Utilize The Bare Side Of Kitchen Cabinets To Maximize Storage With A Genius Idea

When it comes to kitchens, it's really beneficial to use up every square inch of storage space. It just always seems like you're running out of room, no matter how many items you declutter. That's because kitchens need a lot of, well, stuff, from small gadgets to various pots and pans to a slew of fun servingware and crockery. Because of this, sometimes you have to get inventive with where you store your items, and one such creative area is the side of your kitchen cabinet. Think about it: it's another flat surface you can vertically hang something off of just like a wall, but it's not being utilized. The side of a cabinet is the perfect place to store some of your most frequently-used items on a rail so that they're easily accessible.

For instance, if you have an upper cabinet that ends right near the stove, you can install a rail with hooks into it (like the HomeBros Kitchen Utensil Rack Wall Mount) and hang everything from cooking utensils to measuring cups to oven mitts. This makes these items very convenient to grab, not only nixing the need to root around in drawers when you have dirty cooking hands but also allowing you to say goodbye to cluttered kitchen countertops. Another idea is to hang things like sponges, cleaning cloves, and rags from the side of a cabinet near the sink. But these aren't the only things you can store on the sides of cabinets. Here is a closer look at a couple other creative options.

If you don't like the idea of adding a rail on the side of your cabinet (in case it looks too cluttered for your tastes), there are other things you can utilize it for instead. One great idea is to install small shelves, which will help you decorate the boring sides of your kitchen cabinets. You can house things like decanted grains or your more aesthetic cutting boards. It's also a great opportunity to display some decor, like a small potted plant or a light vase that reflects the theme of the kitchen.

You can also use the side of your cabinet to store and display spice jars. You can install IKEA's iconic BEKVÄM spice rack and line up your spices within easy reach of the stove. If you have a robust collection, consider adding multiple rows down the side of the cabinet, creating an entire panel dedicated to your spices. If that's not the look you're after, you can also install a magnetic spice rack on the side of the cabinet. To do so, get something like the Gneiss Spice Stainless Finish Wall Plate Base, which is a metal plate with four screw holes in it. Then, get magnetic spice jars to attach to it. Cross Home's Hexagon Spice Jars are a great choice because their hexagonal shape makes them fit snugly against each other, creating a tidy display.