Declutter Your Kitchen With Stylish Open Shelves Instead of Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets stuffed to the brim with mismatched Tupperware, chipped plates from college, and novelty mugs you never use. Drawers overflowing with a tangled mess of spatulas, tongs, and who knows what else. Sound familiar? If your kitchen storage situation feels more like a chaotic free-for-all than a functional system, it may be time to rethink things.
Trading all or some of those bulky, closed cabinets for open shelves can give your kitchen a stylish minimalist look while also helping to organizing your stuff. Read on to discover why more homeowners are shelving traditional cabinets in favor of more practical, decluttered storage using shelves.
Closed Kitchen Cabinets Contribute to Clutter and Disorganization
It's easy for kitchen cabinets to become black holes where things get tossed inside, never to be seen again. Out of sight, out of mind. Before you know it, you end up with cabinets jam packed full of items you don't use or need. And good luck finding that spice bottle or baking sheet when you need it.
All those closed doors hide the clutter and disorganization, but they don't actually fix the problem. Plus, having to open and rummage makes cabinets less convenient than you might think.
The Cons of Using Cabinets for Kitchen Storage
- Take up a lot of visual space
- Often contribute to a cluttered, messy look
- Make it harder to access items you use frequently
- Restrict your ability to customize storage solutions
Benefits of Using Shelves Over Cabinets for Storage
Trading bulky cabinets for open shelving makes a lot of sense in many kitchens. Take a look at some of the biggest benefits:
A More Light, Airy, and Visually Appealing Look
Closed cabinets dominate wall space and can make kitchens feel small, heavy, and closed in. Swapping some lower cabinets for shelves can help create the illusion of a larger area. Going for an airy, light shelving system suits today's preference for modern and minimalist kitchen aesthetics over ornamentation.
Declutter at a Glance to Reduce Visual Clutter
The "out of sight, out of mind" nature of cabinets doesn't cut it when trying to keep your kitchen organized. Open shelves force you to edit down your belongings and display only what fits neatly. It also makes it much easier to do a quick kitchen clutter check--just glance at your shelves!
Conveniently Grab Frequently Used Items
No more digging around cabinets and drawers trying to locate everyday cooking necessities. Often used ingredients, dishes, utensils, and gadgets can live on shelves for grab-and-go convenience. Shelves also allow you to instantly see if something needs to be restocked or added to the grocery list.
Endless Options to Customize Storage Solutions
With open shelving, it's easy to install and arrange sizes and configurations to suit your cooking needs. Cabinets are more restrictive. Additionally, you can use any combination of shelf materials like wood, metal brackets with glass tops, wire grid, or other options. Shelves also pair well with other organizational elements like baskets, bins, or racks.
Tips for Maintaining Practicality With Shelves
Completely getting rid of cabinets doesn't make sense for most kitchens. Thankfully, you can enjoy the pros of open shelves while still keeping some cabinets for necessary storage. Here are a few ideas:
- Use shelves to display most used items, cabinets to tuck away lesser used items
- Install pull-out shelves inside wall and base cabinets
- Maximize vertical real estate by displaying small appliances up on shelves
Get Creative With Shelves Beyond Just Storage
Once you start brainstorming, you'll realize shelves can do so much more than simply hold items! Here are ways to creatively incorporate shelves into your kitchen's form and function:
- Build out a cookbook library
- Showcase your favorite quirky kitchen gadgets
- Create a dedicated spice storage wall
- Display artwork, linens, or even potted herb plants
- Store specialized gadgets, utensils, or accessories
As you can see, installing stylish, functional shelves brings multiple benefits beyond storage to kitchens. Before ripping out all your cabinets, think about your cooking needs and overall aesthetic vision. In many homes, a versatile mixture of open shelves and some enclosed cabinetry checks all the boxes. Ready to reimagine your kitchen storage? Shelving those bulky cabinets could be your first step towards a clutter-free, Pinterest-worthy kitchen!