5 Sizzling Hot Organization Ideas from the 2018 Kitchen & Bath Show to Kick Up Your Home Storage

Is your home stuck in an organization time-warp? Do you have plenty of closet rods, shelves, drawers, boxes, tubs and even some of those “fancy” over the door shoe organizers, yet your storage spaces are still a disaster?

The challenge is most storage systems are inflexible. They are created for some “generic customer” and slapped into your home without much thought. They are fixed in place. They don’t adjust to your needs – or those of your family. The structure of closets, pantries and kitchens are doomed to fail due to poor planning.

These old cabinets worked for your Mom and Dad in the 60’s and 70’s when you were growing up and Tang (remember that) was the instant breakfast drink. Life was simpler. You played whiffle ball and jumped rope outside (do your kids even know what that is?) with your friends. You had less things.

Today, most organization systems are a nightmare on Elm Street. They don’t get better no matter how many pieced-together organizers you pick up at Bed, Bath and Beyond.

If you desperately need your storage spaces to evolve from the “no-design-design” you have today, check out the ideas out below. You’ll find 5 sizzling hot ideas from the 2018 Kitchen and Bath Industry Show. This show has vendors and products from around the world. I hung out with 80,000 of my ‘closest friends’ in Orlando two weeks ago. As a guy from Columbus Ohio I was VERY happy to enjoy the heat and sunshine. I hope these ideas surprise and a few even delight you. At the end let me know which ones you think are hot, and which are not.

Hot storage idea #1 – Clean counters – A wish to behold  

Does clutter on your counters give you anxiety? If so – you are not alone. Toasters and knife blocks on the kitchen counter. Electronic equipment everywhere. There are so many cell phone and iPad chargers – if they were red they could become stunt-doubles for spaghetti on the counter (sounds good to me, thinks this Italian).

The challenge – how to conceal this clutter with style.

The answer – in drawer storage products.

At the show I saw two cool products to clean off your counters.

First – this fitted cutlery tray keeps sharp knives off counters and away from small children. It provides neat compartments, so your cutlery fits snug (my knives are constantly falling out of the knife block on my kitchen counter. I’ve got to get a better solution – maybe this is it).

Second – this interior drawer charging station works perfectly in a closet, entryway, mudroom or kitchen drawer. Get rid of the “spaghetti of wires” problem you ‘enjoy’ (sarcasm intended) now.

Hot storage idea #2 – Unexpected “pop-outs” you won’t be annoyed by  

When you’re scrolling through web sites you likely get annoyed by unexpected pop up advertisements. However, not all things with pop up or pop out are bad. In this year’s show I saw some uber-cool and ingenious ‘pop outs’ which add function to small spaces.

How about this long unexpected flat work surface (which is great for folding clothes in your laundry room or closet) which slides out of a 8” high drawer.

Or, what do you think about this hidden ironing board for your bedroom closet or tight laundry room? There are 42” and 46” varieties which fit snug to the wall – yet offer ultra-convenient in tighter spaces.  

Hot storage idea #3 – You can get ‘vertical’ (even if you’re vertically challenged) with ‘storage equality’ products

Life’s easy for me as a formerly 6’0” tall guy (I think as I’ve aged I’ve shrunk to 5’10” – bummer). Reaching the upper shelves of hanging clothes in the closet is no problem. Getting cups down from the top shelves of our panty cabinets is a synch. Now, how would my perspective change if I morphed into one of these 2 fine people?

• Person #1 – My (very beautiful – I better put this here or I might be dead meat – just kidding) 5’1” tall wife Rose (she is very beautiful, actually, and we’ve been married for 32 years so I ‘mostly’ know the right things to say).

• Person #2 – My lovely friend Rosemarie Rossetti who uses a wheelchair after a biking accident made her paralyzed from the waist down 10 years ago. She is 4’11” tall when standing – but obviously shorter when in her chair.

Suddenly the top clothing rod in the closet or top shelf in the pantry would become not only a pain – but in Rosemarie’s case – impossible to reach.

The reality is you and I need more than wage equality, marriage equality and age equality – we also need storage space equality (i.e. the ability for anyone and everyone, to have access to all the items stored in the home. Note this concept is also called universal design).

In the show I saw 2 cool products which will help level the ‘playing field’ and create storage equality (and accessibility for all) to reach much-needed top shelves and rods.

First – check out this pull down clothing storage rod for reach in or master closets. You can get more storage in the same sized closets by ‘stacking’ your hanging clothes at 2 levels (in the biz we call this double hanging storage). No matter how tall you are, you’ll be able to reach clothes on the top rod.

Second – this pull-down pantry cabinetry attachment brings heavy plates and cans from upper cabinets down to your size. Very neat.

Hot storage idea #4 – Hidden doors = Hidden storage opportunities and family safety

Have you ever thought of your door as a place to ‘manufacture’ more storage?

Have you ever thought a simple bookcase could keep your family safe if an intruder got into your house?

Answer yes to both these questions with this super-secret, super-cool hidden door (AKA a Murphy Door). For a smaller-than-you’d-like closet (with a door which opens out) use this secret door to store shoes, sweaters, artwork or family pictures. Feel better about your families’ safety by installing a hidden door with access to a safe room (or to conceal your gun collection in an adjoining room).

Hidden doors offer hidden storage and hidden safety opportunities.

Hidden storage idea #5 – Lighting your way through a dark storage space (especially good if you’re older than you’d wish)

As Larry the Cable Guy might say, “If you have to pull your glasses on and off and simultaneously click on your cell phone’s flashlight app just to read a menu in a restaurant – you might be an old person.”

I must admit as a 57-year-old guy I resemble this remark. This is why better lighting systems in my home storage systems (in drawers, hanging spaces etc.) are a must for me (and maybe you’re living in my world also).

The good news is the explosion in LED lighting (and corresponding price reduction) have taken (some) of the sting/challenge out of getting old (note- Botox and my $9.99 ‘magic bottle’ of Just for Men hair coloring with the special comb in applicator help also. Can you tell I’ve been down the ‘dark’ road of hair coloring before? However, I digress).

I loved this simple LED in-drawer lighting system at the show.

It will help me figure out my blue socks from my black ones (in addition to too much gray hair I’m also color-blind. Man – I need some self-improvement) and see what I’ve got inside our master closet (which has no windows).

Conclusion

Is your home still stuck in a storage time-warp? Did any of these products make you say – wow – like they did me? I’d love to hear your thoughts and comments below. If you want to learn more call me or a member of my team and we’ll not only answer your storage questions – but if you’re in Columbus or Central Ohio, give you a Free 3D storage design for your closet, pantry or entryway to kick your home’s storage into high gear. 

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For information on a Columbus walk in closet call Innovate Home Org in Columbus at 614-545-6888 or for a Cleveland closet design 216-658-1290.

Follow me on Twitter @Mike_Foti or my companies’ @InnovateBuild and @InnovateHomeOrg. I hope to keep you both informed – and entertained.