Kitchen

Mixer lift. The heaviest small appliance in the kitchen is the stand mixer, which the couple uses frequently. A clever hydraulic lift system allows them to easily pull it up and put it away as needed. A plug inside the cabinet means it’s always ready to go. Popov positioned the mixer and lift at the end of the island, so there’s a large prep area next to it yet it doesn’t block access to the stove, sink or fridge when baking.Kitchen Fix: Where to Stash the Stand Mixer

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Meanwhile, at the other end of the budget spectrum, pullout systems integrated into a standard door cabinet can turn any underused space into a garbage pullout with room for multiple bins without a total renovation. Plus, for dexterous chefs, they can be pulled and pushed by foot to facilitate disposal even when hands are full.Your turn: Have a beautifully smart waste disposal system of your own? Share it in the Comments below.More11 Foolproof Storage Solutions for Corner Kitchen CabinetsThe 15 Most Popular Kitchen Storage Ideas on HouzzFind a professional Shop for kitchen products and more

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It’s also part of a small drawer for keeping towels, so not an inch of space is wasted — charming and extremely practical all at once.

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Some waste pullout systems even integrate a special bin with a securely sealing lid specifically to hold compost, so you don’t have to change it with excessive frequency just to keep odors in check. Keep in mind how quickly it will fill; you’ll want to plan ahead so that organic waste isn’t left sitting exposed to air for too long.

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For example, this system uses four small angled bins, which allow for waste, organics, papers, and plastics and other recyclables to all go in their own compartments within one convenient drawer.

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Here’s another smart take on this idea: a pullout chopping block (in place of a typical drawer) positioned above a waste pullout, with a simple hole to allow for trimmings to be swept directly into the bin. A great option for small kitchens, as the whole chopping station can be closed away when not in use, and the main counter can still be used for other things.

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Ease of use. If you cook often, one of the trickiest and yet most common tasks is sweeping away the remnants from chopping. You can carefully carry a chopping board to the bin, or you can bring the bin to the chopping board. Locating your garbage or compost pullout below a chopping zone means you can sweep waste directly into the bin with ease.

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In fact, it’s quite common for a pullout drawer to be faced out with multiple false fronts to help it blend more seamlessly into a cabinet scheme. Here, the three-drawer front on the pullout copies the look of the nearby drawers so the look of the Shaker fronts isn’t interrupted by a single massive drawer. Nobody would guess what was inside.

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5. Organize the garbage. Having a separate pullout drawer for your garbage, recycling and compost is the best way to address your trash. By setting up a garbage center with multiple smaller bins, you are doing the right thing for the environment in an efficient way. If your compost starts to smell, for example, you can take just that bin outside without having to lug a large garbage container that might not be full yet. Use different colors to distinguish each bin or write each bin’s purpose on top of its lid.

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3. Put everything in its place. Use drawer organizers to create a space for each of your kitchen utensils. Their individual compartments will encourage you to put everything back in its place after each use. This two-tiered organizer from Italian kitchen company Effeti Cucine allows you to double a drawer’s storage and make it more functional.

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2. Add a magic corner. Another great storage solution is a “smart” corner with pullout shelves, Lazy Susans or wire shelves on tracks, such as this unit from specialized hardware-maker Richelieu. Use these nifty storage solutions to gain access to otherwise wasted space, where you can keep large pots and pans, small appliances and other bulky items. They tuck into cabinets nicely and provide easy access when needed, helping to create a more organized kitchen.

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1. Side cabinet. This unobtrusive, shallow cabinet makes use of the paneled space at the end of the oven bay that is often purely decorative. No real estate is lost, and the kitchen broom gains a discreet hiding place.

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9. Laundry nook. This broom closet is really a fully equipped laundry station, complete with a washer and a dryer. Mop, broom and cleaning supplies are stored in doors with built-in shelving and hooks. This is really the ultimate space saver, as there is no need for either a stand-alone broom closet or a separate laundry room — this laundry niche does it all. Your turn: Do you have an efficient, space-saving broom closet? If so, we’d love to see it! Show us and tell us about it in the Comments below.Find broom storage supplies in the Shop sectionMore: Your Monthly Home Checklist

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8. Vertical divide. This broom closet offers order via vertical dividers that separate the ironing board from the broom and mop. A dedicated space for these items prevents them from leaning against one another and spreading out, ultimately taking up more real estate.

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7. Vacuum friendly. This broom closet solves a common storage problem: the unwieldy bulk of a vacuum with an extension wand. These machines can be powerful tools, but they tend to explode over a large surface area when at rest, taking up a lot of storage space. This closet is just under 2 feet wide, but its door contains a handy wire bracket that corrals the vacuum extension wand. Ah, space. Houzz readers seem to be impressed: About 230,000 people have saved this photo to an ideabook.

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4. Narrow but deep. This pullout broom closet takes up relatively little width, but its depth is sufficient to contain a broom, mop, bucket and a host of cleaning bottles. The closet’s kitchen location offers ready access to supplies.

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3. Side slide. Here’s a more refined take on my refrigerator broom spot: a pullout for that area, with a cabinet front that helps frame the appliance when closed.

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2. End cap. This broom cabinet shares the concept with the prior photo but has greater depth. The upper shelves have sufficient vertical space to hold cleaning bottles and supplies.

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