If there’s something most kitchens are always short on, it’s space. The back of house will always be sacrificed to fit just a few more chairs into the dining room. However, all hope is not lost. Cambro products are designed to make a chef’s life easier while being long-lasting and food safety compliant. Check out these four ways to expand your small space without adding extra square footage:

1. Create Storage Space Out of Thin Air

If you’ve ever thrown all your clothes into your luggage and tried to zip it up, you’ll notice you can barely fit anything in there. But, when you roll everything tightly and fit each piece in carefully, that tiny piece of luggage suddenly fits enough for a 7-day cruise to Jamaica. Now, turn this thinking toward your shelving design. There are several tricks to making more space seemingly come out of thin air.

Let’s start with the walk-in coolers and freezers. These are essential areas that need to be maximized for storage, and luckily Cambro Camshelving has been designed to do just that. By utilizing features like shared posts and corner connectors, you’re able to store AND access items deep in the corners—thereby opening much more storage space. Camshelving is designed for foodservice needs and is made to thrive in walk-ins and freezers thanks to a lifetime warranty against rust and corrosion.

Dry storage areas are another opportunity for increased storage. Camshelving can again enhance these areas with even more options for efficient storage with the High Density Storage System. This system can increase your storage capacity by up to 50 percent. Made up of two stationary units anchored to a raised floor track and mobile units placed in between, High Density shelving creates extra storage in what was likely wasted or unorganized space.

Another area many foodservice operations disregard when it comes to shelving is the opportunity to use undercounter storage at their front service counters. Because of the height challenges, many counters house boxes, patched together shelving or dust bunnies. Cambro’s Elements Series Undercounter Units are a clean, effective and well-organized way to transform the space underneath your counters. Click here to see how Del Taco changed their undercounter storage.

All Cambro’s shelving options are efficient and will support your efforts.

2. Eliminate Over-Inventory While Reducing Waste

What if we said you could increase the amount of space you have and save money? It’s true! Many restaurants over-order when purchasing food and end up wasting food because they can’t use it fast enough. Monitor what you’re ordering and how much you have left of it at the end of the week. If you notice certain items are always in excess, cut down on your order. You’ll not only save money, but you’ll have more room for other foods that you do use more often. On top of all that, you’ll decrease the amount of waste you’re contributing to the environment.

If you do need to store and prep large quantities, use Cambro storage products with Seal Covers to protect and extend the shelf life of product.

Wasted food is wasted money, don’t let it happen to you!

3. Store Smarter

What shape are most of the containers on your shelving? Are they consistent or are they are all shapes and sizes? Cambro’s most space efficient container is the CamSquare. When using square containers, you’re provided with 33 percent better space usage compared to round containers. Because of their square shape, you’re able to stack them right next to each other with minimal space in between each item. In contrast, round containers can be very useful for a variety of food items, but they leave a lot of empty space between the others around them. If you already use a hefty number of square containers, what are you using to cover them? Using plastic or aluminum wraps on top of your containers significantly decreases the amount of potential storage space. When using any of Cambro’s variety of lids, you can stack multiple containers on top of each other safely and efficiently.

4. What Can’t Go Down, Must Go Up

If you’re limited on space on your floors, don’t throw in the towel—simply hang it up! Camshelving comes with a wall shelving model to help expand your storage space when you don’t have the extra square footage. Easy to place above work stations and sinks, Camshelving wall shelving comes with the same no-rust guarantee as the rest of the line. Each virtually indestructible I-bean supports up to 150 lbs., making it capable of holding a significant amount of product or storage. Cambro’s wall shelving is available with slotted or solid shelf plates that easily snap on and off for easy cleaning.

Having limited space in your kitchen can make you feel boxed in, but Cambro can help you maximize your space in ways you didn’t think were possible. Contact your Cambro rep to learn more.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: ADRIANA DESIDERIO IS THE DIGITAL CONTENT MANAGER AT CAMBRO.