Cost Saving and Practical Tips for Organizing an Open Kitchen
1117
- Contemporary
- HDB (Maisonette)
- ≥1,500 sqft
- 4 br
- Couple Living with Kids
To maintain a sleek, low-maintenance kitchen, we opted for fully closed cabinets with minimal open shelving. This not only prevents dust accumulation but also keeps the many kitchen items we own out of sight, helping to create a seamless look. As second-time homeowners, we are much clearer on what appliances we need for both the long and short term. The key is planning: long-term appliances are given a permanent spot, while short-term ones still have designated spaces to avoid clutter. One great feature we included was a flipper door. It hides appliances that aren’t in use! We includes electrical points and requested a pull-out tray cabinet for the spot we planned to place our rice cooker. This ensures that steam doesn't overheat the upper cabinets or their contents—both practical and space-efficient! Aesthetic vs. Practical: Striking the Right Balance In our design, anything exposed is fitted with aesthetic touches, while hidden spaces focus on practicality and cost-saving measures. For example, we installed a Nexen power track on the right side of the kitchen, chosen for both its visual appeal and its ability to manage multiple appliances and cables neatly. 
For the switches, we opted to semi-hide them under the top cabinets for a cleaner look. Since they’re still slightly exposed, we chose a more stylish color than the standard white to match the kitchen’s overall theme. 
Maximizing Small, Functional Additions A simple yet handy addition is a small towel rack. It keeps damp cloths off countertops and taps, preventing mold while keeping things neat. Smart Storage Solutions Inside Cabinets In the bottom cabinets, we made the most of vertical space by installing a tall and slim drawer. Fun Fact: the tall drawer was originally meant to be placed on the floor and was used in our previous home next to the fridge. In this new kitchen, we modified it by removing one layer with rollers so it could fit inside the cabinet and stay in place. Now, it’s perfect for organising our cat food, cling wrap, aluminum foil, and plastic bags etc. The shelf allows us to place items both on the top and bottom maximising space. We also use transparent containers to keep items visible and easy to find without rummaging through each one. Under the sink is where we store our cleaning products and soaps. Using basket helps keep everything upright, maximizing the space and ensuring easy access. Efficient Bowl and Plate Organization We have a lot of bowls and plates, and vertical storage makes accessing them much easier. We used to struggle with plastic organizers whose sticks would constantly fall out (the one you can see at the back). After a frustrating period, we discovered a stainless steel organizer from IKEA. Variera, which is meant for pot lid organising. It’s sturdy, and the sticks are screwed in, meaning no more falling pieces. Stainless steel is also great because it won’t rust if the cabinets get humid. Top Cabinet Storage Solutions For storing seasoning and sauces, we use a Lazy Susan, especially in the top cabinets where reaching the back is difficult. It prevents the risk of knocking over bottles and allows easy access to everything. Interestingly, our Lazy Susans which we got many years ago were originally meant for old-school boxy TVs! We repurposed them as there weren't kitchen-specific ones selling in singapore at that time. In another tall cabinet, where we kept all our dry food, multiple different space saving organiser was used. The top hung basket allows us to place flat packaging items, stack shelf let us place item on top and under it. Lazy suzan for smaller items, so we don't have remove everything to reach the one at the back. We are still constantly looking to improve, aesthetically and practically. But cost saving is also really important. Even though we don't have the most beautifully pinterest kitchen organising item, but we are happy with what we have now as fitting into our lifestyle is more important! Hope our sharing helps you with organising your kitchen or even other areas of your home!
- 22 September
Report Post