How do you store...

[SuzySunshine]

...everyday things that you use around your kitchen?

I am limited on counter space in our new house and I feel like they are CONSTANTLY cluttered.

I have a fruit stand, like this: http://www.surlatable.com/product/PR...d-Basket-Stand

I have my regular canisters on the counter, flour, sugar, rice.

My toaster oven takes up a ton of space but I don't think it will fit in a cabinet.

My knife block, a canister with cooking utensils, the electric tea pot but the rest is just clutter.

I also have a piece of my counter I can't put perishables on because the stupid ice machine gets hot, could I put my ceramic canisters there or do you think they'd get hot and ruin the flour/sugar??

So how do you store things like everyday sandwich bread, rolls, potatoes, garlic, onions...

Can you store some of those things in cabinets or will the dark cause decay and/or mold?

[Phoebe]

We have a lot of counter space. However, I don't like a lot of things on the counter tops. I store flour sugar, etc in a pantry cabinet. (we don't have a big pantry space). I have my mixer, a utensil container, a fruit bowl and a straw container on the counter top. We don't drink coffee so those small appliances which are used infrequently are in cabinets or in our basement kitchen.

[SoonerTexan]

I store everything I can in the pantry, including appliances that aren't used every day. Potatoes, onions, garlic, etc. go in a large basket that used to be on top of our mock pantry but will probably be in the actual pantry in our new place.

I actually store bread in the fridge because it takes us awhile to go through it.

When do you start the kitchen reno? Sounds like you need it!

[GreyhoundsRUs]

The only thing I can help with is the breads - the family that I nannied for kept all of their bread/buns/etc in a drawer. It was just the right height for the bread!

[ladymoreta]

I love Tupperware Modular Mates in the pantry instead of canisters. They stack together really well, and they're airtight, so stuff keeps longer than in most canisters.


We do have a lot of clutter, though. I'm bad about leaving out appliances, like the mixer or mini food processor. We don't have many drawers in our kitchen now, but we will in our next house, so I'm hoping to get rid of the utensil jar. I also want to get rid of our spice rack and keep those in the pantry, too. If I remember, I keep bread in the refrigerator.

We have a fruit bowl, and I hate the space it takes up. I keep onions and potatoes in an open container in the pantry. They seem okay as long as I don't put a lid on it.

[SuzySunshine]

I find if I put my bread in the fridge it dries out quickly - do you store it in something other then the bag? Maybe I need to find a tupperware like container for it.

Unfortunately the kitchen reno is probably going to be a spring project.

[niener]

I store bread in the fridge too, or even the freezer if I think it'll take a long while to go through. Just make sure to wrap it up tight when you put it back in.

Do you have enough space in the kitchen to get a little rolling kitchen island? We have practically no counter space either but enough floor space that we bought a little island (it's probably 2'x3') and I keep my fruit bowl on top of that. It sort of looks like this one, except mine has a drawer for silverware: http://www.amazon.com/Winsome-Wood-U...ef=pd_sim_hg_1

I also have a very long and narrow wooden, thing -- I don't know what you'd call it, a trough maybe -- that I keep on the countertop pushed all the way to the back so it doesn't take up much room. That's what I put my potatoes, onion, garlic, etc on. I think it takes up less usable counterspace than a bowl would. This one gives you the general idea (though mine is longer and wooden): http://www.amazon.com/Accents-Ville-...trough+kitchen

[alison]

We keep bread in the freezer. I rarely ever buy it, because frankly, American bread sucks. If I do buy it, I get French bread (baguettes or croissants), and freeze them if I have leftovers. If I make sandwiches with regular loaves, I use what I need and throw the rest out. It's unsightly on my counter. Gasp! Sorry for what has to be the snobbiest post ever.

[scrub-jay]

No, I will follow w/a snobbier bread post. We bake bread fresh bc we hate American store-bought "bread", rarely have to store it Onions are in a drawer and garlic in a hanging basket.

[Vishenka69]

We don't buy regular bread either but english muffins and buns (for burgers/hotdogs) are in the fridge. Potatoes/onions/garlic are in the pantry. Canisters with flour/sugar/etc are also in the pantry. That said, I have way too much crap on my counters too.

[DCJenn]

I have everything I can on the walls.

These for knives: http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/prod...p?SKU=11083404 Up high and away from the counters and out of a block- better for the knives, more counter space and there's no way the dude can reach them.

These for spices: http://www.containerstore.com/shop?p...tt=spice+rack- I have three double rows on the wall underneath the cabinets.

I have a baker's rack similar to this: http://www.containerstore.com/shop?p...baker%27s+rack along one wall and I hang all of my pans from the top and all of the pots are stacked on the bottom. We also use it as a pantry but only until I have a pantry built under the steps outside the kitchen.

We have an island in the middle of the kitchen that has is open on both sides with a two shelves- Cookbooks are on one side (I have a LOT) and appliances are on the other. I have two sections of pull-out drawers for baking and cooking items (salad bowl, rolling pin, scale, etc.)

I also have a upper cabinet that filled in a spot that's only 5 inches deep and that's where I store oils, vinegars, salt, extracts,etc.

Jenn

[diggitydot]

In this house, I try to store as much as I can in the pantry or in the cabinets. Our counter space is ridiculously tiny. I won't miss this shitty little kitchen one bit. There is *maybe* 6 linear feet of countertop. Part of that is unusable in a weird corner. It blows.

The new house has easily quadruple the counter space and I'll still probably try to keep things minimal. I detest clutter. I'm looking at the same items Jenn posted because I like my stuff easily accessible, but not looking messy.

[SuzySunshine]

Jenn, those are great! Thanks!!

[SuzySunshine]

Jenn, do you think you could put that knife thing in a cabinet, would it hold the knives with the swing of the door??

[DCJenn]

I think so- they're two long strong magnets. I wouldn't go slamming the doors but normal use should be fine.

J.