Space Saving Ideas for a Small Kitchen
EducationSpace Saving Ideas for a Small Kitchen
Like the bathroom, kitchens are one of the rooms in the house or apartment that really benefit from updating it with space saving improvements to give more room to prepare meals, use appliances and keep a hassle free, mess free area.
In a small kitchen there is often very little wall space and counter space. Let's look at a typical apartment size kitchen.
This kitchen has a bar top feature but many don't. So regular-use appliances often get stored in the lower cabinets, leaving less room for pots and pans, and even less room for food storage. A cramped space often curbs our appetite to buy in bulk which can actually help us save money in the long run. Less storage space, equals less of an interest in stocking up on fresh foods, appliances like juicers or food processors, and cleaning supplies. But a small space doesn't have to be limiting.
Most rentals do not allow remodeling such as painting, building shelves or adding new cabinets to better utilize the space. However, there are modifications that can be made that don't leave permanent fixtures or holes in the walls. We want people to get their security deposit back but be able to enhance their space while living there.
Similar to adding racks or shelves in the bathroom, there are places where racks make sense in the kitchen without them becoming a permanent fixture. For example, in the picture shown above, there is a large flat side on the lower cabinets that faces the adjoining room. This would be a perfect place to hang a wide rack that has a short depth so that it doesn't jut out into the walkway too far, but adds several layers of shelving for can goods, spices, cleaning supplies or even the "drop zone" clutter such as mail, car keys etc. To hang the rack there are many types of hooks or adhesives that can be used that are easy to remove and don't leave behind residue or take the drywall or layers of paint with it when it's detached. A flat rack can also be hung with removable hooks where large utensils can be hung such as ladles and spatulas which can free up drawer space. Many racks range from $15 to $35 depending on the size and retail location. Measure your dimensions first! So you will know exactly what you need.
Here's an example.
A helpful tip is looking in other store departments that have different space saving items such as bathroom accessories or laundry accessories. Different items can be used in non-conventional ways. For example, that simple suction cup bathroom towel rack can actually be used in the kitchen and mounted on the wall beneath the cabinets, so long as there is a tile backsplash or a surface that the suction cup with stick to. Tile or even the side of the fridge is a perfect spot to hang suction cup bars, racks and hooks if you have a fridge with a side available to use.
Now that you have ideas to free up cabinet and drawer space, it's time to focus on the countertop itself. It's hard to prepare fresh foods or multi-course meals if you don't have the space to do it so a simple make-shift island can be a great asset! Similar to a folding leaf table, there are ways to add counter space during mealtime that can be disassembled later on and stored in a nearby closet, next to the fridge or in a different room for convenience.
A small card table can be just the trick! And they range on average from $35 up to $75 depending on the size you are using. Or you can find a wooden table to better match your decor. Most tables fold to a convenient size but add a great amount of food prep space during cooking so you'll have room for both the food and the appliances such as a food processor.
Some countertops have an area that's just right for a microwave and even though they're smaller than they used to be, they can also take up a lot of space. So doubling the microwave space by adding tiers can help. Using a simple countertop rack that the microwave can set on frees up space beneath it where other things such as a coffee maker or spice jars can fit. Here's an example of a countertop bakers rack which goes for about $40.
If you're not looking to spend that much on something like that, you can improvise by shopping in the laundry area of places such as Walmart and searching through their inventory of metal or acrylic racks that can be placed on the counter.
Another great tip is to use shelving units such as this four-shelf cookie sheet rack featured below. Instead of cookies or baked goods, you can store dinner plates, food items and more, and use it as an open face shelving unit that can be moved if needed. If you store plates and dinnerware on this, you can even transport the whole thing to a nearby table for guests to access without having to navigate around each other in the tight space of the kitchen. And even in place of the trays, simple but sturdy wire mesh can be used as the shelf or tray to give it a different look.
Remember those vinyl shoe racks that hang on the back of closet doors? Hanging one on the back of a pantry door and filling it with food items can save greatly on cupboard space and can even be used for organizing portions, meal combinations for meal plannng and more!
Saving space just takes a little creativity and exploration to create the environment you're looking for.