Believe me, it is too good to have a tiny kitchen. Personally speaking, I have a small kitchen, but it is pretty functional. I don’t think that space is a constraint for me as I am the only cook around and rarely have company in the kitchen. Cleaning it is easy, and so is its maintenance. Storage is a challenge, though, but not impossible.
Careful planning coupled with clever utilization of most of the space helps to effectively organize the utensils in a small kitchen. Consider using the walls, corners, empty space inside cabinets, under the sink, and even the ceiling. Also, regular clutter removal, intelligent storage organizers, and versatile kitchenware help efficiently in the kitchen organization.
The best perk of having a teeny tiny kitchen is the time I save.
Yes, I don’t spend a lot of time cleaning up or arranging my kitchen. And at the end of the day, it is an amazing experience to have a small kitchen. So, to all you chefs out there with small kitchens, “Cheers! Welcome to the club of small kitchen owners!”
Read on! Let’s discover how to effectively organize our small kitchen together.
IN THE KITCHEN
Declutter to Start With:
The first step of organizing is to remove all the unwanted items lying around in the kitchen. It could be a decorative clay pot or even a perfectly functional knife. Is it simply sitting around for a long time and has gathered dust on it? Then know that the time has come to move it out.
Is it a cherished piece of memorabilia? Stow it away somewhere safe. Dump trash in the garbage bin. Send out reusable stuff to the recycling plant. And, of course, you can always donate things and get rid of them without feeling guilty about littering the earth.
A brilliant option for a minimalist cookhouse would be switching over to utensils, tools, and storage that serve more than one function.
Paint Your Kitchen Walls:
Is your kitchen looking drab? Try changing the shade of the wallpaper to a lighter one. Or color wash your kitchen with a vibrant color of your choice. Your kitchen will start looking bright and roomy. To add more life to your kitchen, change your bulbs to brighter ones to lighten up the room.
Limited Storage Is The Golden Rule:
Minimalism is the best approach, as storage will be a constant challenge when you have a small kitchen. Be mindful as to what you want to store in your kitchen. Hoarding is absolutely inexcusable. Don’t overstock and only buy a sufficient amount of groceries. Plan your next shopping only as and when your stocked supplies get over.
Hook Them All Up:
The organization of your kitchen will be effortless with hooks installed. Hooks are versatile organizers. Put them up in rows or in a line under the cabinets or wherever they’ll fit. This will allow you to artistically decorate your kitchen. Cups, spoons, ladles, kitchen tools, pots, and pans- everything that has a handle can now be hung in your kitchen. Hang utensils used in groups and give each and every tool a chosen spot. This way, it’ll be easy for you to come back for it whenever they are needed.
Utilize Vertical Space:
Go for tall vertical shelves. They are way better than the horizontal ones, which make your already small kitchen look more claustrophobic. If you ever build one, make sure that it reaches the top of the ceiling and makes most of the space.
Store heavier and regularly used items on the bottom shelves. Use the upper ones for storing items that you will seldom use, like food warmers that you only need to bring down during the festive season.
Pot Hotspot:
If you are a pot-and-pan fan, it is time to adorn your small-scale kitchen by hanging them up onto the ceiling when not in use. This unassuming space is a savior for folks with less storage. Your pots and pans are just a grab away. Now that you stored them all above your head, you have cleared up ample space in your cabinets for storing other essentials.
Customize the Corner:
Corners are fabulous places for installing open floating shelves. Pulses, spices, cookbooks, and even a houseplant can find a home on your open kitchen shelf.
Clear Out the Countertop:
Moving things out of the countertop space is an absolute necessity. The freer your counter space looks, the better you feel to be around in your kitchen. It is so relaxing to have sufficient space, especially in a small kitchen. A wall-mounted or door-mounted tiered hanging basket is an excellent alternative option for fruit-vegetable storage.
Do not keep anything other than the bare necessities over the kitchen work surface.
Maximize Cabinet Space:
The cabinets in your small kitchen are a treasure in disguise. Think of all the ways to use the space they have to offer. Use under-cabinet storage racks or baskets inside the shelves to maximize the storage space, especially when you store small bottles or flat containers in them.
Every Inch Counts:
Ever wondered how to make the best use of the space under the lowermost shelf of your cabinet? Simply slide in these incredible slide-in baskets designed for the purpose. These baskets allow you to have extra storage space without much ado.
Install a Lazy Susan to make use of the unreached areas in your cabinets.
Door Hangers:
Organizers designed to be hung over the cabinets’ door can be installed inside and outside. Baking supplies and sheets and bakeware like muffin pans and cake tins, which can use vertical storage, can be stowed inside. Pot and pan lids can be neatly tucked inside on these. Kitchen towels, cutting boards, and other similar items can be kept outside for easy reach.
Stemware Holder:
The under-cabinet stemware rack is an ingenious storage organizer to store your wine glasses. Install this intelligent rack under your shelves and keep your delicate glassware perfectly safe. This is one of the best storage solutions for a kitchen space that might not have been used otherwise.
Free Up the Dining Table:
Purge your dining table space and make it free of clutter. Install a rustic-looking, wall-mounted, floating shelf with a towel or paper rack near the dining table. Now your jams, pickles, and other tabletop essentials can be moved into these shelves, which are pretty quickly accessible.
Use Cabinet Sides:
Where walls are unavailable, cabinet sides can be put to use by hanging your ladles, spoons, knives, and other tools just next to your prep area or your cooktop where they are near at hand. This unassuming spot is a super handy place to pick your things from on any day.
Under The Sink Storage:
The best things to store in this area are dishwashing liquids and other cleaning products. In addition, it is an excellent spot for cleaning brushes and other cleaning equipment. The trash can, dishrags, and gloves are also good to go in here. A shelf will do the job impeccably well.
Don’t have a shelf and wondering what to do? No worries. Install a tension curtain rod and hang all your cleaning supplies like your spray bottles and brushes on it.
Don’t have the tools to install one? Simply use cabinet door baskets and store the kitchen cleaning essentials in them.
Create Your Own Pantry:
Pantry space is crucial for any kitchen, but unfortunately, a small kitchen can’t afford one. So what? Steal the spare shelves from the next room and convert a few of them into a dedicated pantry.
Store things like fresh kitchen towels, paper towels, baking sheets, unopened food packages, and all items that aren’t needed while cooking on a busy morning. Stash them here safely but make a mental note (or write on a sticky note, if you are absent-minded like me!) of what you have in your pantry space.
Place your stylish wine holder in the living room and store your wine there. Space is just another word when you are the boss.
SMART KITCHENWARE
Now that we have dealt with all the zones in our tiny kitchen, let us look at some innovative kitchenware that helps us store better.
Knife Display:
Show off your knife collection by sticking them onto the knife magnet bar. Fix these on the walls next to your prep area. This way, your knives will always be handy, and there is very little chance of losing them. Cool, uh? Also, replacing them back is now a breeze.
Roll-Up Dish Drying Rack:
This super-smart kitchen tool is a perfect fit for small kitchens. It easily rolls up over one half of the sink while the other half is open and available for washing. Wash the utensils and let them sit on your rack until they drip off all the water.
When everything is clean and dry, the frame can be removed, rolled, and stored away safely until its next use. This space-saving dish rack is an excellent alternative to the traditional dish drying rack.
Placing Cutting Board Over The Sink:
Who said that you can’t own a large cutting board when you have a small kitchen? Go for a big-sized cutting board that sits directly over your sink when prepping meals. It comes in handy when the counter space is limited and converts your sink area into prep space.
Metal Magazine Holder:
Wondering what the magazine holder is doing in your kitchen? They are a fantastic way of storing your potatoes and your onions. (You must keep them separately, of course!)
These tall vertical mesh holders don’t take up much of your counter space. They keep your vegetables good longer as there is sufficient air circulation on all sides. It is really cool to have them around.
Tall Containers Are A Better Choice:
Flour, pulses, sugar, and other dry foods are usually stored in bulk. Invest in some of these tall, space-saving transparent containers and make the most of the available space. Not only do they look great, but they also take up very little of your horizontal space. You’ll be storing way more than you’ve ever had if you switch over to these ones.
Cutlery Storage:
The dining table is not for cutlery storage. When eating, yes, they belong there, but not otherwise. Free up your dining table and countertop of the tableware. Fix cabby holders on the walls or on the sides of the shelves in the dining area. Store your cutlery in them. Your small kitchen looks roomy now because of the free space.
Pullout Drawers for Plates:
The best place to store your plates is to stack them vertically inside the pullout drawers. This way, you can easily stash all your dishes inside, and they remain at a comfortable level for you to pull the rack out and pick one of them up when needed.
Don’t have a dedicated plate rack? Get these wooden crafted plate racks. They can be kept inside a cabinet, and your plates can be stacked in them in no time. They are simple in design, but they serve the purpose.
Magnetic Refrigerator Shelf:
I love this one. This trendy rack can be fixed on the side of your refrigerator in no time. Just assemble and stick it to the side of the fridge. This genius space saver is such a blessing. It can be used to store small bottles, especially if you live in a rented place and are allowed to make any alterations in your apartment.
My last piece of advice is the next time you are out shopping, choosing your head over your heart will help you pick things sensibly. Over the long run, it will help you to curb your shopaholic instincts.
When you buy a piece of new equipment, make it a habit to move one out. With patience and practice, we can make a small kitchen work to our advantage and be peaceful with our choices.
Finally, a small kitchen is a great space to have around. A functional, time-saving, easy-to-maintain kitchen is just what anyone needs these days, not to mention the fact that it goes easy on your pockets too. With a bunch of wise choices, you can make it a sure success.
Small is the new tall!!!
