How Cabinet Accessories Work for You.
Since it is still OT (Occupational Therapy) month I thought it would be a great idea to write about kitchen organization and cabinet accessories. So, what are cabinet accessories and how will they help you? Cabinet accessories are defined as any parts that are added to the inside of a cabinet to improve its function or appearance, but are not necessary. While true, accessories are not necessary… but how much do they improve your quality of life, the way you move when you complete a task, the organization of your cabinets and the flow of your process in the kitchen? Here are my five favorite accessory recommendations and how these accessories will work for you.
A very common cabinet accessory these days is the roll-out shelf/drawer. My favorite as a recommendation for my clients, friends, and family. I am sure most of us have experiences the lost pots and pans from the back of a cabinet without roll-out shelves. We bend down, look and grab whatever is handy from the front and maybe about once or twice a year, sit down on the floor to dig out mixing bowls and cookie cutters that you use for your holiday baking. Roll-out shelves are a great way to store and access items in a base or tall cabinet. No more sitting on the floor to dig out… just open the doors and pull the shelf out.
My second favorite has been the tray divider pull-out. The original tray divider was great to divide your cabinet to store your cookie sheets and pans but the tray divider pull-out I feel is replacing the original at full speed. This accessory provides ease of use and allows you to access and view your trays from above instead of bending down and looking into the cabinet. I hear sweet music when I open a cabinet with this accessory!
The trash roll-out would probably come in third for me. I grew up with the trash can under the kitchen sink or a stand alone off to the side. The one under the sink always seemed to be a smaller can that did not hold much plus it was never easy to access. A trash roll-out not only hides the unsightly trash can but it also provides ample space, access, and use! Depending on your needs there are single and double trash roll-outs available in 35-quart and 50-quart sizes. I’ve had clients use these for trash, recycling and even holding pet food. An accessory that serves multiple purposes!
Fourth favorite is the silverware divider. What would we do without the silverware divider!?! Our drawers would be chaos!! Gone are the days of the plastic silverware divider you would pick up at the dime store. Today we have options for higher quality dividers and even custom wood dividers! That’s right, we can customize the widths to accommodate not only our silverware but also our utensils, grilling and baking accessories. There are also double tier organizers and even knife blocks! Everything made to fit and organize your drawers and life!
Fifth would be the spice rack and/or spice drawers. Whether it is an item you order with a new kitchen or if it is something you add later, it will help to improve the efficiency of your cooking or baking routine. Spice racks help organize and keep these items within view. Without them, we tend to dig towards the back of the cabinet for the long-lost spice or forget we don’t have a certain spice because we assume it’s there but just can’t see it then we go to look for it when we need it for that special recipe and it’s gone. Time to go to the store! I’m sure many of you have been there! I know I have.
So, accessories, while not necessary, really do work for us and improve the way our kitchen functions with improved organization, use, ease and improved flow of our cooking, baking and grilling routines. They can even provide a sense of motivation to put clean dishes and silverware away because everything now has a home.
What would be your top 3 to 5 favorite accessories?
*All images below are from Custom Wood Products. Designs for Living & You, LLC is a dealer for Custom Wood Products cabinetry. Please give us a call to learn more or click on the image to be directed to their website.
