11 Kitchen Storage Ideas That are Strangely Soothing
In need of some rest and relaxation? Take five minutes to browse these very pleasing storage solutions
If tidiness is the secret to happiness, the owners of these homes must walk around beaming all day long, because their storage game is on point. If you understand the soothing power of a well-organised pantry and can appreciate a beautifully neat row of jars, grab a cup of tea and browse these excellent examples of storage style.
2. A transformed awkward corner
Did the owners of this awkwardly shaped small kitchen let a staircase get in the way of their storage dreams? They did not.
This walk-in pantry is so soothing to look at, largely because the design has made a beautiful virtue out of a tricky understairs area, turning a sloping triangle of unused space into a monochrome storage cupboard with zen-like appeal.
Neat white base units provide cupboard space for messy items, leaving the upper shelves free to display a choice selection of beautiful kitchen items.
Under-cupboard lighting also elevates the items on the lower shelves from the ordinary to the extraordinary by spotlighting them, almost like treasured items in a museum. One for the minimalists.
Did the owners of this awkwardly shaped small kitchen let a staircase get in the way of their storage dreams? They did not.
This walk-in pantry is so soothing to look at, largely because the design has made a beautiful virtue out of a tricky understairs area, turning a sloping triangle of unused space into a monochrome storage cupboard with zen-like appeal.
Neat white base units provide cupboard space for messy items, leaving the upper shelves free to display a choice selection of beautiful kitchen items.
Under-cupboard lighting also elevates the items on the lower shelves from the ordinary to the extraordinary by spotlighting them, almost like treasured items in a museum. One for the minimalists.
3. Colour-coordinated bliss
Hands up if you like to arrange your books in colour order. The owners of this cupboard may well move on to book colour-coding next, because their organisational levels in the rest of this pantry are absolutely top notch.
Just look at the way those containers line up at exactly the same height, with their contents neatly decanted from potentially messy packets.
As for the labelling… I don’t know which is more soothing to look at, the neatly printed food labels on the top shelf containers or the satisfyingly old-fashioned paper tags on the baskets below. I could happily gaze at this photo for a long time.
Sorting and Storage: The Keys to a Happy, Organised Home
Hands up if you like to arrange your books in colour order. The owners of this cupboard may well move on to book colour-coding next, because their organisational levels in the rest of this pantry are absolutely top notch.
Just look at the way those containers line up at exactly the same height, with their contents neatly decanted from potentially messy packets.
As for the labelling… I don’t know which is more soothing to look at, the neatly printed food labels on the top shelf containers or the satisfyingly old-fashioned paper tags on the baskets below. I could happily gaze at this photo for a long time.
Sorting and Storage: The Keys to a Happy, Organised Home
4. A place for everything behind closed doors
The fun of this kitchen photo is imagining just how soothing it would be to close those cupboard doors when you finish cooking. You’d be able to return the space to an uninterrupted run of crisp, painted units with absolutely no hint of the culinary clutter that may or may not be hiding within.
But the beauty of this cupboard is the attention to detail: the microwave has been neatly slotted in at perfect access height for ease of use, and food storage has been squeezed in all around it.
With tall shelves on either side for bottles, a low shelf above for small jars and packets, and two satisfying rows of wine bottle storage either side of a central run of drawers, this cabinet is a mini work of art.
The fun of this kitchen photo is imagining just how soothing it would be to close those cupboard doors when you finish cooking. You’d be able to return the space to an uninterrupted run of crisp, painted units with absolutely no hint of the culinary clutter that may or may not be hiding within.
But the beauty of this cupboard is the attention to detail: the microwave has been neatly slotted in at perfect access height for ease of use, and food storage has been squeezed in all around it.
With tall shelves on either side for bottles, a low shelf above for small jars and packets, and two satisfying rows of wine bottle storage either side of a central run of drawers, this cabinet is a mini work of art.
5. Aligned for speedy access
If you ignore the one label that’s turned slightly away (the fifth one on the first row – bet you can’t stop seeing it now), this spice drawer is a deeply soothing sight on which to rest your eyes.
The sloping drawer inserts allowing the rows to sit just so, tipping the labels up for easy identification, the bright colours of the spices, the identically sized jars in a precise row… So pleasing.
Find joinery and cabinet makers near you
If you ignore the one label that’s turned slightly away (the fifth one on the first row – bet you can’t stop seeing it now), this spice drawer is a deeply soothing sight on which to rest your eyes.
The sloping drawer inserts allowing the rows to sit just so, tipping the labels up for easy identification, the bright colours of the spices, the identically sized jars in a precise row… So pleasing.
Find joinery and cabinet makers near you
6. Neatly boxed
This is another pantry cupboard that doesn’t shy away from the challenge of an understairs space, but turns it into a work of storage art instead.
The box shelving at the end, spotlit to create a little gallery of calm, is particularly pleasing, as are the rows of ingredients flanking either side of the space and the wicker baskets tucked away under the bottom shelf.
This feels like the kind of place into which you’d dash to gather ingredients for dinner, but, while there, you’d take a deep breath and just absorb the happiness the neatly ordered rows of supplies would bring. I might even be temped to perch on that step for a minute or two and survey my storage kingdom.
This is another pantry cupboard that doesn’t shy away from the challenge of an understairs space, but turns it into a work of storage art instead.
The box shelving at the end, spotlit to create a little gallery of calm, is particularly pleasing, as are the rows of ingredients flanking either side of the space and the wicker baskets tucked away under the bottom shelf.
This feels like the kind of place into which you’d dash to gather ingredients for dinner, but, while there, you’d take a deep breath and just absorb the happiness the neatly ordered rows of supplies would bring. I might even be temped to perch on that step for a minute or two and survey my storage kingdom.
7. Chilled to perfection
Do you wince every time you open the fridge, not sure exactly what lurks within? Not the owners of this kitchen.
They must feel a sense of zen-like calm every time they gently glide open the door of this pull-out fridge, with its neat shelves of fresh ingredients enticingly arranged. No wilting salad or mouldy carrots here.
Do you wince every time you open the fridge, not sure exactly what lurks within? Not the owners of this kitchen.
They must feel a sense of zen-like calm every time they gently glide open the door of this pull-out fridge, with its neat shelves of fresh ingredients enticingly arranged. No wilting salad or mouldy carrots here.
8. A corner of calm
At first glance, this seems to be just a very nicely organised pantry. But look again – it’s a corner cupboard, with cleverly angled shelves and neat rows of ingredients packed into every organised inch of this tricky space.
Not convinced? I defy you to look at the boxes of cereal on the bottom shelf and not feel a rush of calm and happiness at the way they perfectly fit into that little square of space.
Spotted! How to Find Hidden Storage Opportunities in Your Kitchen
At first glance, this seems to be just a very nicely organised pantry. But look again – it’s a corner cupboard, with cleverly angled shelves and neat rows of ingredients packed into every organised inch of this tricky space.
Not convinced? I defy you to look at the boxes of cereal on the bottom shelf and not feel a rush of calm and happiness at the way they perfectly fit into that little square of space.
Spotted! How to Find Hidden Storage Opportunities in Your Kitchen
9. Herbs to hand
This kitchen is all about those herbs. Have you ever seen a display as pleasingly ordered and neat as this? It would make cooking a joy, and if you look at the open pantry storage beyond, this is clearly the home of someone who likes to cook. Neatly.
Look at the matching packets on the top shelf of the walk-in pantry – the way that turquoise blue is picked up on the bowl and oven glove. Organisational (and stylistic) mastery.
This kitchen is all about those herbs. Have you ever seen a display as pleasingly ordered and neat as this? It would make cooking a joy, and if you look at the open pantry storage beyond, this is clearly the home of someone who likes to cook. Neatly.
Look at the matching packets on the top shelf of the walk-in pantry – the way that turquoise blue is picked up on the bowl and oven glove. Organisational (and stylistic) mastery.
10. A display masterclass
If your inner control freak is locked in a daily struggle with your desire to have some of your favourite items out on display, this kitchen could be your perfect solution.
Built-in shelving up and over the central cupboards allows for crockery to be on display rather than hidden away, but the precision of the arrangement and the contrast of the white crockery against the black of the shelving makes for a strictly ordered and soothing display that in no way overwhelms the space.
If your inner control freak is locked in a daily struggle with your desire to have some of your favourite items out on display, this kitchen could be your perfect solution.
Built-in shelving up and over the central cupboards allows for crockery to be on display rather than hidden away, but the precision of the arrangement and the contrast of the white crockery against the black of the shelving makes for a strictly ordered and soothing display that in no way overwhelms the space.
11. Spice world
If it’s the little details that make a good design, then this storage nook, tucked into an unused area between the cupboard and oven, is a very nice detail indeed.
Designed to perfectly fit five rows of spice jars, stacked two rows deep, this makes a display out of an everyday item, and the repetition of the identical glass jars with that little gap between each is infinitely pleasing to look at. I only hope the spices are labelled on the base of each jar.
Tell us
Which of these storage ideas transports you to a happy place? Share your favourites in the Comments below, save the images for inspiration and join the conversation.
More
Find home storage designers and professional organisers near you
If it’s the little details that make a good design, then this storage nook, tucked into an unused area between the cupboard and oven, is a very nice detail indeed.
Designed to perfectly fit five rows of spice jars, stacked two rows deep, this makes a display out of an everyday item, and the repetition of the identical glass jars with that little gap between each is infinitely pleasing to look at. I only hope the spices are labelled on the base of each jar.
Tell us
Which of these storage ideas transports you to a happy place? Share your favourites in the Comments below, save the images for inspiration and join the conversation.
More
Find home storage designers and professional organisers near you
The owner of this pantry must spend their days in a state of bliss, because this is one beautifully organised food storage system.
Every inch has been utilised, with storage baskets for loose items, shelves for tins and packets, and door racks for small bottles and spices. Even the labels match up and face straight forwards.
There’s no mixing of crockery and food stuffs in this kitchen, either. Generous cupboards to the left house stacks of neat white crockery, while drawers below are just waiting for rows of gleaming silverware to be perfectly lined up, leaving the pantry cupboard free for all those beautiful food packets, tins and jars. Bliss.