REMODELING : Using Space Wisely Will Give You More

The biggest problem in kitchens often is not a lack of storage space but the inefficient use of the space. The following tips will help make every inch of space in the kitchen count:

* Set cutting boards and marble pastry slabs on a wooden track inside the top of cutlery drawers. Cut a marble slab to fit a refrigerator shelf so it can be stored and kept cool and ready for pastry.

* Replace fixed shelves with pullout trays to make good use of the hard-to-reach corners of a cabinet. (The hardware needed to make these changes is available in hardware and home-improvement stores.)

* U-shape shelves that hug the walls in a broom closet need be only 3 1/2 inches deep to provide storage for cans. The wall surface in a back entry could hold a series of narrow L-shape shelves.

* Stemware racks and cup holders make the most of the upper space inside a cabinet.

* Dividers can be used to organize storage in deep drawers or hard-to-reach cabinets, such as those above a wall oven or above a refrigerator.

* Narrow shelves for spices can make use of the back-splash area.

* Slots in the back of the counter provide convenient storage for knives.

* A space as narrow as 6 inches can be turned into a pullout pantry for storing cans.

* Stash items where they’re used the most. Store utensils used at the sink, such as knives and vegetable peelers, in a nearby drawer.

* Duplicate often-used items, such as measuring cups and spatulas. Keep one set in the baking area; another set near the range.