How To Deal With Deep Kitchen Drawers

November 13, 2013

Deep kitchen drawers are, in and of themselves, not hardly a bad invention. Nevertheless, they, like all storage areas, must be utilized responsibly, lest chaos and clutter ensue. Let’s review some best practices, shall we?

Go Big

It follows that if you have a large space, you might as well use it to store your largest stuff. In the kitchen, that group usually includes pots and pans and smaller appliances. Fit as many of your big guys inside the drawer as you can without overcrowding, and then be done with it.

Go stackable 

One particularly good way to utilize all the space a deep drawer provides (while maintaining visibility and accessibility to everything) is to use stacking organizers. These will instantly give you multiple levels inside your drawer. If what you’re looking for isn’t on the first level, all you need to do is lift (or glide) one tray to access the downstairs. This is much more Live Simply naturally than having to dig through a bottomless pit of bags of cheddar puffs to reach the box of penne noodles buried way down at the bottom.

Piles are prohibited/Stack with care

Stacking items, themselves, within a deep drawer can be dangerous– I’ve seen too many people try to stack food stuff atop each other inside a drawer, which necessarily results in a vast pile of bags and boxes in varying sizes and shapes–no bueno. Stacking items on top of each other within a deep drawer is generally a safe method if and only if the items are duplicates. This includes: plates, boxes of almond milk, etc. If what’s underneath is exactly the same thing as what’s on top then you’re usually in the safety zone.

Buy with height in mind

There are myriad kitchen storage containers. If you know you have deep drawers, why not throw yourself a bone and look for containers that are tall and slender. Best case scenario (at least for the storage of non-perishable food items) might be to get a whole batch of tall and skinny containers, to decant all snacks foods, nuts, et al into said containers, and of course, label the tops, as discussed in One Tip Tuesday: Label the Visible Side. Or opt for drawer organizers/dividers that are especially intended for deep drawers. Such things do exist-more on that later.

Get creative

Forget convention (in kitchen organization and also usually always). Disregard how things have always been or the notion that there’s a way they aught to be. What do you need a place to store? What taller items do you own that are located elsewhere now, the moving of which to your deep drawer would then open up that space for something else? ETC ETC.

Don’t take the bait

The bottom line, as it always is, and yes, I shall continue to beat on about this one because I care:

Sometimes the best way to avoid clutter resulting is to disregard vacant space. Don’t worry so much about putting every possible square inch to use. If using only half the space you have is the difference between order and chaos, between you being able to see and use what you have and having to embark on an excavation every time you want a tupperware lid then by all means, ignore that extra space. There is no prize for most-filled storage space. Remember that.

Image credits: 1. BHG, 2. Dura Supreme, IVillage, Artichoke, Martha Stewart Living, BHG, Garden Web, 3. Steve Justrich via The Kitchn, unknown, 4. Studio Becker, 5. Artichoke, House Beautiful, Martha Stewart, 6. unknown 
 
but there IS a prize for most-Live Simpliest. Remember that too. 

2 Comments

  1. Michelle on October 18, 2015 at 10:37 am

    can you tell me about the tall wooden bins in the photo with water bottles?

  2. Jaye on May 8, 2018 at 9:06 am

    Please advise about the draw within a draw and where it can be purchased

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2 Comments

  1. Michelle on October 18, 2015 at 10:37 am

    can you tell me about the tall wooden bins in the photo with water bottles?

  2. Jaye on May 8, 2018 at 9:06 am

    Please advise about the draw within a draw and where it can be purchased

Leave a Comment





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