Storage solutions that fit your IKEA kitchen and budget – part 2

Our team breaks down the must-have storage items that will make your IKEA kitchen

In Part One of our two-part blog called “Storage Solutions That Fit Your IKEA Kitchen – and Budget” we looked at some base cabinetry storage options.

Those options included door-and-drawer combinations; all-drawer bases; bases with full-height doors; and bases incorporating moveable wire baskets.

In the follow-up here, the IKD design team would like to focus on storage items that’ll add efficiency and value to your kitchen: Wall organizers, recycling centers and trash pullouts.

Those may seem like sometimes-overlooked storage items, but trust us when we say that these will make your workflow (and budgeting) easier – and really complete your IKEA kitchen design ideas.

We want our kitchen design services to be your source for any IKEA kitchen that’s big on style and savings.

And IKEA storage solutions are the best place to start.

Let’s take a deeper look at how to maximize space in your IKEA kitchen!

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Wall Organizer

When we left off in Part One, we discussed not using upper cabinetry as a way to maximize space.

IKEA FINTORP wall organizers are another excellent alternative.

** Image from IKEA website

The FINTORP series offers different items and is designed to work with rails and hooks, hung from walls. Each rail is 22-1/2″ or 30″ long and you can connect two rails together using only one bracket.

Consider the FINTORP condiment stand.

When attached to a FINTORP rail, this accessory can hold oil bottles, vinegars, spices and other condiments, as well as smaller canned goods or jellies.

** Image from IKEA website

For the avid cook, the IKEA FINTORP magnetic knife rack is handy used close to your cooktop right below the wall cabinets.

If there are children in your household, you may opt for other places to store your knives but you can use this for other metallic kitchen utensils or even use it as a magnetic board to leave notes or keep recipes close with the help of magnets.

Out of sight, but in reach!

Likewise, the IKEA FINTORP utensil holder can be used to store kitchen utensils, cutlery and all sorts of nick-knacks, or used close to a beverage/breakfast station.

And you can use them in a small space close to a sink or a window to maximize every inch of storage space possible.

Recycling Center

When first looking through examples of kitchen designs, a recycling center might not seem like a traditional storage solution to add.

Believe us, it is.

Kitchen recycling centers are modified kitchen cabinets that neatly conceal recycling bins.

To meet the bare-minimum disposal needs of a household with weekly pickups of trash and recyclables, you will need two 27-quart trash bins: one for garbage, the second for recyclable items.

The two-bin scenario assumes you’re not required to sort recyclables. With sorting, you probably need four bins (metal, plastic, glass, and garbage).

** Image from IKEA website

We suggest avoiding bins smaller than 27 quarts because they fill quickly.

An experienced IKEA kitchen designer will incorporate elements for a recycling center, and it should be close to your prep area and included in your cleaning area – and can readily work with your IKEA SEKTION cabinetry framework.

Keep it as close to the sink as possible, which makes rinsing out containers and disposing of them seamless. Also, when you include this in your work area, the total footsteps you take and the distance you have to cover when working are significantly reduced.

Here we show a good example of a properly planned IKEA kitchen.

By organizing a kitchen properly, you can reduce this distance by as much as 25%!

Trash Pullouts

For trash collection, IKEA basically has two options for trash bin cabinets in the kitchen.

The first is to turn any IKEA base cabinet with a door into a trash cabinet. Or, you could use IKEA’s base cabinets designed especially for trash.
These two options work differently and come with their own challenges.

Let’s take a look.

To turn any IKEA kitchen base cabinet into a trash bin cabinet, you can stick garbage bins in just about any base door cabinet if you use the IKEA UTRUSTA Recycling Bin Tray.

One we’ve designed can be found here.

If you choose this option remember this only works in a base cabinet with a door. You can’t use the UTRUSTA pullout in a corner or angled kitchen cabinet.

Also, this interior pullout is very small. That’s because the waste bins from IKEA are really small. They’re thin and narrow, which makes them great for recycling but difficult for trash.

In the right space, though, it’s perfect.

If you decide to use IKEA’s special cabinets for trash bins, remember that IKEA has special under sink kitchen cabinets just for trash and recycling bins. It’s built to pull out, and you can fit bigger receptacles in there.

There will be variables to consider with these options, however; such as the role (and size) of your sink; how the cabinet and drawer glides are put together, and the height of the under sink cabinets, to name a few.

The good news is that we at IKD are here to guide you through the decision-making process, especially as it pertains to these tough storage choices.

And with the right storage solution, you will reach your goal of maximizing your space, money, and time!

Learn more about how we can design your IKEA storage solutions, kitchen, bath, laundry room and closet at https://inspiredkitchendesign.com.