Easy Access

An island provides for easy access or an added work surface--it can also serve as extra storage. It allows for items to be centrally located and accessible from many areas of the kitchen. Islands can also be a good alternate location for a sinks, dishwashers, and cooktops. If your island is a movable work table, it can be moved around to assist you with preparation or cleanup or be set up and repositioned for parties. Open shelves are popular for those that want spices and frequently used items (bowls, cups, plates, pots and pans) visible and within reach. Most commercial kitchens have many open shelves for this very reason. For homeowners, this means having nice things to display and always being concerned with neatness. In addition, it means more cleaning as dust, dirt and grease can easily settle on items that are not protected by cabinetry.

Most kitchen cabinetry offers adjustable shelves and other accessories to maximize shelf space and accessibility. Adjust your shelves to hold the same height items (either alone or stacked) on one shelf so that you don't waste the space above each item. Use lazy susans, risers or tiers, roll-out shelves, spice racks, movable pantry organizers, and bottle and lid holders. A vertically divided cabinet for storing your cookie trays, baking pans, muffin tins, and cooling racks, etc. will keep these items separated and easily accessible. You may also opt for built-in wine racks or an appliance garage. Open bookshelves for cookbook storage are wonderful and a drop down cookbook holders will keep it off the counter while you are using it.

In drawers, use spice inserts, and cutlery and utensil organizers, (available in one size, expandable, or with moveable sections on top of a base section. Check to make sure that drawers are deep enough to handle your widest utensils. A tilt-down drawer for scrubbers and sponges will keep your sink area free of excess dishwashing items. Breadbox drawers are also coming back into vogue. (See more about Storage ideas in the Planning Phase.)

You can see more articles about this topic at About.com or at Better Homes & Gardens.com's "20 Storage Squeezers".

If you are going to install a cabinet above your refrigerator, order a 24" deep wall cabinet to give yourself easier access. The front of this cabinet will be flush with the front of a built-in refrigerator. This is a great place to install tray dividers for vertical storage of platters and trays.