5 clever tips for stretching kitchen space

A well-organized kitchen can help you cook in comfort and there are many attractive and inexpensive storage solutions available. Here are five easy ways you can increase your kitchen space.

Cookie sheets, carving boards and serving trays take up less space and are easier to get at if they're stored upright.

• To convert a conventional cabinet to store such items, begin by removing the shelves.
• Use wood screws to fasten scrap lumber supports to the top and bottom of the cabinet, positioning them 0.5 centimetres (1⁄4 inch) apart.
• Cut dividers to fit from 0.5 centimetre (1⁄4 inch) plywood and slide them in place.

In-cabinet wheeled bins let you pull out the whole unit to easily get at cleaning supplies, pans or canned goods in the back without taking out all the items up front.

• Measure your cabinet's depth, height and width before picking out a unit to be sure it will fit.
• You will need no more than a measuring tape, drill and screwdriver to install such a bin, following the manufacturer's instructions.

• Installing racks on the inside of cabinet doors consolidates storage of small items, such as spices and condiments, and makes them easy to find.
• Plastic-coated wire racks are available in many sizes and configurations.
• If the unit has hooks, hang measuring cups and spoons.
• Be careful positioning any holders so that the items on the door don't bump into the cabinet shelves and prevent the door from closing.

Plastic bins for fruits and vegetables come in many colours and can be stacked on a counter or the floor.

• A plastic-covered wire roll-around cart can hold anything from dish towels to cookbooks and can be moved from one work area to another — or out of sight into a closet.
• A wooden or wire rack installed in a deep cupboard or under a counter suspends stemware by its bottom and saves shelf space.
• A freestanding cabinet with a butcher-block top and a cupboard underneath gives you more counter space as well as more storage.

• A folding bookcase can fit in the extra 30 centimetres (one foot) of space at one end of a kitchen counter or island and hold a good selection of cookbooks.

Space is essential in any kitchen. Consider these simple storage solutions to create more room and start cooking!