If you live in a small apartment or have a small kitchen, you might be at the point where you’ve outgrown the amount of storage space you have. But don’t worry! There are plenty of ways to maximize your space and organize your kitchen so that it’s easier to cook and clean up after meals. You’ll need some DIY skills and some basic tools such as measuring tape, screwdrivers and a hammer (plus maybe an electric drill if you’re installing shelving units) but once everything is installed it will look great AND make life easier!
Install wall storage.
Wall storage is a great way to get more storage space in a small kitchen. If you have unused wall space, consider installing hooks or shelves to hang mugs, pots and pans or other items that you use frequently. You can also use baskets as an alternative to hanging items on the wall–they’re perfect for storing things like spices or canned goods that aren’t used often but need to be kept out of reach of children (or pets!).
Gain storage space on your countertops.
- Use open shelving to maximize the space on your countertops.
- Baskets and bins can be used to organize drawers and cabinets. In addition, hang utensils, pots, and knives on hooks so they’re at eye level.
- If you have an overhead rack in your kitchen–if not, consider installing one! They’re great for storing bulky items like cookbooks or bowls because they don’t take up any floor space (and are easy to reach). This is also a good place to keep food at eye level if you don’t have much cabinet space available in your small kitchen.
Use baskets and bins to organize drawers and cabinets.
Baskets and bins can be used to store things like pots and pans, spices, utensils, etc. If you don’t have enough space in your kitchen cabinets or drawers for these items, try hanging them on the inside of your cabinets. This will maximize space while keeping everything together so that it won’t get lost or mixed up with other things in your drawers/cabinets!
Double-up on cabinets.
- Use wall cabinets to store dishes and glasses.
- Use wall cabinets to store pots and pans.
- Use wall cabinets to store baking supplies (flour, sugar, etc.).
- Use wall cabinets to store food–you can buy some really great containers that fit perfectly in drawers but also look attractive on the countertop! This is especially helpful if you have little ones who love helping out in the kitchen (and getting their hands messy). If you don’t have enough room under your sink for a trash can, try buying one of those small trash cans with a lid on top instead of having it sit open all day long–they tend not only to keep smells contained better than regular bins but also save space by taking up less space than regular bins do when they’re not being used!
Hooks are your friend. Use them to hang utensils, pots and knives.
Hooks are your friend. You can use them to hang utensils, pots and knives. It’s as simple as that!
- Hanging Utensils: If you want to keep your kitchen tidy but don’t have a lot of storage space, hooks are an excellent option for hanging spoons, ladles and other long-handled kitchen tools that might otherwise be taking up valuable real estate in drawers or cabinets.
- Hanging Pots and Pans: If you’re short on cabinet space but still want easy access to all of your pots and pans (and who doesn’t?), hooks hanging from above the cooking surface are perfect for storing cookware so it’s within reach at all times without taking up any additional floor space in cabinets below–or even on top of them!
- Knife Storage: Hooks can also help organize other small items like knives by providing a dedicated spot where they won’t get lost amidst other clutter throughout the kitchen environment itself (like when they’re stored inside drawers).
Try an overhead rack.
Use an overhead rack to store your pots and pans. Because you can hang the racks right over your countertop, they take up very little space. You can also use them to store spices, cookie sheets, cutting boards and baking sheets.
If you have a lot of small appliances like food processors or blenders that need storage in your kitchen cabinets but don’t have room for them on your countertops (or if those appliances aren’t used often enough to warrant having them out), consider mounting some hooks directly above where the appliance would normally be placed on the wall inside one of your cabinets. This way it’ll still be there when needed without taking up valuable real estate elsewhere in your kitchen!
Keep food at eye level.
- Keep food in containers that are easy to see through.
- Keep food in clear containers.
- Keep food in containers that are easy to open and use.
- Keep food in containers that are easy to stack, or use a magnetic strip on the wall to store them on their sides so they don’t take up much space when not being used (this is especially useful if you have no cabinet or shelf space).
Use magnetic organizers in the refrigerator.
Magnetic organizers are a great way to keep track of your food and other items in the refrigerator. They can be used to store recipes, grocery lists, and even notes on the things you need to buy at the store.
Magnetic strips come in various sizes and shapes so that you can find one that fits perfectly in your fridge door or inside one of the shelves.
Get rid of your big canisters and use jars with lids to store bulk items.
- Get rid of your big canisters and use jars with lids to store bulk items.
- Canisters are too big for small kitchens. They take up a lot of space in the pantry and can be heavy to move around when you need to refill them, especially if you’re on a diet that requires large quantities of nuts or dried fruit. Plus, they’re hard to clean because they have so many nooks and crannies where food gets stuck (gross). Jar lids are easier to replace than entire canisters so when one gets dirty, just toss it out and get another one!
Store baking sheets and cutting boards in a drawer (or two).
Baking sheets and cutting boards are a great way to maximize your storage space. If you have the space for it, store them on top of the fridge. But if not, you can put them in one of the drawers in your kitchen cabinet instead. This is especially useful if you have limited cabinet space–and since baking sheets and cutting boards aren’t exactly heavy objects, they’ll fit easily into even small drawers without causing damage or taking up too much room.
If this option isn’t available either (or if it doesn’t suit your needs), consider storing these items in another area: under sink cabinets or inside the pantry, cupboards are both excellent choices because they keep things out of sight but are still accessible when needed!
Add extra shelving onto the sides of your cabinets.
If you’re looking for a way to maximize your space, try adding extra shelving onto the sides of your cabinets. You can use this to store items that you use often or keep out on display. Here are some ideas:
- Store pots and pans here if you don’t have room in drawers below them.
- Use this area as an overflow spot for serving dishes when entertaining guests (or just storing them when not in use).
- Keep cookbooks here so they’re easy to access when cooking dinner but out of sight when not needed!
Use over-the-door organizers on the pantry door for easy access to small items.
Over-the-door organizers are a great way to maximize storage space in a small kitchen. Hang one over your pantry door and use it to store small items like utensils, spices and measuring cups. If you don’t have a pantry, use an over-the-door organizer on the inside of your cabinet door (or even on the refrigerator!) to hold measuring spoons and other cooking tools.
Magnetic strips are another great tool for organizing small items in kitchen cabinets–they’ll hold everything from knives and spatulas down to spice jars and jam jars! You can also hang up magnetic strip organizers inside of cabinet doors with magnets that come off easily when needed but stay put otherwise so they don’t get lost behind other things in the cabinet.
Install a fold-down table or baker’s rack to give yourself more counter space.
If your kitchen is small and you don’t have a lot of counter space, installing a fold-down table or baker’s rack is an excellent way to maximize your little room.
A fold-down table can be used as an island in the middle of your kitchen. This allows for extra prep space while cooking and an extra dining room when entertaining guests. If it doesn’t collapse all the way down, it can still provide additional surface area for setting out food when serving meals at home or hosting parties.
Baker’s racks are also good options because they allow people who like baking (like myself) to store their ingredients conveniently nearby without taking up too much space on top of cabinets or in drawers below them–and since these items are typically made from metal wireframes with wooden shelves inside them anyway, they’re easy enough to clean after use!
Make sure your kitchen is well-lit so you can find what you need at night without turning on additional lights.
- Make sure your kitchen is well-lit so you can find what you need at night without turning on additional lights. Use dimmers, track lighting, under-cabinet lighting and a light bar.
- Add some colour to your space with bold paint colours or decorative cabinet hardware that will stand out against the white cabinets in most small kitchens.
You can use every inch in your small kitchen to create storage space, reduce clutter and make cooking easier!
- Use every inch of space.
- Make the most of vertical space.
- Use baskets and bins to organize drawers and cabinets.
- Double up on cabinets by installing a second one above or below your first cabinet, either above or below it, depending on how tall you are and whether or not you have enough room for two full-sized cabinets side by side. If you do have enough room for two full-sized cabinets side by side then use hooks instead–they’re easier than installing another full-sized cabinet! Hooks are also useful for hanging utensils, pots/pans and knives; this way everything has its place inside your kitchen instead of lying around in drawers where they can get lost or damaged over time (and nobody wants that).
Conclusion
We hope these tips help you to maximize your kitchen space and make cooking easier. If you’re looking for more ideas on how to use all that extra storage, check out our blog!
