Kitchen Storage Ideas 2012

Storage-Savvy Island

Make the most of your kitchen island by converting wasted space into storage space. Here, drawers, cabinets, and arched cubbies with wicker baskets -- along one side of the island -- provide plentiful storage for kitchen essentials while adding interest to the room. A low curving snack bar -- that's at a safe height for small children -- allows for casual dining at one end of the island .

Pullouts that Please

Keep the space surrounding the cooktop clear. Here pullouts on either side of the range provide convenient storage for spices and cooking oils. The pullout shelves put these essentials near eye level, making it easy for the cooks to find exactly what they need. When closed, the tiered pullouts create a hearthlike surround for the appliance .

Store Dishes Down Low

Here a drawer has been outfitted with pegboard inserts. The boards can be sized to fit existing drawers and the pegs can be adjusted to secure stacks of bowls and plates. Store dishes in low drawers -- near the sink or dishwasher -- to minimize overhead lifting and make putting away dishes a snap .

Tackle Spills in a Snap

Meal prep can get messy around the cooktop. Tucked next to the range, this slender pullout with a towel rack keeps linens and paper towels out of sight but within easy reach should spills occur .

Keep Cookbooks Contained

Your cookbooks should be conveniently located without contributing clutter to work areas. Here's a great solution: At the end of this kitchen island, a built-in bookshelf keeps cookbooks off the counter and in one spill-resistant space. Besides giving the cook quick access to recipes, the bookshelf provides warmth and a pop of color to the all-white, fairly formal kitchen .

Hang It Up

Keep pots and pans convenient with a hanging pot rack. Here a stainless-steel rack -- just above the sink -- allows the homeowner to wash pots and pans and hang them up to dry in the same spot .

Store Stuff Below

If a hanging pot rack isn't your style, place pots and pans on a shelf directly underneath the cooktop. In this kitchen, a view-blocking hanging pot rack gave way to gridded shelves below the cooktop. This keeps the look of the kitchen clean. Plus, the open shelves give visual relief to the row of base cabinets .

Show Off Your Wine Storage

Don't have the space for a separate wine bar? You can still showcase your collection by incorporating a wine bar into your kitchen island. This wine center includes a wine cooler for chilling bottles, a built-in rack, and slots for glasses. Just make sure to situate the wine center on the opposite side of the cooking area so it's easily accessible to guests .

Small-Appliance Solution

Keep counters clear and the look of your kitchen flawless by stashing small appliances away. Here a spring-loaded shelf in an island cabinet easily moves the mixer to countertop height. An outlet inside the cabinet eliminates messing with the cord. A deep pullout drawer below corrals other small appliances into one central location .

Ingenious Island

Would a smidge of extra work space and storage be helpful to you? Here two rollout carts -- tucked underneath the island to stay out-of-sight yet easily accessible -- maximize the kitchen's storage and prep space. The carts are equipped with a laminate top to provide an additional work space and extra-deep drawers to accommodate trash and recycling containers in one and dry goods in the other .

A Simple Solution

Store even more in your cabinets by outfitting with organizational inserts and accessories. Here layers of adjustable door racks, shelves, and pullout racks allow the pantry to pack in twice as much stuff and find anything easily .

Mess-Free Message Center

Having a home office or message center in the kitchen can be extremely helpful. However, without sufficient storage, the area can easily be overtaken by clutter. Here a deep upper cabinet conceals a television and keeps books, documents, and office supplies organized and off the counter. A four-cubby desk organizer mounted beneath the upper cabinet functions as a mini mailbox for each family member .

Add a Window Seat

If you have the space in your kitchen, put in a window seat for additional seating and storage. Store special-occasion linens, glassware, flatware, serving pieces, and more in the seat's drawers .

No Wasted Wall Space

Maximize your kitchen's storage potential with floor-to-ceiling cabinets. Here a wall of cabinets with frosted-glass doors creates an open, modern look while concealing any bits of clutter. Inside the cabinets, each shelf has a U-shape cutout in the middle. The design makes it easy to see and reach both deep and shallow kitchen items