1. This kitchen has 2 really great features: one is the faucet. Upgrading to a good kitchen faucet with a powerful, easily maneuverable sprayer will save you time and energy when washing dishes or rinsing off food residue before putting them in the dishwasher. The second upgrade shown is the projecting greenhouse window. If you have an East-, West-, or South-facing window in your kitchen, this is a great way to bring in more light and create a place for a potted herb garden. Image via Porch. 

2. A big problem faced by people who love baking is where to put the standing mixer. It’s heavy, so you want it easily accessible, but it’s big and bulky so it takes up a lot of counter space. This kitchen incorporates a work surface that swings out and up from the cabinet below, with your mixer already on it! For an extra upgrade, you can include an opening for the cord and and outlet inside the cabinet so you don’t have to mess around with plugging it in every time. Image via Honey and Fitz. 

3. If you’re low on space in your upper cabinets but a little weary of having to crouch down and reach into the depths of your lower cabinets, consider wide drawers with heavy-duty sliders and customizable dividers. This makes it effortless to access everything you need without straining yourself by digging around. Image via homedit. 

4. This kitchen solves 2 problems in one: what to do with that extra-deep cabinet above the fridge and how to store all your wide, flat items like cutting boards and cookie sheets. Vertical dividers in an extra-deep cabinet are a great solution to an awkward storage problem. Image via DIY Home Decor. 

5. If you’re the kind of person who always runs out of counter space because you need to keep lots of appliances like toasters and blenders handy, consider a slide-out counter extension! It’s extra workspace where and when you need it. Just slide it back when you’re done! Image via HGTV. 

6. Last but not least, consider upgrading your pots and pans storage. If you like the convenience of hanging them on hooks, but aren’t crazy about having them on display all the time, why not put in a slide-out bar of hooks under the counter? Just slide them back in and close the door when you’re done! Image via 733 Blog.