Making more space in your small kitchen can feel impossible. There are only so many cupboards, drawers, and ways to utilize space, right? Wrong. There are countless ways to take advantage of every surface in your kitchen to make it fit your needs (and your belongings). Whether you’re new to small kitchen life or you’ve been searching for kitchen storage hacks for years, these ingenious kitchen storage ideas are sure to ease your tiny kitchen woes.
A Cure for the Small Kitchen Blues
Having a small kitchen can be especially tough if you love to cook or use your kitchen as a gathering space. Every kitchen can be made into a workable space if you know what to do. If your kitchen isn’t working for you, implement some of the following kitchen storage solutions, and you’ll reap a slew of benefits, such as:
- Better organization
- More space to relax, hang out, entertain, etc.
- More cooking space
- Meal prep goes from stressful and cramped to fun and enjoyable
Clever Storage Ideas for Small Kitchens
The kitchen is the heart of a home. Even if your home is small, there are plenty of ways you can take command of your kitchen and make it yours. In recent years, an open concept has been the most popular trend in kitchen remodeling. You’d be surprised how much these smart storage tactics can open your kitchen without involving a remodel.
1. A Little Pantry Reform Goes a Long Way
Whether your pantry is one cupboard or a floor-to-ceiling cabinet, it is a truly wonderful thing. Anyone who has a pantry knows how quickly it can fall into a state of utter disarray. There are a few recommended ways to optimize your pantry:
Follow the first-in, first-out rule by putting the newest items behind what is already open.
Use clear kitchen storage containers for bulk items and clearly label them.
Use and label bins to store different categories of food items in your pantry.
2. Open Shelves
Cramped counters due to overflowing cupboards are a poor use of space. Utilize free wall space by putting up some shelves. You can use kitchen storage shelves for dishware, bulk items, your most-used pantry items, or anything that cramps your counters.
3. Wall Storage
Aside from shelves, you can also put your walls to use for storage purposes. You can put dowel rods up to create holders for pot and pan covers, dish towels, large kitchen utensils, and more. You can also mount a knife magnet on your wall to free up some drawer space.
4. Use Vertical Space
If your drawers and cabinets are stuffed full, a great way to create more space is to go vertical. You can hang larger kitchen utensils, pots, and pans from your ceiling, underneath cabinets, or whatever works best for your space.
5. Your Cabinets Can Do More
Limited cabinet space might seem like a problem without a solution, but it’s not. Cabinets can be modified to include pull-out drawers and racks. Whether you want to use your cabinets for more food storage or more dishware storage, this solution serves up the perfect kitchen storage cabinets to maximize your space.
6. Utilize Every Space
If you only have a couple of cupboards and drawers, this is where you can get extra creative. Look at every open space as unused storage. Consider your window sills, the top of your fridge, the tops of your cabinets, and the inside of every door as potential storage space. You can hang little kitchen storage racks and hooks to take advantage of these surfaces.
7. Sort Your Spices
Whether you keep your spices in a drawer or a cupboard, you know what an impossible mess it is to keep them all organized. For such little jars, they never fail to take up more than their fair share of space. If you’re an avid cook with a huge spice collection, it could probably use a little TLC as far as organization is concerned. The recommended spice solution is a rack that either stands alone on the counter or is hung on the wall. Either way, ensure the rack is only one row deep. More than that will only create a jumbled mess all over again.
8. Drawer Organizers
Limited kitchen drawer space can be problematic. Even if you have adequate drawer storage, it’s too easy to let go to waste. The best way to organize and maximize your kitchen drawer storage is to add separators to create different compartments (i.e., water bottles, different sized storage containers, and their tops). It’s also wise to have a utensil separator to keep them all organized.
9. Make a Pegboard
An trendy and effective way to maximize storage space is to mount a pegboard on the wall. As kitchen storage needs change, you can rearrange the pegs to prop up shelves, hold pots and pans, and hang towels. If you find shelves restrict limited wall space, a pegboard is the perfect versatile option.
10. Go Under Cover
If your counter is too small to efficiently prep food, there is a solution for you. Either build or purchase custom cutting board covers for your stovetop and sink. This will greatly increase your counter’s surface area, giving you a comfortable amount of usable space.
Is It Time to Get Creative or Time to Upgrade?
While these kitchen storage solutions are an easy way to get the most out of your kitchen, they can’t remedy all of your space-related issues. For example, has your family simply outgrown your kitchen? Are you in a place in your life where you’re finally ready to build that dream kitchen you’ve been planning for years? In either case, there isn’t a storage solution in existence that can fix your kitchen now. At Home Pro America, kitchen remodel is our specialty. Visit our website to learn more about our top-notch remodel skills. Want to see our talents in action? Take a look at our kitchen remodel photo gallery.
