By: Terry Sheridan

Published: January 21, 2011 

Your small kitchen will gain valuable space when you downsize appliances and squeeze extra storage out of unused areas.

Hang ‘em high. Put wire racks on the wall above your sink, add S-hooks, and hang cooking utensils. It’ll free up a drawer or two. The backsplash area--the wall area right above the sink and countertops--is often underutilized and a great place for easy-to-clean, stainless steel racks and shelves. Cost: $50 to $200.

Nooks and crannies. Bare walls above a phone nook or cabinets, and underneath windows, beg for storage. Make use of that open space above your cabinets with store-bought shelves and brackets painted to match the cabinets. Cost: Less than $200.

For a built-in look, build a soffit above the shelves. Cost: less than $2,000.

A freestanding window seat stores rarely used kitchen gadgets and provides additional seating. Cost: $200 to $500.

Cool it already. Do you really need a behemoth 36-inch-wide refrigerator that looks like an entertainment center? Downsize to an 18-cubic-foot refrigerator. If your refrigerator stands at the end of your cabinets, as most do, downsizing could save a foot of space--enough for shelving to store dishes, canned goods, and supplies. Cost: Less than $500.

Don’t need much room for perishables in your small kitchen? Try an under-the-counter 5.7-cubic-foot fridge. Cost: $1,200.

Nuke the clutter. Get the microwave off the counter and into a drawer. Cost: Less than $800. 

Pull-outs. Cutting boards that hide inside your cabinets do double-duty as small kitchen tables or a bill-paying station. Caution: It’s tough to add these to existing cabinets. Consider them as a custom add-on when ordering new cabinets. Cost: $300 or less, plus the cabinets.

Some custom cabinets offer a “drawer” that actually hides a 36-inch extension table. Cost: About $1,000.

Borrow some space. Pantries are easy to create from a nearby closet using shelves and roll-out wire bins from a home improvement center. Cost: $200 to $500.

For a fancier solution, architect Sarah Susanka of Not So Big House suggests using store-bought shelving units and building them into a hallway space. Cost for a 10-foot hallway: $5,000 to $7,500.
Visit HouseLogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. 

By: Jan Soults Walker
Published: December 29, 2010

Low-cost storage strategies bring calm to your kitchen, banishing stress-inducing clutter and leaving the space orderly.

Rack attack: Store pots, everyday dishes, spices, and wine on racks that are freestanding, wall-hung, and ceiling-hung--and voila! Everything is in its own location, visible, and easily accessible! Position the racks where they make sense: A pot rack above the cooktop; a dish rack close to the dishwasher for quick unloading; spices near the range or meal prep area; a wine rack near the wine glasses and dining table. You’ll find racks in metal, wood, and other materials, starting as low as $10 to $15.

Shelf expression: You can size an open shelf to fit anywhere you need it and paint or stain it to match your décor. Use shelves for storing such kitchen necessities as cookbooks, attractive dishware, oils and vinegars, and spices. Home improvement centers have storage sections where you can hunt, but don’t overlook the office supply and bathroom sections for even more low-cost shelves. You’ll find cool shelves starting as low as $8.

Great divide: Organize the contents of kitchen drawers and cabinets with wire or wood inserts. Drawer dividers keep utensils sorted and orderly. Vertical dividers inside cabinets create a spot for storing trays and cookie sheets. You’ll also find special inserts for storing knives and spices neatly inside drawers. Available in wire, wood, or plastic, dividers start at about $3.

Elevated thinking: Wire stacking shelves have legs to elevate the storage surface. Set a stacking shelf on a countertop, existing shelf, or inside a cabinet to increase kitchen storage space. Use a stacking shelf for canned goods, dishware, spices, and more. Prices start at about $6.

Hang ups: Install pegs or hooks along a backsplash, inside cabinets, or anywhere on a kitchen wall to create a place for cups, hot pads, cooking utensils, keys, and recipe clips. Hooks are available that fit over doors or come equipped with magnets that adhere to any metal surface. Pegs and hooks start as low as $1.

Basket case: Baskets come in a variety of materials to complement your décor, from natural woven grasses to canvas to colorful plastic bins. Set baskets on open shelves, inside cupboards, and on the kitchen counter to round up small items, such as napkin rings and bamboo skewers. Baskets are great for storing dish towels, cloth napkins, and coupons. Prices start as low as $1.

With four home renovations to her credit, Jan Soults Walker is a devotee of improvements, products, and trends for the home and garden. For 25 years she’s written for a number of national home shelter publications, and has authored 18 books on home improvement and decorating.

Visit HouseLogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. 

By: Jan Soults Walker
Published: October 1, 2010

A window seat can add as much as 13 cubic feet of valuable storage space that doubles as attractive, usable seating for your home.

Comfort and storage capacity go hand-in-hand when you add a window seat. The benefits of window seats are many: They de-clutter, provide comfy built-in seating, and add architectural appeal to any room.

Types of window seats
Window seats typically are one of three types. Each type can be made with a storage compartment accessible via drawers, doors, open shelves, or a lift-up seat. An average window seat takes up about 13 cubic feet and provides about that much in storage space.

• Freestanding units are low-cost and portable but aren’t as finished-looking as built-ins. Cost: $200 to $500.
• Custom-crafted window seats give you exactly the look and style you want and can be made to fit into odd-shaped spaces. They are also the priciest option. Cost: $400 to $1,000.
• Modular window seats are built using stock kitchen cabinets from a home improvement center. This is a moderately priced option that the average DIYer can tackle. Select quality construction upper cabinets to achieve the proper height for your window seat base. Add a ¾-inch veneered plywood top, a cushion, and a toe-kick base; paint the unit to complete, if needed. Cost: $600 to $800.

Where to add window seat storage
Position versatile window seats in virtually any room. Some options include:

• For entryway storage, use a window seat to stash boots, shoes, and seasonal or sports gear.
• In playrooms, a kid-friendly seat is perfect for storing toys and games. Use safety hardware that prevents doors or lids from slamming on fingers or trapping kids inside. Outdoor fabrics work best in a kids’ space for stain-resistance and resilience. Also use quality, washable paints or polyurethane finishes over stains.
• In a bathroom, cover window seats with outdoor fabrics and moisture-resistant paint. If possible, install the seat so a heating duct vents through the seat base--towels stored inside will be toasty.
• Niches naturally lend themselves to retrofitting with window seats. Existing niches can be found in a bay window or alcove. Or, your could create a niche by flanking your window using cabinets or bookcases. If you choose to forget the niche, a seat can be successfully positioned on a flat wall.

Window seat installation tips

• Don’t let a floor or wall vent keep you from installing a window seat; simply redirect the vent toward the window seat’s toe-kick, and provide an opening for heated or cooled air to flow into your room.
  
• Your windows will determine the length of your seat; the height (including the seat cushion) should be 18 to 20 inches, and the depth a comfortable 20 to 24 inches to allow for cushions along the back.
• Building codes require fitting windows near a window seat with tempered glass.

Visit HouseLogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.

By: Jan Soults Walker
Published: October 1, 2010

Gain storage space and usable square footage by installing pocket doors. The swing of a standard interior hinged door eats up as much as 10 square feet of floor space. That’s not to mention the unusable wall space the door occupies when open. By gliding on a track that disappears into the wall, pocket doors reclaim that space and increase the usable square footage of your home.

Is the additional space worth it? It’s not exactly an open and shut case. For starters, unless you’re dealing with new construction, you’ll need to demolish a wall. Here’s what else you need to know before giving the sledgehammer a heave-ho.

Benefits of pocket doors

• Space. With more available wall space, you have room for furnishings or freestanding storage. However, avoid penetrating the pocket-door wall to hang shelves or artwork—nails or drywall anchors might damage the door or prevent it from sliding. Instead, use adhesive-backed wall hangers. (Easily removable versions that don’t damage walls and hold up to 20 pounds are available).
• Aesthetics. Create a clean, airy look when you do away with bulky hinged doors. Door styles are limitless.
• Functionality. People of all ages and abilities can operate pocket doors easily.

Drawbacks of pocket doors

• Privacy. Because they don’t close as tightly as hinged doors, pocket doors don’t seal out sound well from one room to another.
• Mess. Installation of a pocket door means demolishing and re-framing a wall, so plan to haul a few wheelbarrow loads of old drywall and wall studs out of your house.

Before demolishing the wall, investigate what you might find inside: plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling ducts. If rerouting these is an option, it will come at a price—anywhere from $300 to $800. You’ll also need to determine if the wall is load-bearing, and if the door opening needs to be reinforced with a header.

What do they cost?Top-quality pocket door kits feature heavy-duty, ball-bearing nylon rollers guaranteed to not jump off their tracks, and studs wrapped in metal to prevent warping. Kits are available to fit 2x4 or 2x6 wall construction. Kit cost: $150 to $350; add $350 to $550 for professional installation, depending on the complexity of the demolition work.

Make sure your door opening is square, plumb, and level. Cut corners on hardware quality or installation procedure and you’ll risk having to redo it all down the road. 

Jan Soults Walker, a nationally published home improvement writer for more than 25 years, has three pocket doors in her house and wishes she had more.
Visit HouseLogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. 

 By: Jan Soults Walker
Published: October 1, 2010

Recessed, between-the-studs shelving and storage niches help you de-clutter and stay organized without sacrificing valuable square footage. Using between-the-studs shelving and storage

• Kitchen: Between-studs shelving is ideal as a kitchen pantry because the shallow shelves are perfect for canned goods. You also can use a niche for storing spices, hanging utensils, or storing and displaying your cooking pans.
• Bathroom: Install a between-studs storage niche in the shower for holding shampoo bottles and soaps. A shallow niche beside the toilet holds magazines and toilet paper. Near the sink, create a recess for toiletries and personal items.
• Bedroom: Use recessed storage for CDs, paperback books, magazines, belts, scarves, and jewelry. You can also create a wall niche for your flat screen television as long as a header provides support where studs are removed.
• Family room: Store pool cues, balls, and the triangle as well as CDs, wine or liquor, and barware.

Create between-the-studs shelving and storageYou'll need moderate DIY skills and a basic knowledge of framing to build your own recessed wall niche. Once you’ve located studs with a stud finder and made sure the wall cavity is void of wires, plumbing, or air ducts, frame the opening and finish it with drywall or other materials, such as beaded board, then add shelving. Cost: $17 to $35, for a 14x36-inch niche.

Various sizes of prebuilt recessed wall niches are available in wood as well as less expensive polyurethane units. These units are customized to perform a range of storage tasks, including serve as a medicine cabinet, a home bar and as a shower niche. Cost: $90 to $500.

With four home renovations to her credit, Jan Soults Walker is a devotee of improvements, products, and trends for the home and garden. For 25 years she’s written for a number of national home shelter publications, and has authored 18 books on home improvement and decorating.

Visit HouseLogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.