We’ve all been there. You’re standing in your kitchen, staring at cupboards overflowing with plastic containers that’ve lost their lids, spices you can’t reach, and that one pan you bought three years ago but never use sitting right at the front.
Storage chaos is not only annoying but also adds stress to your cooking experience.
In Perth homes, where kitchens aren’t always large and every bit of cabinet space counts, it becomes even more important to have some order within the storage.
Great news! There is plenty that you can do to totally turn around how your kitchen storage works without ripping all of it out and installing a new system.
In some areas, it will be about working smarter with what you already have. In other places, this will involve adding clever solutions which make you wonder why they were not implemented years ago.
Why Perth Kitchens Need Smarter Storage
Here’s the thing about Perth homes. Many of them — especially the older ones — weren’t designed with the way we actually cook and live today in mind. Families are bigger, we’ve got more appliances than ever (hello, air fryer collection), and let’s be honest, we’re accumulating kitchen gadgets at a rate that’d make our grandparents’ heads spin.
Recent research shows that 75% of Australians own between 10 and 20 kitchen gadgets, yet 90% of us only use the same three or four regularly.
Spiralizers and avocado pitters occupy a significant amount of drawer space.
And because Perth homes often feature open-plan living, your kitchen is probably always on show.
Being smart about how you organise your cabinets isn’t only about cramming in as much as possible. It also has to do with easing up the daily grind and making everything look good—and enhancing the entire cooking experience! Big or small storage solutions can completely change the way a space works.
The Pull-Out Pantry Game Changer
There is one kitchen storage feature that always gets homeowners excited: pull-out pantries. And for good reason!
Why Traditional Pantries are Always Lacking
Things get pushed to the back, you forget what you have in there, and eventually finding anything requires an archaeological dig. That’s the problem with traditional pantries. Pull-out pantry solutions bring all of that within reach and change the entire experience.
These are not your basic sliding shelves. Modern pull-out systems can be fitted into surprisingly narrow spaces – even that awkward 200mm gap beside your fridge that’s currently wasted.
At Colray Cabinets we design pull-out pantries that maximise vertical space while keeping everything visible and accessible.
The Details That Make Pull-Outs Work
The real trick to a fantastic pull-out pantry is in the details. Adjustable shelving means you can fit tall bottles and short jars, all within the same space.
A spice rack on the door keeps your spices organised so you’re not searching through twenty containers to find cumin. And with full-extension runners: You get a clear view of everything inside at once; no more duplicate shopping trips!
Do Pull-Out Pantries Actually Save Space?
A pull-out pantry is perceived by many as occupying more space. In reality, it allows better use of that full depth than would be possible with normal shelves because all items can be brought forward; none have to remain at the back.
Corner Cabinets Don’t Have to Be Black Holes
Corner cabinets are infamous. Yes, those very same deep and dark dungeon-like places within which items disappear, never to be seen again until the next big move. They seem to swallow everything placed inside them.
But corners do not necessarily have to be final destinations for long-lost storage items. There are some pretty nifty solutions out there that turn these spaces from frustrating into functioning.
Smart Corner Cabinet Solutions
Magic corners or blind corner units are a type of pull-out system that brings all the items stored at the back right to you. No more getting down on your hands and knees with a torch trying to locate that casserole dish!
Another option is a Lazy Susan, but they seem to work better with larger items inside them than many small jars, which tend to fall over.
Carousel systems maximise corner base cabinets with spinning shelves that bring all contents to the front. Yes, they do cost more than regular shelving but this is one of those features where it’s worth paying a little extra.
When Colray Cabinets works on a kitchen design project, these areas are given special attention. After all, what’s the point of having beautiful cabinets if half the storage space is essentially unusable?
Drawer Organisation That Actually Works
Drawers can be a chaotic nightmare or they can be brilliant. It all depends on how they’re organised.
Deep drawers work really well for pots and pans, as long as you have some dividers or a peg system in place to stop everything from becoming a tangled mess.
The good thing about these systems is that they are adjustable, so when you buy new cookware and need to shift things around, it won’t become an issue.
Here’s something most people fail to consider – the height of drawers. Getting this hierarchy right makes a huge difference in how functional your kitchen feels:
- Shallow drawers: Perfect for cutlery and utensils.
- Medium-depth drawers: Work well for spices, wraps, and kitchen tools.
- Deep drawers: Handle pots, pans, and small appliances.
Cutlery and utensil drawers benefit greatly from proper organisation. And no, we are not referring to those cheap plastic trays that do not fit your drawer properly.
We’re talking about custom-fitted drawer inserts offered through our cabinet making services at Colray Cabinets, something which makes use of every bit of space inside the drawer while keeping things exactly where they should be.
Vertical Space Is Your Best Friend
Very few of us use all the height in our cabinets. There is always some dead space left between the top of stored items and the shelf above.
With a few smart additions, sometimes you can almost double your storage capacity without installing a single new cabinet.
Here are five ways to make the most of your vertical cabinet space:
- Stackable shelf inserts: Double your usable space without dangerous stacking.
- Under-shelf baskets: Hang from shelves for instant extra storage.
- Pull-down systems: Bring high shelves down to a comfortable height.
- Overdoor organisers: Use cupboard doors for cleaning supplies and tools.
- Floor-to-ceiling cabinets: Eliminate wasted space above standard cabinetry.
All of them work even better in Perth homes with higher ceilings. None of these options, except maybe the last one, requires a full kitchen renovation.
They’re additions you can make to existing cabinets that deliver immediate results.
The Case for Custom Cabinet Solutions
There’s nothing wrong with trying DIY organising and off-the-shelf solutions. They can work fine for some situations. But here’s where custom cabinet design really shines — it’s built around how you actually use your kitchen.
The storage needs of a family of five differ from those of a couple who hardly ever enter the kitchen. The storage needs for someone who bakes every weekend differ from those needed by someone who meal-preps on Sundays.
We will ask about your cooking habits, what irritates you most, and the items you use every day to create practical storage solutions designed for your life that go way beyond catalogue good looks.
Custom solutions do not always have to be expensive. In certain situations, it could just be about wisely changing a few important aspects. Maybe that’s a pull-out pantry shelving unit occupying what would otherwise be dead corner cabinet space. Or soft-close drawers with good organisers instead of regular cupboards. These upgrades are strategically designed to address your specific needs.
Appliance Garages and Hidden Storage
Benchtop clutter drives people crazy. Coffee machines, toasters, mixers, air fryers — they all need to live somewhere, and leaving them out makes your kitchen look messy.
Appliance garages solve this beautifully. These are cabinets with doors that lift up or slide back, creating a little “garage” for your appliances. Everything stays accessible but hidden when you’re not using it.
| Appliance Type | Best Storage Solution | Why It Works |
| Coffee machine | Mid-height appliance garage | Easy daily access, near power point |
| Stand mixer | Lower appliance garage or deep drawer | Heavy item, needs sturdy base |
| Toaster | Mid-height garage or benchtop | Used daily, needs ventilation |
| Air fryer | Deep drawer or lower cabinet | Bulky, but used regularly |
| Blender | Upper- or mid-height cabinet | Lighter weight, occasional use |
The trick is positioning them at the right height with proper power points inside. At Colray Cabinets we include these details in their kitchen design process—it’s the difference between a solution that looks good on paper and one that actually improves your daily routine.
Maximising Space in Smaller Perth Kitchens
Not everyone’s got a huge kitchen to work with. Many Perth homes, particularly older ones or apartments, have more compact cooking spaces. That doesn’t mean you can’t have great storage, though.
In smaller kitchens, you’ve got to be ruthless about what you keep and creative about storage solutions:
- Tall cabinets to the ceiling: Maximise vertical space instead of leaving gaps.
- Pull-out pantries: Work brilliantly in narrow gaps beside fridges or appliances.
- Replace lower cabinets with drawer stacks.
- Open shelves for daily-use items that look appealing.
- Closed cabinets where everything else is tucked away.
Open shelving can work in small kitchens, but it’s got to be done right. The goal is making your space work harder, not cramming more in. Quality cabinet organisation in Perth homes — especially smaller ones — is about smart choices that give you breathing room.
For more inspiring ideas on turning a tiny kitchen into a hardworking and gorgeous space, see our guide to small kitchen design magic.
Making the Investment Count
Kitchen storage is an upgrade investment, whether it’s a complete renovation or simply focused improvements. This is how to ensure you get actual value for money from whatever you spend.
Begin with your major frustrations. What really drives you crazy about the present arrangement? Fix that first instead of attempting to fix everything at once.
Second, consider the long term. While trends may shift, quality storage solutions remain timeless. Make some practical improvements that will still make sense a decade from now.
Third, get people who know what they are doing. At Colray Cabinets, we have been putting kitchen storage solutions into homes for years.
They have seen what works and does not work and also what homeowners later wish they’d done differently – that experience counts for something.
Getting Started with Your Storage Transformation
Take stock of what frustrates you most. Write it down. Get proper measurements of your space. Think realistically about your budget – some solutions are DIY add-ons; some need to be professionally installed.
At Colray Cabinets we offer kitchen design consultations where we assess your space and provide solution options that make sense for your home and budget.
Our Landsdale showroom is also worth a visit – seeing storage solutions in person really does make a difference.
Your kitchen is supposed to make things easy for you and not the other way around.
Whether it’s a full kitchen remodel or specific cabinet upgrades, getting your storage to work perfectly is one of the best investments you can add to your home here in Perth.
