How To Organize A Small Kitchen So That Everything Fits

Figuring out how to organize a small kitchen is all about smart planning to transform a tight space into a spacious, inviting one. By decluttering and adopting savvy storage solutions, you can make the most of your kitchen, making it simpler to move around and more enjoyable for cooking.

Innovative strategies can transform small kitchens by visually enlarging the space, enhancing functionality and boosting style without requiring additional square footage. Creative use of vertical space, along with selecting the right storage solutions and furniture, can turn your kitchen into an efficient and inviting area to unlock the full potential of your small kitchen.

Maximizing Vertical Space

In small kitchens, vertical space is often underutilized. Making the most of the room’s height can free up valuable square footage.

Using Wall And Cabinet Doors

Walls and cabinet doors are often underutilized spaces that can significantly boost your kitchen’s storage capability. By fitting hooks and racks inside cabinet doors, you create the perfect spots for hanging utensils, measuring cups and small pots, keeping them tidy and out of the way.

Moreover, installing wall-mounted spice racks, knife strips and utensil holders keeps your countertops clear and ensures your cooking essentials are within easy reach. Lisa Wells of Cook Eat Well shares a valuable tip, “My favorite space-saving hack is to mount a spice rack on the inside of a kitchen cabinet door. This keeps your spices organized and within reach, especially if you hang the rack in a cabinet next to the stove or prep area.” 

This method is particularly effective for recipes requiring a variety of spices, like a sweet and spicy turkey chili recipe. By integrating hooks for mugs and utensils, racks for lids and baking sheets and magnetic strips for knives and spice racks, you maximize your kitchen’s vertical storage and simplify the cooking process by having everything you need at your fingertips.

Over-the-Door Organizers

Yes, even your kitchen or pantry door can be utilized! Small kitchens will particularly benefit from over-the-door organizers. Much like installing hooks and racks inside your kitchen cabinets, you can put additional storage on your doors like over-the-door racks, baskets, or hanging containers for your favorite kitchen tools or cleaning supplies. 

These organizers are versatile and can hold a variety of items so you can remove clutter and easily organize your countertops and cabinets. Additionally, over-the-door organizers are also easy to install and remove, making them a flexible option for renters or those who frequently rearrange their kitchen setup.

Stackable Shelving And Hanging Items

Stackable shelves not only effectively double the storage capacity of cabinets by creating additional levels for dishes and food containers but also introduce a new dimension of organization. Transforming my small kitchen with stackable shelving and ceiling-mounted racks was a game-changer. 

I no longer had to juggle my pots, pans, and cast iron cookware on overcrowded countertops; instead, I freed up valuable surface area for meal prep and cooking. This sentiment echoes the benefits of utilizing every inch of vertical space.

Hanging baskets beneath shelves are ideal for storing produce, like potatoes for recipes such as twice baked potato casserole, and ceiling-mounted pot racks significantly free up cabinet space.

Moreover, retractable features like pull-down shelves further enhance the usability of high spaces. Whether it’s stackable wire shelves for cabinets, under-shelf baskets for miscellaneous items or pull-down racks for higher cabinets, these hanging and stackable options are crucial for maximizing storage efficiency in small kitchens.

High Cabinets

Put in shelves but still need extra storage? Install high cabinets that almost reach the ceiling. This high space is often underutilized and it’s the perfect place to store large kitchen tools and appliances as well as items you don’t often use such as holiday cookware, special occasion dishes, or bulk pantry items. With these upper cabinets, you can free up more accessible lower cabinets and drawers for everyday essentials.

It’s important to keep a sturdy step stool handy to access these high shelves safely. Choose a foldable stool that can be easily stored when not in use.

Under-Cabinet Storage

Under-cabinet storage is a smart way to maximize your kitchen space and keep frequently used items within easy reach. Installing dividers and organizers will help optimize this area for efficiency and organization. You can install hooks, racks, magnetic strips, pot rails, baskets, and even pull-out drawers, depending on what items you plan to display or store.

I have a wine rack mounted on mine so I can keep wine bottles and wine glasses within reach whenever I get visitors. Beside it is where I store my most-used spices and oils. I installed a tiered spice rack that slides out for easy access when I’m cooking. With under-cabinet storage, you can get creative with what you put to suit your needs and match the look of your kitchen.

Efficient Storage Solutions

Optimizing space in a small kitchen hinges on selecting the right storage solutions. These methods should maximize every inch of available space while maintaining accessibility and order.

Drawer Organizers

Drawer organizers are a practical way to keep utensils and tools tidy. Measure drawers before purchasing organizers to ensure a perfect fit. Consider adjustable dividers for flexibility and modular trays to keep flatware, knives and other cooking tools neatly separated.

• Measurements: Ensure you measure your drawers’ height, width and depth.
• Materials: Look for durable materials like bamboo or metal that can be easily cleaned.
• Design: Opt for organizers with non-slip bases to prevent shifting while opening and closing drawers.

Pantry Shelving Systems

If your cabinets and drawers are organized, so should your pantry. Shelving systems help maximize storage space and keep your pantry items organized.

They also allow you to customize the layout of your pantry to accommodate a variety of items such as dry goods, canned items, and snacks. You’ll also be able to see what items you have available for use to avoid food waste.

Here are a few ideas:

• Adjustable Shelves: These shelves are flexible and allow you to configure your pantry space according to the height of different items. They also make it easier to organize items by category or frequency of use.
• Baskets and Bins: Adding baskets and bins to your pantry helps contain and compartmentalize smaller items that are harder to organize (think ketchup packets from restaurants!). These containers are ideal for storing condiments, loose snacks, and other small packages that might otherwise clutter shelves.
• Tension Rods: Tension rods are another versatile storage solution for your pantry. Place them horizontally inside your pantry for extra storage space  – you can hang hooks for baskets, plastic containers, or kitchen tools. Their adjustable length and easy installation make them ideal for various cabinet sizes and configurations, offering a cost-effective alternative to traditional shelving units.

Corner Cabinet Solutions

Corner cabinets in kitchens can often be challenging to utilize effectively due to their awkward shape and depth. However, they provide accessibility and efficiency to your most-used kitchen tools, improving your kitchen workflow. Here are some ideas:

• Lazy Susans: These rotating trays provide easy access to items easily by simply spinning the tray. Place one in a corner cabinet to utilize the back corners and put items like oils, spices, sauces, or canned goods.
• Swing-Out Trays: These unique trays, which are installed on a hinge mechanism that swings out when the cabinet door is opened, eliminates the need to reach into deep corners and prevents items from being pushed to the back and forgotten. Store pots, pans, mixing bowls, or larger items that you often use here.

Transparent Containers

Using transparent containers is a smart way to easily see what’s inside, which saves time and reduces clutter. These containers can be neatly stacked, maximizing vertical space in the kitchen. Adding labels to these containers brings an additional level of organization, making it simpler to find what you need quickly.

Space-Saving Furniture

Furniture that doubles as storage maximizes space in a small kitchen. Look for multipurpose pieces like a fold-down table that can be a prep area, an island with drawers or a dining spot with storage underneath.

• Multifunctional tables: Tables with storage can serve as additional countertop space and a place to stow items.
• Seating with storage: Opt for benches or stools that open up to hold infrequently used appliances or bulk items.
• Moveable islands: A rolling island can be a workstation, a serving cart or storage and can easily be moved as needed.

Decluttering And Organizing

Decluttering and organizing a small kitchen starts with sorting items to maximize space and utilizing the pantry efficiently.

Sorting Kitchen Items

First, categorize your kitchen items into three groups: frequently used, seldom used and rarely or never used.

• Frequently Used Items: These should be easily accessible. Utilize the prime real estate areas of your kitchen, such as the lower shelves for plates, bowls and everyday glasses.
• Seldom-Used Items: Consider higher shelves or out-of-the-way storage areas for items like specialty cooking devices and fancy dishware.
• Rarely Used Items: These may be candidates for donation or storage outside the kitchen.

Consider creating an inventory list to track where items are stored. Doing this can help maintain order and prevent clutter accumulation.

Utilizing The Pantry

In a small kitchen pantry, making the most of every inch is essential for efficiency and ease of use. Organizing items by type and frequency of use will significantly streamline your cooking process. For instance, using clear, airtight containers to store pantry staples such as canned goods, pasta, rice and cereals saves precious space and extends the freshness of these ingredients. 

This organization strategy shines when making dishes that require a variety of pantry items, like this easy tuna noodle casserole. Labeling these containers and positioning them with labels facing outward ensures quick access to what you need, making meal prep a breeze even in the most compact of spaces.

Adding shelving solutions, such as tiered shelves, improves access to items at the back of the pantry just as easily as those at the front. Under-shelf baskets introduce additional layers of storage, maximizing space. Adopting a first-in, first-out system helps use older items before newer ones, minimizing waste and efficiently utilizing pantry space.

Maintaining Kitchen Order

Learning how to organize a small kitchen involves finding the perfect balance between functionality and cleanliness. To enhance your kitchen’s functionality, keep frequently used items within easy reach and store less used appliances in higher or deeper cabinets.

Maintaining a regular cleaning routine in a small kitchen is key to avoiding clutter, as even a little mess can quickly overwhelm the space. Using straightforward strategies like timing your cleaning sessions or rewarding yourself afterward can help keep the area tidy and ensure the routine sticks.

Portions of this article originally appeared on Food Drink Life.