One book I had recommended that I make a list of everything I have in the kitchen so that I my new plan included a place for everything. It really saved me - I used it to review my plan and double check that everything was accounted for. It was tough to figure out if things woud fit in the space alloted so I left a little extra room. Just this weekend I unpacked everything into the new cabinets! I had marked where everything went on the plan when I was evaluating it - so I used it to unpack - woked great! The pots & pans didn't fit well in the big drawers I had planned (handles were too long) so I moved them to the super susan. You should try to build in some flexiblity that way. THe other great thing was making a list of everything I liked & hated about the current kitchn so I could plan those in/out. Anyway here's my list from planning..

Hot pads
tea
drinking glasses
coffee cups
food processor
silverware
rolling pins & baking gadgets
measuring cups & spoons
spatulas & wisks
spices
coffee pot
toaster bread box
espresso machine
coffee
plates
bowls
pasta bowls
mixing bowls -2 sets
serving bowls
salad spinner
graters
strainers
vases
wine glasses
pilners
margharita glasses
dog food
dog meds
recyling
wraps & ziplocs
pots & pans & lids
stock pots
bakeware pans
casseroles
broiling pans
fruit bowls
lasange pans
nuts
flavorings
rice
flours
sugars
cereal
cookbooks
vitamins
oils
vinegars
pasta
can goods
crakers
snacks
popcorn
pitchers
paper plates
paper plate holders
trash can
cleaners
dish rack
sink gear (veg brush, scrubbers, stoppers)
step stool
tupperware
trivets
cookie sheets
large platters
large bowls
cutting boards
trays
waffle iron
crock pot
mixer
beater
blender
coffee grinders
dishwasher tabs
dish soap
butter dish
lunch box
brooms
plastic bag collector
hot mitts

Carla,

I made up a WORD document listing all my cabinets and shelves so that I could then list everything I wanted to put into them. Great idea at the time, but I've never used the list, and now my cupboards are pretty full!

One thing I found by living out of boxes for a long time, is that I am reluctant to bring things back in. So, I am forcing myself to declutter and get rid of those things that I very seldom use. I realize that we have way too many spices- so many that I don't want to admit how long some of them have been lingering in my cupboards. By not having my new shelves and drawers jam-packed, I can see what I have, and it gets used! No need to buy duplicates of things I already have but can't find!

I understand your question, but as everyone runs their kitchen so differently (just look at the dissenting opinions on the post what you hate...), I don't think a generic list would help you much. But, if you want a starting point,a wedding gift registry list from one of the major department stores would probably be a good place to begin.

bethv,
great list! i too made a list and then assigned the items from the list to the cabinets in my plan. it was very helpful. the larger tupperware stuff takes up a bit more space than I would have accounted for. The tupperware fits where I wanted it too, but I have to keep it all very organized. The salad spinner takes up a lot of space and I have a whole draw just for colanders.

I was very keen on having a draw for my kitchen dish towels and I have loved having them so handy and having enough space for them that they aren't crammed in. I am also VERY happy with the space I designated for our saran wrap, foil, baggies, etc... This is a draw I access several times per day so I wanted it really handy and it certainly is making kitchen life easier!

I have a whole draw just for electrical gadgets such as my little one cup chopper, food processor, hand mixer, stick blender, etc... I like having all this stuff together and having it in a draw is working out pretty well. Originally the food processor was supposed to go in my "appliance garage" but I ended up putting my heinously ugly toaster oven in there instead. Having that out of view is GREAT! and taking the food processor out of the nice and roomy draw is not a hassle at all (in my old kitchen it was shoved in a tiny narrow cabinets with all sorts of stuff spilling out everytime I accessed it, which caused me not to access it as often as I would have otherwise).

but again, hats off to bethv for that great list... much more comprehensive than the one I came up with and a great help I am sure to many... it is a good process to go through when designing a kitchen.

That's a great list and mama's add-ins are great, too. I'll also add the following:
In one drawer we have
pens
pencils
markers
scotch tape
packaging tape
batteries
string
flashlights
scissors
measuring tape

and then under the sink we have
white vinegar
baking soda
dishwasher soap
liquid soap
sponges
dish towels
bug spray
oven cleaner

To indirectly answer your question, here's the storage planning "guide" I came up with...it should help you figure out what you want to store in the kitchen and where.

Once you've finalized your basic design, it's time to analyze your storage needs in each zone. The results of that analysis will drive the size/configuration of your cabinets and drawers. (The following is a general write-up I've come up with...)

1. First, make a list of everything you plan to store in your new kitchen, regardless of where it's stored now...kitchen, basement, dining room, etc.

2. Next, take the list and group the items according to function. Will they be used during prep? cooking? baking? cleanup? Some items, like pot holders, may belong in two different zones (in this case, cooking & baking). You can either find storage between the two zones or have duplicates and store one in each zone.

3. Now, determine where each of your zones will be (prep, cleanup, cooking, baking, storage, etc.)
   The next step depends on the stage you are in the design/order process...

If you've already ordered your cabinets, then you will have to work with what you have. So...

• Identify the storage potential in each zone and list them on a piece of paper with a section for each cabinet (base & upper) and one line per drawer or shelf in that cabinet. This includes your pantry for your "storage" zone.

• Take the two lists and, while imagining yourself working in each zone, put the dishes, tools, etc. that you will be using in cabinets in that zone. Fill in the lines in the cabinet list with these items.

If you are still in the design phase, you will have the opportunity to plan your storage to meet your needs in each zone.

• Take your list and imagine yourself working in each zone.

• Go through the motions to determine the best locations for each item that will be used and stored in that zone (don't forget that you will probably have both upper and lower cabinets).

• Now that you know where to put the items, determine what the best way is to store those items (drawer, shelf, etc.) and what size (e.g., pots & pans work best in 30" or 36" drawers)

• Lastly, transfer what you've done to your design & tweak as necessary.

You should now have a well-thought out and highly functional kitchen!

This not only helps you to "see" how things will fit, but it also will help when you move back into the kitchen...you won't have to think about it, you'll be able to just put things away. It will also be a handy "map" for everyone to help find things the first few weeks w/o having to open every drawer or door!

Oh, and don't forget the Junk Drawer! Most people end up with one, so you may as well plan for it so you at least have control over where it's located!

Common Zones, Appliances In That Zone, and Suggestions For What To Store There:

• Storage--pantry & refrigerator--tupperware, food, wraps & plastic bags

• Preparation--sink & trash--utensils, measuring cups/spoons, mixing bowls,...

Thanks for posting that again, buehl, I had seen it somewhere but couldn't find it again!

I'm trying to think through all of this before I post my layout for suggestions...

My strategy was MUCH simpler: I looked at cabs in my current home-- 18" 4drawer, 36" 2drawer/2pullouts, etc.

Looked at what was in them, which were over stuffed, which were under utilized, which were in need of weeding.

I learned I needed less storage for storage: too many rubbermaid food savers. Too little for pots and pans, too little for tools like whisks and apatulas, too much for phone books and cutting boards.

Since I'm not in the new house, I'm not sure how accurate my assesment will prove to have been. But I feel very secure in this reguard, even if I'm less so about some aspects of the design...

Oh dear...I was just hoping for a nice drawer to store a cork screw....

Buehl, I have copied your drawings and list to review my kitchen plans with. What would I do w/o GW? I don't think I even know what's in all those boxes that I once called my kitchen :)

WOW! What a wealth of fabulous solutions!

Mine started with an inventory of what I had, using broad categories, 'linear inches' of storage, and 'primeness of space' ratings, along with notes about what items I had too many of. My ratings system was:

- A for prime real estate - knees-to shoulders zone, right by point of use.
- B for good space - ground level or second shelf but still within reach, up to a few feet away.
- C for seldom used - needed a big stretch or step-ladder.

My list looked something like this:

Dishes: 18" A + 18" B (Cull mismatches) + Good China - 24" C
Glassware: 24" A + 12" B + 30" C (Cull mismatches, too many mugs)
Pots and pans: 2 x 36" A + 36" B
Utensils: 2 x 36" A
Silverware: 18" A
Spices: 2 x 18" A (Drawer?)
Baking Pots & Pans: 2 x 24" C (I rarely bake)
Tupperware: 2 x 30" C (Cull & consolidate!)
Candles & Party goods - 24" C

This system was very effective for planning and for restocking my eventually-finished space.

Like others who have posted, I created a Word document listing every cabinet with its drawers and shelves, and I assigned what items would inhabit those spaces when we move back into our new kitchen. I even drew diagrams of how things would sit on the shelves in order to use vertical space most efficiently. Because our new cabinets are taller, I also indicated where I'd like extra shelves (to be cut out of salvaged shelf material from our old kitchen) to be installed. So I don't think I've got anything new to contribute there.

But here is a related vow I made to myself: To stop using the kitchen as a warehouse. DH and I cleaned out our garage and attached storeroom, and we have made space for storing those humungous quantities of household supplies that we can't resist at Costco. From now on, only ONE of each item will live in the kitchen; the remainder will live on shelves and in drawers in the garage and storeroom. So when it comes time to change the paper towel or waxed paper rolls or to replenish the sandwich bag supply, yes, we'll have to go downstairs and get another one. But our kitchen will no longer be a warehouse.

Wow! Thanks everyone! I am alternately inspired/awed/insanely jealous of all your space! The lists are great, especially at helping me figure out whether I was glass on all my upper cabinets or not (I think not, because some stuff can't be tidy all the time!) In my little 700 square foot house, I could definitely benefit from all your organizational skills, not to mention your storage rooms! Fortunately I also have a converted one-car garage for those Costco runs, but unfortunately at this time it's filled with my power tools and stuff to be installed in my kitchen (sink, cork flooring, tiles, etc.)

Thanks again,

Carla in Sac

Bethv, I had the same issue. I finally figured out that I have a few inches between the back of the drawer and the back of the cabinet, and just stuck the handles over the top of the back. They fit now!

Thanks to everyone, esp. buehl. This is so helpful!

Like others, it's all about the lists for me! I read lists that other people make, I make my own... but I always seem to forget something. I like looking at this type of blog because the pictures invariably remind of something I've forgotten (and give me inspiration on design ideas!). Good luck regardless.

How many people live in the house? How often do you run the dishwasher? I bought extra 12 oz tumblers, teaspoons, dinner forks, and have 3 small saucepans because we only run the dishwasher every other day, and those items were in frequent use.

@ShadyWillowFarm - note this post is 13 years old, so the OP has likely had her questions resolved by now.

😆