonly used together and placing frequently used items in easiest access locations will save you lots of pacing the kitchen floor and opening and closing.
Some cabinet builders can even provide you with a 3-Dimensional model of your cabinets that you can essentially walk-through. This will give you a better special understanding of where the cabinets are in relation to the rest of the house. You may have an ah-ha moment when you realize that beautiful stained-oak cabinet door is going to block the kitchen entry if left open; so it might not be the best place to have a spice rack.
While the amount of cabinet organizer options is dizzying, it’s much more important to have a well-thought-out kitchen than utilizing every organizing gadget available. Create your organizational plan and communicate it clearly to your cabinet builder for a successful kitchen that can serve your family for years to come!
Written by: Colby Malone
