Clutter is not my jam. And there is nothing I despise more than cluttered countertops.
I recently shared with you how I am working on a kitchen command center to help get the paper clutter off of my counters. But there is another thing that causes clutter too.
I don't like all of the things on my counter. By things, I mean the handy dandy appliances and cooking tools.I mean I use all of the things, but I don't want them there all of the time.
I mean I use all of the things, but I don't want them there all of the time.
Coffee maker. Toaster. Knives. Can opener. All of the things.
*Insert my husband's eye roll.*
I'd much prefer countertops with space. A decoration or two. And room for me to cook (and take pretty pictures of the food I cook) without having to move stuff out of the way.
The cords. I think that may be what gets me. The cords.
My can opener, it has a cord that winds back into itself. It's the most amazing thing in all of ever. And I wish all my countertop appliances had that too! But they don't.
Who am I kidding even if they did I still wouldn't want them sprawled all across my counter.
In my old house, we had a pantry that housed all of those things and kept them out of site.
Here? Not so much.
But as usual, I find a solution rather than choosing to suffer. Because in DIY there is always a solution right?
So I have decided I need an application garage!
What is an appliance garage?
An appliance garage is a nifty little space where you can store countertop appliances and other things out of site and pull them out when needed.
Cool? Right?
I've been perusing Pinterest as I am working through how this is gonna happen in Casa de Hampton. And I have compiled a nice little list for you. Cause you know, now you want one too!
Inspiration: http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/clear-counter-clutter-10-inspiring-appliance-garages-199533
5 appliance garage ideas to clear countertop clutter
Not only is the garage nice, sleek and to the point. But how beautiful are the color of these cabinets??
I love the large cabinet idea. You can fit ALL OF THE THINGS in this cabinet! This would be great for all my kitchen gadgets and tools. There would be no food in here…
While I like my microwave to be accessible. I love this for the person that prefers that their microwave is tucked away and out of sight!
The door on this thing is pretty cool. While it would take a little more measuring and such to build this one, I think the finished result would be well worth it.
This is so nice and classy to me. My cabinets were not properly installed (in my mind). So I don't have the corner cabinet like this cabinet install has. But if you do, this is a great way to take advantage of otherwise awkward counter space.
Appliance Garage Options
While for some people it seems to not be worth it to take up counter space with a cabinet that comes all the way down. For those of us, who have no love for counter clutter, a kitchen appliance garage is a very simple and doable solution.
Here are a few ways you can achieve the appliance garage:
Build it
Building Plans and Instructions by Build-Basic
How To Hide a Microwave (Building it Into a Vented Cabinet)
Buy it
You can buy cabinets and use them as an appliance garage. Here are some examples of things you can buy and use.
Other things that may interest you about decluttering your cabinets:
How To Find Room For Appliances In The Kitchen
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I also hate kitchen appliances on my counters, but have mine covered with decorative vintage kitchen items. A tip: By now, you will have realized how incredibly heavy your Kitchen Aid mixer is. You’ll kill yourself if you try to pull such heavy appliances down from a top shelf! Instead of trying to store it in your appliance garage, you should invest in a pull-up appliance stand, housed in a lower cabinet. It’s a life changer! I have one for my mixer, but am considering installing a second one for my heavy Cuisinart food processor so I’ll actually use it more often without hurting myself.