There are tons of guides and tutorials which show you the ways how to organize small kitchens, but let’s face it, they can be so confusing. You can’t really apply those ideas to your very own kitchen.
Below, we share with you the steps on how to organize small kitchens effectively that you can apply right away.
How to Organize a Small Kitchen
Declutter the mess
Storage can be one of the most complicated challenges that you must deal with when you have a kitchen with limited space, leading to a complete mess. That is why the very first thing that you need to do before you start organizing is to choose which items you need to keep and throw away.
When you find broken and defective items, don’t think twice to get rid of them. The ones that have been sitting inside each storage station for a long time and you don’t really use anymore are also not worth keeping.
Take functionality first
Now you have reduced the number of unused items around your kitchen and it’s time to categorize them based on their functionality. When it comes to a kitchen with limited space, you need to prioritize the items that you use on a daily basis by storing them in easy-to-reach locations.
You can consider storing the items below in an orderly arrangement referring to their level of functionality:
- Silverware
- Dishes like cups, plates, and bowels
- Cooking tools like whisks and spatula
- Pots and pans.
- Daily appliances like toasters and coffee makers.
Start storing the items properly
Here comes the most challenging part which is to give each item in your kitchen its own home. But no worries, you can keep the considerations below in mind to get the job done easily.
Store the go-to items conveniently
As mentioned before, you have to begin with the items that you use frequently and make sure that you can access them as easily as possible. This is to ensure that you don’t have to dig deep through the piles of items whenever you need to use them,
If the space of the walls or countertop is empty, you can turn your go-to stuff into decor items. Don’t be afraid to display things that can help the kitchen to look more aesthetics. You can showcase those plates bowls, and cups on the open shelves and hang these beautiful pans on hooks or mounted racks. The space of your countertop is good to keep some daily appliances like a coffee maker, stand mixer, and toaster oven.
Divide your drawers
When you just carelessly store your stuff inside your drawers, you actually waste a lot of space around. To solve this problem, add some dividers to your drawers so you can have more space and organize the items neater. You can either find the drawers which can match the space inside your personal drawers or get the customized ones.
Rise your cabinets
Another way to enhance the space in your storage stations is to add risers to your cabinet. They come in staircases design so you can store more items inside by creating extra surface area. If you have small cabinets, a riser is definitely an essential addition.
Stack what you can
Some of your kitchen items may be stackable and do so when it’s possible. Stacking is a good way to overcome the limited space that you are dealing with. The plates, bowls, and cups are mostly stackable but don’t do so if they are prone to slipping and breaking.
Use decanters for dry items
Do you realize that those cereal boxes actually turn your tiny kitchen into a complete mess? So, use decanters from now on.
Decanters work really well to handle big quantities of tiny items like cereals, grains, and so on without taking up a lot of space. You can find the ones which are designed in a sleek style to fit the limited space around your kitchen (square decanters are more recommended than the round ones). Further, they will also give a more decorative touch to the overall look of your kitchen.
Place a Lazy Susan
Yes, a lazy Susan can work as an additional storage station to keep your kitchen items neatly. In fact, it’s a must-have feature when you are dealing with a small space and have a lot of small items. You can easily rotate the trays to access the items that you need like the herbs, condiments, and sauces. It’s good to utilize the corner of your countertop that sometimes is overlooked.
Utilize the under sink
Don’t skip the area underneath your sink to provide extra storage space to organize your items. You don’t have to actually install the cabinets under the sink, just simply place a basket or two which will be good to store cleaning products or less-used items.
Consider using a kitchen cart
You may not be able to have a spacious pantry, so consider using a kitchen cart instead. It’s a good solution to provide moveable storage stations to keep pantry items in place. Some kitchen cart also allows you to have a compact kitchen island. However, this is only a good solution if your kitchen doesn’t have a lot of cabinets and shelves.
Find a nearby closet
You don’t always have to store your kitchen items inside the room itself. If you have a closet (with some empty space) in other rooms, don’t be afraid to store the items there, especially the ones that you rarely use. The kitchen items that you only use in Spring and Christmas are safe to store there.
(Read also: How to Create a Minimalist Home All by Yourself in No Time)
Stick to your new lifestyle
Once you have properly organized your small kitchen, you need to commit to this new lifestyle. The steps above should create a fresh organization system that you should maintain over time. One thing that you can keep in mind to prevent breaking the rules is to use the labeling system in your kitchen organization.
