5 kitchen storage mistakes you need to stop making

When it comes to organising your kitchen, there’s a lot to consider, from stacking food cans in cupboards to where you keep your chopping boards. But regardless of whether you have minimal room or an abundance of space, there are a few kitchen storage mistakes that you're probably making.

To help you keep your appliances in good condition and your food lasting longer, here are five kitchen storage mistakes you need to stop making.

1. Storing appliances in cupboards

If you have a lack of countertop space, it makes sense to put any unused appliances into a cupboard. But if you use them on a regular basis, like an air fryer, then you might want to think again.

Overall, keeping an appliance that you use everyday out at all times makes your life easier, as you’re not constantly taking them in or out of a cupboard. But more importantly, if the appliance you’re using generates a lot of heat, like a toaster or kettle, then the trapped heat can damage the interior of the cupboard as well as the appliance itself. Not only does this increase the risk of a fire starting in your kitchen, but you could shorten the lifespan of your appliance, so if you can, leave it on the counter or wait for it to cool before storing.

2. Keeping your milk in the fridge door

As someone who stores milk in the fridge door, I was very surprised to find out that this is a huge kitchen storage mistake. Most milks, including dairy alternatives, should be kept between 1–4°C. The fridge door tends to be a lot warmer as it’s located at the front of the appliance, plus it’s opened and closed constantly, so keeping your milk there can make it spoil quicker. Instead, store milk on the shelves rather than the door to keep it fresher for longer.

3. Leaving trays inside your oven

In general, it’s safe to leave baking trays, tins and pans inside your oven and it’s a pretty ingenious storage solution. But the caveat to this is that they should be clean before you put them away in the oven. Putting a used and dirty tray back in the oven after use can make the interior of your oven super smoky as the tray will likely have food debris and crumbs on it. Having an overly smoky oven can affect the taste of your food, and even cause a fire, so even if you use tin foil on your tray, give it a good clean before storing it back in the oven.

4. Leaving your kettle in an unventilated spot with water inside

The best kettle is a must for most tea and coffee drinks but it matters where you put it – and what you put in it. When storing your kettle, it should remain on your countertop in a ventilated place so the heat and steam it produces can easily dissipate. Keeping it in or under a cupboard can cause damage to the appliance and the storage area.

While this all makes a lot of sense, one thing I didn’t realise is that you should always pour out water from the kettle when you’re not using it. Of course, I regularly rinse and refill my kettle but I tend to leave leftover water in it before so, which can actually cause limescale to build up inside the kettle. It can also damage and shorten the lifespan of your kettle, so make sure to empty it regularly between uses.

5. Placing any appliance near the sink

If you have a lack of countertop and storage space, chances are you might have the odd appliance that’s just a little too close to the sink. But you should avoid this as much as possible. Electricals and water don’t mix so having your microwave, kettle, toaster or air fryer too close to the sink is an accident waiting to happen. Avoid, avoid, avoid!