Before

This small apartment kitchen was barely functional. There was minimal storage & counter space.The big stove burner was unusable due to the fuse panel protruding over it.

The fuse panel (in the box by the stove) hung over the largest stove burner making this element unusable.

Click on any of the photos to view a larger version

After

By shifting the fridge into the corner, the stove 2 feet into the living area and building a divider half wall around the stove as well as adding some extra shelving a fully functioning kitchen was created. The kitchen now offers more storage and more counter space.

Notice the small shelving unit on the wall beside the stove which now holds spices and condiments for cooking. The shelves beside the fridge hold bulk cooking supplies as well as small appliances. The microwave and pots and pans fit into a bookcase placed between the fridge and stove.

The partition wall behind the clock housed the water heater. Before the position of the fridge made it inaccessible but now it is able to function as a broom closet providing much needed storage.

What was once an inefficient kitchen became a kitchen that was a pleasure to work in and in which you were actually able to cook a full meal as well as store all your equipment and supplies.

Before

After

Click on any of the photos to view a larger version

The closet before was a jumble of clothes. I raised the height of the upper shelf by placing pieces of 10” pine board cut to length on top of the existing shelf support system. This allowed me to raise the height of the clothes rod and add several shelves underneath the hanging clothes. The lower shelves were supported on wooden side pieces cut to the right height. (See examples under picture heading Add Shelves) The closet now holds at least double what it held before. Everything has its place and the closet is neat and orderly. You could use the same method to allow you to add an extra hanging rod (one high, one low) so that you end up with two tier storage for your shirts and tops.

Baskets and bins are great for storage. These hold hats, mitts, scarves, light bulbs, flashlights, batteries and candles. You could also have individual ones for each person. Plastic shoe boxes are also good. The contents are easily seen and they are stackable.

Plastic dishpans are some of my favourite storage bins. They are sturdy and last a long time. I've used them for toys, tools, clothes -- just about everything. If appearance is important then use wicker baskets.

Knape & vogt standards and brackets allow you to easily put several shelves up on an empty wall. In this mud room the shelves are easily adjusted to the height of the shoe and keep shoes neat, tidy and easily accessible.

This shelving for shoes and other necessities was installed over the staircase of a back entry. It is a very practical use of wasted space, especially if you don't have enough storage. Make sure that the bottom shelf leaves enough headroom and that the top shelf is still safely reachable.

This shelving unit was created out of 8ft melamine shelving that comes with pre drilled holes. It consists of two 8ft pieces for the sides and three 32" cross pieces attached to the top and the bottom as well as in the middle with screws. You can have as many shelves cut at 32" as you need to create the adjustable shelves. If you take an 8 ft board and cut it to 32" you will end up with 3 boards or if you have it cut to 24" you will end up with 4.
If you choose to have a shelf 4 ft high you will still have to use two separate 8ft side boards cut to 4 ft to make sure that the predrilled holes line up. When buying melamine shelving be aware that there are two grades. The surface of the higher grade is not affected by moisture. It is slightly more expensive but well worth it when used in kitchens and bathrooms. Bookshelves with extra shelves can be a good substitute.

Use Knape & Vogt standard & bracket to support the shelf.

For a shelf that is not as wide as the cupboard: cut 2 support boards to the desired height and shelf to desired width. Place supports underneath the shelf at both ends and nail shelf on top.

Adding extra shelves into cupboards that don't have predrilled holes is easy. Have two side boards cut to the height you want. Attach the side board to the sidewalls of the cupboard with screws, nails or velcro to keep them from falling down. Place the shelf on top. This method works very well in kitchen and utility cupboards as well as closets.

Predrilled cabinet sides. Simply have melamine shelves cut to the right width and depth and install on shelf support pins.

Use pilaster strips and clips to support the shelves.

Click on any of the photos to view a larger version

Adding extra shelves make items easy to retrieve as well as allowing you to store much more in the same space.

Put all your food supplies into glass canning jars (wide mouthed, square ones are best) stored on their sides. Now you can easily see what you have and how much. A side benefit is no more bug infestations.

A blank wall in the kitchen becomes both storage and a focal point with the addition of some shelves and hooks.

Click on any of the photos to view a larger version