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Pantry Organization Tips

A well-stocked pantry is a beautiful thing. But if your pantry isn’t organized, it can be a source of frustration. When you can’t clearly see what you already have in your pantry, you’re more likely to purchase duplicate items. Or worse, you may forget about items in the back of shelves or at the bottom of stacks until they’re too old to eat. No one likes food waste. Fortunately, we’re here with pantry organization tips that will help you get the chaos in your pantry back under control.

Take Stock

If it’s been a while since you organized your pantry, the first thing you need to do is take stock of what you have. This also gives you a chance to pull everything out of your pantry and give it a thorough cleaning so you’ll have a clean slate when you begin putting items back inside.

Toss out anything that’s expired, and give away duplicates. After all, are you really going to use eight containers of rosemary before they go bad? Once you’ve gotten rid of what you can’t or won’t eat, you’ll have an idea of the type of storage you need to organize what’s left.

Use Clear Containers

Keeping your pantry organized is all about seeing what you have and being able to access it when you need it. That’s why clear containers are so helpful.

Instead of jumbles of boxes and bags, you have neatly organized containers that clearly show their contents. Clear bins, boxes, and jars are all excellent for this purpose. Wire baskets are a great choice, too, particularly for bulkier items like squash and onions.

Label

If you’re trying to improve your baking game and have six different types of flour in the pantry, will you know what’s what if you decide to put them neatly into clear storage containers? Probably not. But that doesn’t mean you need to settle for stacking bags again.

Instead, just take the time to label everything. We suggest including dates, too.  That way, you can toss ingredients that are too old, instead of figuring it out the hard way when your spaghetti Bolognese tastes rancid.

Invest in Organizers

If you’re still trying to stack everything on shelves, it’s time to embrace the world of kitchen cabinet organizers. You don’t need to deal with stacks of food that fall all over the floor every time you need to reach something in the back any longer.

Solutions like lazy Susans, spice racks, and cabinet organizers open up a whole new world of possibilities. Just imagine having all your bottles of oil stored neatly on a lazy Susan, your spices all organized and within reach, and all those annoying food storage lids neatly confined within a cabinet organizer, at last. Perfection.

Give a Method to the Madness

A well-organized pantry takes some thought. Don’t just try to group items by size. Instead, create designated areas for what you’re storing. Place all your pasta together in one area and all your baking supplies in another, for example. That way, you know exactly where to look for what you need, and your family members have an easier time helping to put groceries away, too.

It’s worth remembering that grocery stores put candy at children’s eye-level for a reason. We want what we see. So if you have foods that need to be eaten soon, or you’re trying to get your kids to choose healthier snacks, try strategically placing them at eye level. They’re more likely to be used than if they’re stuck somewhere on an upper shelf.

Customize

There’s no better way to organize your pantry than with customized solutions made just for you. A custom-built pantry accommodates your personal needs, instead of a cookie-cutter approach that leaves you constantly having to adapt.

With a custom-designed pantry from Edgewood Cabinetry, you can make use of every inch of available space. Take advantage of custom-sized shelves, cabinets, racks, organizers, and more to give you the pantry of your dreams.

Interested in installing a custom pantry in your home? Contact us here to get started.

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Moving Into a New House? 6 Ways to Make the Kitchen Feel Like Home

You’ve just moved into a beautiful new house, but something about the kitchen doesn’t feel quite right. It doesn’t feel like home. So what’s the problem? And more importantly, how can you fix it? Fortunately, it’s not as difficult as you may think.

Kitchens are particularly prone to feeling cold and sterile. That’s because so many kitchens have harsh lighting, tile floors, stainless steel appliances, and plain cabinets. Thankfully, there are a few easy things you can do to give your kitchen the warm, welcoming feeling you’re looking for. Here are six ways to make your new kitchen feel like home.

1. Add a Fruit Bowl

Something as simple as adding a fruit bowl to your kitchen can inject a much-needed dose of cheer to the room. The great thing about fruit bowls is they also give you a chance to display your personality. If you don’t already have one, you can select a fruit bowl that fits your style and fill it with your favorite fruits. Then, whenever you look into your kitchen, you’ll see a beautiful display of delicious fruit inviting you to sit, have a snack, and enjoy your space.

2. Start an Herb Garden

Plants add warmth and a homey feel to your kitchen. Why not brighten up your kitchen window with an herb garden? You’ll impart a happy feeling to the room and have fresh herbs when you cook. There are many herb garden kits on the market, so you can choose a style you love. Or take it a step further and build your own hanging herb garden. Opt for natural wood, or personalize your planter as much as you like by painting the pots and boxes.

3. Include a Rug

A well-placed kitchen rug adds softness and texture to the room. Choose a rug that fits in with your overall color scheme, or select bright patterns to add a pop of color instead. If you have a favorite rug from your last home, placing it in the kitchen brings a touch of familiarity to the room. And if you have tile, you’ll appreciate the literal warmth of the rug on cold mornings, too.

4. Fix Lighting Issues

Having the right lighting in your kitchen is everything. If your kitchen is too dark, brighten it up by installing lights under your cabinets. You’ll be surprised at how much of a difference it makes. On the other hand, if your kitchen has harsh, bright lighting, choose softer bulbs or consider replacing your light fixtures with a style that fits your personality.

5. Show Your Love

It’s often said that the kitchen is the heart of the home. So doesn’t it make sense for your kitchen to reflect your love? Place items that make you feel good on display in your kitchen. This can be anything from the teapot you inherited from your grandmother, to your most-loved stock pot. Having a familiar item in sight helps your kitchen feel more like home. Alternatively, focus on items that show your personality, like favorite paintings, ceramics, or canisters. The more of yourself you put into your kitchen, the more it will feel like home.

6. Update Your Cabinets

Cabinets are a focal point in your kitchen, so making changes to them can give the room an entirely different appearance. Custom kitchen cabinets allow you to add style, warmth, and personalized functionality to your home. Brighten your kitchen or add an elegant touch with all-wood cabinets, or install a new kitchen island to create a cozy breakfast nook. Your kitchen will feel like home in no time.

Ready to update your cabinets? Edgewood Cabinetry has a plethora of design options, colors, features, and accessories so your cabinets can be truly personalized. And you’ll be able to customize as much or as little as you like, so whether you want to add a new china cabinet to display treasured knick knacks and fine china, or you want to replace all your kitchen cabinets and design every element, we can help. Contact us today to get started.

 

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8 Kitchen Cabinet Designs For Tiny Kitchens

8 Kitchen Cabinet Designs For Tiny Kitchens

Many people think their options are limited when it comes to a smaller kitchen, but thanks to creative kitchen cabinet designs for tiny kitchens, you can do a lot with that space.

With some simple customizations and utilizing commonly unused spaces, you can fit more dishes, pans and more.

The great thing is you’ll also make your kitchen feel less cluttered by not having to stack everything on your countertops. All it takes is thinking a bit outside the box.

1. Add Cabinets Above Your Refrigerator

Many kitchens have an open space above the refrigerator. You may also have space to the side of your fridge too. This is unused real estate that’s perfect for kitchens. Adding top cabinets above your refrigerator is ideal for items you don’t use often. If you have space, add a thin pantry cabinet to the side of your fridge. This is perfect for canned goods and even racks for plates.

2. Add Toekick Drawers

The baseboard around the bottom of your cabinets is nice, but what if you could use the space? One of the best kitchen cabinet designs for tiny kitchens is toekick drawers. These are tiny drawers under your cabinets. You’d be amazed at how many pans, lids, cutting boards and cleaning supplies you can get in those small areas. This frees up your other cabinets for other items.

3. Add Shelves Above Your Oven

If you have a large range hood above your stove, you might want to replace it with a smaller hood. This then frees up space above the hood to add shelves or cabinets. This is the ideal place for storing mixing bowls or even hanging smaller pots. If you don’t want a cabinet, adding hooks to hang pots and lids works well here too.

4. Add Storage In An Island

If your kitchen has an island or room for a small island, you’ll love these kitchen cabinet designs for tiny kitchens. Adding an open bin under the countertop gives you ample storage for cookbooks and cooking utensils. You could even store your most frequently used plates.

An island can also conceal your kitchen table. Adding a pull-out or fold-out table to your island saves you space, but still gives you room to eat. It also serves as an additional prep area.

5. Build Around Your Doorframe

For kitchens with space around the doorframe, take advantage of it. While you probably won’t want traditional cabinets, thin floor to ceiling shelving offers space for dishes, knick-knacks, herbs and more. Never underestimate how much you can store in even a tiny area. To prevent a cluttered look, you may want to install a door on the shelves to hide away your dishes. For more display-type items, glass doors work well.

6. Use Corner Cabinets

Corners serve as the perfect place for kitchen cabinet designs for tiny kitchens. Instead of losing space in the corner of a wall, continue your cabinets by adding a corner cabinet. For instance, in the picture for this post, the cabinets around the fridge could be turned into a corner-style pantry, offering additional space and storage.

7. Build Around Your Window

Typically, a window is avoided when it comes to adding cabinets. However, it’s easy to add a small shelf or cabinet above and to the sides of your kitchen window. You may want to consider simply adding open shelves to the outside of the cabinets near your window if you want to grow herbs or store often used items. A plate rack above the window works well to quickly grab the plates you use most often.

8. Utilize All Cabinet Space

Many kitchen cabinet designs for tiny kitchens don’t stop at the inside of the cabinet. You can get far more storage space out of your cabinets by utilizing all the space they provide. For instance, a cabinet that doesn’t set against a wall is the perfect place for open shelves or a rack for storing smaller items. You can hang items on the sides of cabinets with hooks or magnets.

The underside of your cabinets is the perfect place for small shelves and racks. For instance, you could store all your spices by adding a rack under a top cabinet.

Getting Inspired

Tiny kitchens don’t mean you can’t get creative. From the design to the storage space, you have numerous options. Some great places to go for inspiration include:

Now that you’re inspired to redesign your tiny kitchen, contact us today to get your project started with custom kitchen cabinet designs.

Image: Christian Mackie

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Organize Kitchen Cabinets

Insiders Tip: How To Organize The Kitchen Cabinets The Smart Way

It’s a secret that seems to be impossible to discover – how to organize the kitchen cabinets so you always find what you need without endless searching.

While there isn’t just one perfect way to do this, there are some smart ways to make the most of your cabinets without piling them full, constantly having to bend over or reaching way over your head.

The first step is to clean out all your cabinets, purge whatever you don’t need and then get ready to start organizing.

Use Different Storage Containers

Product packaging isn’t always your best friend. This is why using square or rectangular storage containers helps you make the most of your cabinets. Store cereal in clear airtight containers that stack easily. Do the same with cookies and crackers. Whenever possible, transfer items to containers that are easy to stack and easy to see inside of.

Assign One Function To Each Shelf, Drawer or Cabinet

Are your spices stored over multiple cabinets? Maybe your canned goods are all over the place. Take the time to assign a single function to every drawer, shelf and cabinet. For instance, you might have one drawer just for eating utensils and another for cooking utensils. One cabinet might be dedicated strictly to baking dishes and pans. It may take some trial and error to figure out what works best where, but it’s well worth the time. Don’t forget you can have your kitchen cabinets custom made to best fit your needs.

Utilize Drawer Organizers

Drawer organizers can be your best friend. Just remember, use organizers wisely to avoid losing space in your cabinets and drawers. These organizers keep your drawers from becoming a free for all. Organize any smaller items, such as utensils quickly.

Take Advantage Of Lazy Susans

A Lazy Susan is a must-have for organizing kitchen cabinets. Of course, they’re also ideal for organizing your countertops and other areas too. Easily get to those hard to reach items by placing them on a Lazy Susan. You can even have a pull-out version for those back corner cabinets. If it happens to get cluttered, check out these tips for organizing even the messiest Lazy Susan.

Put Your Most Used Within Easy Reach

No matter what else you do, always put your most used items within easy reach. If you use a certain frying pan often, don’t put it on the bottom of a stack in the back of your cabinet. If possible, dedicate a cabinet to your most used cooking supplies. The less you have to reach, the easier it is to get more done.

Use Pullout Shelves

Pullout shelves work much like drawers. However, they ensure you’re able to reach everything in the back without any problems. This is ideal for items that may be hard to see, such as spices or pot lids. Be careful not to put heavier items on these as it may cause the shelf to bow when you pull it out.

Hang Small Things On Cabinet Doors

Don’t forget about all the space that’s on the inside of your doors. Kitchen cabinets are often used to store smaller items. For instance, consider placing hooks on the door that you use to store pots and pans. Hang lids and cooking utensils for easy reach. You can also place small baskets inside the door to store sponges, storage bags and other smaller items.

Hang Bulky Or Oddly Shaped Items

You don’t always have to stack everything in your kitchen cabinets. Sometimes you gain more space by hanging oddly shaped items. Place hooks at the top of your cabinets to hang larger pots or any bulky items. You then leave the bottom of the cabinet free to store stackable items or even smaller odd-shaped items, such as waffle makers.

Eliminate Reaching Back With Pullout Baskets

Much like pullout shelves, pullout baskets work well to organize your kitchen cabinets and eliminate too much bending and reaching. These are ideal if you don’t already have pullout shelves built-in. You can get them in various sizes to organize like items. For instance, if you don’t need a spice cabinet, have a smaller pullout basket to store all your spices.

Keep A Sturdy Stepstool On Hand

Finally, you’ll need a sturdy stepstool from time to time to reach those items stored at the very top of your cabinets. These are items you rarely use. However, you’ll save time by having a small stepstool hanging on the outer side of your cabinet.

Want to learn how to better organize your kitchen cabinets through custom sizing, shelving and organizational features? Contact us today to find out how we can help.

Image: cooktime

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What are your 5 favorite kitchen innovations?

Asking someone to list 5 of the best kitchen innovations is akin to asking someone to choose who they would invite to dinner if they could pick anyone. 

The answers depend on one’s frame of reference.

The mom of several small children would list a crock pot and unbreakable melamine dishes, while a foodie’s favorite things might include a Vitamix ( yes, really. Some folks do pay upwards of $500.00 for a blender), the sous or an Anova Precision cooker. This device can be operated from your telephone, from anywhere, the sous vide (pronounced “sue-veed”) method of cooking.  Fairly new to the home kitchen scene, this technique requires food to be sealed in plastic bags and cooked in a water bath.

We have been privileged, over the years, to work with a wide spectrum of families, and we listened to all of their “must haves” and wish list requests. In the court of popular opinion, we have:

  • Pull Out Storage -This design option means no space, no matter how small, need go unused. A few feet at the end of a cabinet, or a few inches between them becomes a home for canned goods, spices, or small appliances.
  • Deep Pot Drawers No more frustrating, back-breaking searches under cabinets for pots, pans and lids. This option is especially popular with the “over 50” set.
  • Warming and Refrigerated Drawers  If space and budget allow, these additions are well worth it for those who love entertaining. Kudos to the engineer (or designer) who first considered these features.
  • Room for Electronics. Integration of flat screen televisions, charging stations, security systems, cell phones, and computers into the kitchen design is vitally important to millennials.

Personally, we don’t know what we would do without ice makers, self-cleaning ovens, and frost-free freezers. When you are in the area, stop by and tell us your wish list for a perfect kitchen. We guarantee we can make it happen.

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Kitchen Planning Checklist

We have put together a kitchen planning checklist to help ensure we cover all aspects of your project and will send this for you to pick out hardware, cabinet door styles, wood species, cabinet finish and supply appliance specifications along with desired options. Please fill as much as possible and have available at time of measure.

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Designing an Uncluttered Kitchen

We all know that an uncluttered kitchen is a beautiful one, but by the middle of the week, many of us are staring at a kitchen table covered with yesterday’s mail, countertops sprinkled with coffee mugs, and a pantry that looks like a tornado swept through.
But designing and maintaining an uncluttered kitchen is easier than you might think when thought is given to the unique needs of your family.  A custom kitchen island is a fabulous storage solution that doubles as handy prep space for cooking, and the experts Edgewood Cabinetry can install one that perfectly matches the decor of your kitchen.  Kitchen islands are great for storing lesser-used appliances like crock pots, deep fryers, and waffle makers.
If you have an eat-in kitchen, a breakfast nook is another wonderful feature for added storage.  A handsome wooden bench with built-in drawers makes for flexible seating at family dinners, and the storage beneath can be used for anything from holiday decorations to craft supplies.
A custom kitchen bookshelf is perfect storage space for items that get regular use, or pieces that are of sentimental value to your family.  From cookbooks to photographs, antique dishes to tea sets, you can update the look of your kitchen by adding pops of color through the items you place on your bookshelf.  Best of all, we can design and build a bookshelf to fit the precise dimensions and features of your room.
Contact us to learn more about designing the perfect, uncluttered kitchen for your home!

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