If you're fortunate enough to be living in a home with plenty of room, then you wouldn’t have to worry about shelf space, cabinet space, or pantry space. But for many others, every inch counts.
Dealing with the issue of space in your small kitchen can be a difficult task. Thankfully, there are some ways to help you make your life a little easier. This article will give some tips and tricks on how you can create more space in your small kitchen, as well as some helpful kitchen storage hacks.
How Do I Create More Space In My Kitchen?
Here are some helpful tips for creating more space in your small kitchen:
Declutter and Store Unnecessary Items In Self Storage
One of the best ways to create more space in your kitchen is by minimising the tools and appliances you have in your kitchen. The most common way to do this is by decluttering or getting rid of anything unnecessary, duplicate, obsolete, or damaged beyond repair.
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During this process, you will likely find items that you no longer need but don't want to get rid of just yet. Luckily, you may choose to store those items in a self-storage unit instead! That way, you can always keep them on hand without having to worry about needing more space in your kitchen.
If you're thinking, "Why would I want to store my kitchen equipment in a storage unit?" Well, there are quite a few advantages to using a self-storage unit! That includes a self-storage facility's accessibility, security, and features that can provide 24/7 protection for your belongings. Moreover, there are various sizes of self-storage units available in the market, making it much easier for you to find a unit that suits your needs.
These benefits make the already affordable storage costs more reasonable and help you prevent having to spend more money on repair and replacement costs for items that have been damaged due to improper storage.
Aside from maximising the space in your kitchen, decluttering has various health benefits as well.
Designate A Place For Every Item
Often, kitchens become cluttered and crowded because they're not organised. To minimise the chances of this happening, you need to designate a location or space for every item in your kitchen.
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Therefore, you will want to assign a certain counter for all your kitchen appliances, store your pots and pans in a specific cabinet, keep all the spices on one shelf, organise your dishware by size or function, etc. It would be best if you also had designated spaces for your kitchen tools. For example, your cutleries should be neatly placed in a drawer, your cooking knives stored in a knife block, and so on.
This will help ensure that items are not misplaced or lost, amongst other things elsewhere in the kitchen. It also helps to make it easier for you to find what you're looking for.
Have a designated pantry space where you can store all your dry ingredients, canned goods, and other food items. Lastly, dedicate an area where you can keep your kitchen cleaning materials and empty shopping bags.
Here are more kitchen organisation tips you will want to check out!
Get Creative With Your Furniture Placement and Storage Solutions
There are so many ways to keep your kitchen organised, and it all depends on what you find most convenient. There are many ways one can achieve this. For example, you can use an over-the-door shoe rack to store your pots and pans.
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You may also want to consider installing racks and shelves wherever you can, such as on your kitchen backsplash, the side of your fridge, and underneath overhead cabinets. Moreover, you can also take advantage of kitchen corners and your ceiling by installing shelves or racks there.
Also, look into using a rolling cart that can be moved to store all the items you often use. This will make it easier for you to reach those necessary items without having to move other things out of your way or crawling on the ground!
Tools and furniture pieces that will free up kitchen real estate are also a must-consider! For example, instead of having a dish drying rack that takes up counter space and doesn't have any storage features included, you can try using an over-the-sink drying mat. This will not only save on valuable kitchen real estate, but also it won't leave your dishes with annoying watermarks!
Once you start getting creative with these, it won't be long before you notice the difference in space that has been created! Not only will this make cleaning more manageable, but it also helps to reduce clutter and prevent accidents from happening.
Make The Necessary Changes During Renovation
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If you're planning on renovating your kitchen, one of the best things you can do is integrate your appliances and furniture into the design. This way, not only will it help make your small kitchen feel more spacious, but all new appliances that are brought in, such as dishwashers, microwaves, or even under-sink cabinets, will fit without having to make any changes.
Additionally, you will want to design the space in a way that will allow you to move around without issue and access all of your belongings quickly. For example, you may plan to use sliding or roll-up doors for your cabinets. This will help save space and allow you to access all of your items in a more convenient way. Fold-up tables and rolling shelves in your cabinets are also great for reducing the clutter and helping maximise the space you have now.
Lastly, when designing the layout for your kitchen, try not to make everything too organised or uniformed. This can lead to a lot of wasted space that could've been used otherwise! You want every inch of this small-sized kitchen to be put into good use.
Final Thoughts
Small kitchens don't have to be so hard to manage! With a little bit of organisation and by getting creative with your space, you can have an amazing kitchen that will help make life easier every day.
By following these tips and tricks above, you'll soon find yourself enjoying easy access to everything you need without having to take up all the room in this tiny-sized kitchen.
(Written by Shine Madoro, 22nd July 2021)
