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Narrow kitchens with limited space for cabinets, drawers and counters are usually suitable for courses living in small spaces, but functional storage solutions such as kitchen carts and rolling islands can help you expand your kitchen and store your cooking essentials without clutter. Not only do they provide additional shelves and storage cabinets, but if you need an additional cooking station, they can also increase counter space. They are also a non-permanent storage solution, which means they can be used by renters or people who are not ready to remodel the kitchen.
Finding the right size and style cart for your kitchen usually depends on how much space you need to use and the number of items you plan to store. To help you decide which kitchen cart is best for you, we consulted with organization experts to understand what to look for when buying and their specific recommendations to shoppers.
According to Rachel Rosenthal, organization expert and owner of Rachel and Company, when choosing your kitchen cart, it is important to consider your needs in the kitchen. For example, if you just want to increase counter space, you may have less storage options-in this case, you will want to “consider buying a cart with a shelf instead of multiple drawers and Cabinet,” Caroline pointed to Solomon, a professional organizer in New York.
Kitchen carts are available in a variety of styles and colors to meet your specific aesthetics. According to Solomon, they can be “infinitely universal” and can be used for everything from bar carts to buffet areas. However, when buying a kitchen cart, there are some things to consider in terms of size, storage capacity, and portability.
The kitchen cart should be proportional to your kitchen to avoid taking up too much space. “If your space is already tight, you don’t want to mess up your kitchen by adding a bulky part,” Rosenthal said. For smaller enclosed kitchens, Solomon recommends using a thin kitchen cart with drop blades for easy storage.
Most kitchen carts have wheels, which means they are portable if you need to make room or move them away when not in use. This is a function that you usually cannot get with a fixed kitchen island.
The type of storage you need in the kitchen cart depends on what you plan to store. “If you want to store food, please consider using a trolley with cabinets instead of open shelves, [or] look for options with additional storage elements, such as hooks for hanging items such as kitchen towels or spoons or even paper towel racks,” Rosenthal suggests. If you lack drawer space for kitchen tools and silverware, “consider a drawer with multiple drawers,” Solomon added.
Although kitchen carts are very practical, there are some restrictions you should consider before buying. Rosenthal pointed out that if your kitchen doesn’t have enough floor space for a trolley, then “maximizing vertical storage may be a better solution.” Rosenthal says that open shelves in a kitchen trolley can also be a pros and cons. Because they are “difficult to organize and will eventually add visual clutter to your kitchen.”
Although the kitchen cart does provide additional storage space, you should also choose how much you put in it, so as not to make the small kitchen feel more cramped. “The important thing is not to overload tools and gadgets-it can be tempting to fill every corner of the shopping cart with things, but it will only make a small space look smaller and even more cluttered,” Solomon pointed out . “Keep only the items you use frequently, and even so, try to minimize these items.”
This stylish kitchen cart has two drawers and two shelves covered by doors, making it easy to keep kitchen utensils and cookware out of sight. The top of the butcher block made of solid wood can be used as an additional shredding table, while the two hooks on the side allow you to easily access spoons, spatulas and other kitchen utensils while cooking. The casters also lock when not in use, making them an excellent choice for stationary and portable. You can buy this shopping cart in white or black.
Solomon considers this kitchen cart “stylish and practical” because its stylish marble countertop can be used for basic food preparation and entertaining guests. The cart has two open slatted shelves for your dishes and pans, two drawers and two black painted metal handles on both sides for dish towels. “In addition, unlike many kitchen carts with open industrial shelves, its ash and oak open shelves provide a good rhythm change,” Solomon added.
“It’s no secret that John Boos makes the best cutting boards. This kitchen cart is a perfect combination of craftsmanship and function,” Solomon said. Although this is an expensive option, she said it is very suitable for experienced chefs or bakers, “They may need extra space to place all the pots, pans and mixing bowls.” It has a stainless steel frame and is durable. There is a towel rack for easy access to dish towels, and two sturdy shelves for storing food and other kitchen supplies. For the top, you can choose from the brand’s removable one and a half inch thick maple and walnut cutting boards.
According to Solomon, this option from IKEA is about 16 inches wide and 35 inches high, and “suitable for even the smallest kitchen”. It is equipped with two solid oak shelves, which can be adjusted with built-in grooves, allowing you to easily store larger and taller items. The countertop is also equipped with a fallen leaf, which can be folded to create more space when not in use, and a small drawer can store silverware and other smaller necessities.
Another closed option, the Belmont kitchen island “puts everything in drawers and cabinets, so there is no additional visual clutter in the kitchen,” Rosenthal points out. It includes a sliding door cabinet-a useful feature if your space is not suitable for opening the cabinet door-and an adjustable shelf to help store larger appliances. The four tapered legs make it a fixed kitchen island, but you can purchase separate casters to move it easily. You can buy islands in black, white or mint colors.
If you want all the standard features of a kitchen cart-including open shelves, closed cabinets, drawers and wooden countertops-this option from Threshold has it all. It also comes with side hooks and towel racks to provide additional storage space. However, due to the glass doors and open shelves, Rosenthal warned that items need to be stored properly to avoid clutter. This kitchen cart is available in white and gray colors and has wheels on one side to allow it to be moved.
If you are looking for a more affordable trolley that can be used in a small kitchen, Rosenthal recommends this rustic-style trolley that can conveniently hold food while cooking or entertaining guests. The two mesh shelves have a load-bearing capacity of 9 pounds, and can be used to store plates, bowls and dish towels (but not heavy appliances such as instant pots or air fryers).
This free-standing kitchen island from IKEA does not contain wheels and can provide you with additional storage space, cooking stations, and dining tables or work areas. According to the brand, you can install a bar stool approximately 24 inches high in the opening. There are two large shelves on the other side, and the top is a solid oak meat block. If you need additional storage space, you can also purchase a separate overhead rack for the island, which is equipped with ten hooks for hanging utensils, and a rack for pots and pans.
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Post time: Oct-18-2021