Last updated on July 29th, 2021
Just like a kitchen is the heart of a home, storage is the heart of a kitchen, and shouldn’t be an after-thought, especially in Indian kitchens which have their own elaborate and complex needs.
Here are 7 clever storage ideas extremely relevant for Indian kitchens and their complexities that you’ll want to thank us for. Read on, you can do that later
1. Have oft-used spice-jars within reach
What’s Indian cooking without its long list of spices? Keep your companions handy and accessible right next to the stove in a convenient drawer or a nice-looking open shelf on the wall next to it.
2. Have shelves based on the vessels you use
We all have hand-me-downs and traditional vessels that we end up storing in very inconvenient places like lofts or in under-the-bed storage spaces around the house. Why not make space for them in your kitchen itself? You will be bringing them out during festivals and family gatherings anyway, then why not make life a bit easier? Reserve heavy-duty and spacious drawers and shelves for these in corners of your kitchen that you won’t be accessing often.
3. Remember – all appliances don’t belong on the countertop
There are a few appliances most Indian kitchens can’t do without. A Mixer-grinder with its assortment of jars, a sandwich maker, a microwave, a juicer and the ubiquitous idli-dosa grinder. All these don’t need to be on the counter all the time, or hidden away right at the back that it becomes a chore to bring them out, every time you need them. Plan your kitchen well. Tuck all these away in neat pull-out shelves just below your counter and place convenient electric sockets close to them over the countertop.
4. Plan on a pantry based on your grocery shopping habits
Indian families aren’t just large, but love to buy groceries in bulk to get better prices. It’s important then, to have a relatively large space to keep them all safe, organized and easily accessible. Which is where a pantry comes in. No, it isn’t just a western concept, but a dedicated space in or near the kitchen that is used to store provisions. Instead of having a pantry as an afterthought, why not plan and make space for one in your new kitchen?
Plan a space in a corner with pull-out drawers with heavy-duty channels to store heavy items. This way things will remain easy to access when you are able to pull them out to you, instead of having to reach into the shelves of the cupboards. Also create storage for sauces and jams and dressings on the doors of the pantry cupboard.
5. Use dead space – plan a beverage corner
Corners in L-shaped kitchens are dead spaces not easy to access. Set up a beverage corner in this space with a coffeemaker, an electric kettle, tea and coffee canisters, .and a few mugs hanging above. A nice corner to start your mornings with, don’t you agree?
6. Use partitions in your drawers
Use partitions not just in your cutlery drawers but also in the deeper pull-out drawers. Having movable partitions in the drawers that you store your vessels in, can help your things stay put in their place and not move all around every time you close a drawer shut, and help you keep your drawers organized and tidy.
7. Plan storage for your onions, garlic and potatoes
You’ll be hard pressed to find an Indian kitchen that doesn’t use onions, garlic and potatoes. Instead of storing them in a corner in an unsightly store-bought stand, why not designate a couple of drawers for them using wicker, or with vents in the wood so that they can breathe and stay fresh?
