Smart Storage for Small Kitchens*

There are two ways of looking at small kitchens. Either you imagine a compact, efficient space where everything is within easy reach, or you see somewhere cramped and uncomfortable with no space to work.

All small kitchens can fit into the first category, so here are a few ways to achieve the dream even when you’re challenged on space.

Use Every Inch

Lots of space gets wasted in the kitchen but every surface, including the ceiling, is fair game to help with storage.

• Fit shelves. Have long ones, short ones, narrow ones and some a bit deeper. You can also fit narrow shelves on the ends of a cabinet run or inside the doors for spices etc. On standard shelves, display everyday items from crockery to mugs and cookware.
• Install hooks beneath shelves to get even more use out of them. Very handy for mug storage.
• Use a pegboard for flexible storage of all kinds of items, from cookware to colanders and cooking utensils. Being able to move the pegs around to fit whatever you’re hanging makes them useful for a myriad of items that otherwise would clutter up cabinets.
• If you’re not keen on too many shelves, get creative with wire baskets on walls or over cabinets. They’re excellent for fruit and fresh veggies.
• Fit larger hooks in the ceiling to hang pots and pans, or if you’re ceiling is very high, install an old-fashioned clothes airer to do the job. In the right setting it looks fashionably rustic.
• Don’t forget the sides of appliances such as the fridge. Most of us just use them to keep tabs on the shopping list or for temporary kid’s art display, but you can get shelving units that hook over the top of the fridge or that attach with magnets. In the same vein, look out for cutting board storage units that hang underneath cabinets.

There are lots of innovative storage solutions out there that let us pack more into tiny spaces.

Don’t Try and Store Everything

There are quite a few items that don’t get used every day but that you want to keep hold of. Also, some larger kitchen items are seasonal, such as massive roasting tins for winter/Christmas use, or giant jugs you use in the garden through summer.

Similarly, some larger gadgets go through phases of use and disuse, such as countertop mixers or food processors, bread makers, ice cream makers, grills… they’re expensive to buy but not necessarily things you use constantly.

If you find yourself cleaning round items instead of using them, or you’re pushing them about in cabinets so you can fit other stuff in, it’s time to rethink their storage.

You could consider storage units near you. They’re widely available on short contracts and come in all sizes from large lockers upwards. Clean, dry and secure, it’s the ideal place for machines and gadgets that might have cost hundreds but which are currently standing idle.

By moving those things out of the kitchen, you suddenly have lots more room for everyday things. And you can soon fetch anything back home when the need comes round again.

Organise Cabinets and Drawers

Have a regular cull of out of date food items. It’s surprising just how often stuff gets forgotten at the back of the cabinet, and how long it can stay overlooked. Meanwhile, you’re struggling for space. Having a sort out every couple of months makes sure all the food you’re storing is good to eat, with no wasted space.

Also, while you’re looking for out of date items, make sure you’re not giving permanent house room to things your family will never eat. If it’s been hanging around for a while, chances are you don’t need it in the cupboard. Charities or food banks will welcome food items in good condition and in date. Just because your family doesn’t like it doesn’t mean everyone feels the same.

Next, grab some transparent tubs and containers for dry foods such as cereals and flour. Label the containers and stack them up neatly. You can see what’s inside, know when it’s time to buy more, and use more vertical space on the shelf.

Use storage racks in cabinets as another way of using the height in cabinets. Some are adjustable for height, and others stand in corners, making them very handy and useful. Pop drawer organisers and dividers into all the drawers you use for cutlery, utensils, and other bits a bobs such as the odd screwdriver and roll of sticky tape.

There are so many ways to increase the amount of storage available, and just one or two of them can bring relief and a sense of more space in a small kitchen. Whether you go for self storage to help you declutter or choose to make better use of cabinets, once you start searching for solutions you’ll quickly find your own way to make a small kitchen an efficient and pleasant place to cook.