Most of us have suffered through having an itty bitty kitchen at some point in our lives, whether during our student years or struggling through our first job.
I like to think of it as an educational and humbling experience, my first ever kitchen was near the same size as my parents’ pantry. But I picked up some invaluable tips on how to utilize all of the space I had. If you’re in a situation where you don’t necessarily have as much kitchen space as you would like, check out these tips to make the most of the space you do have.
Clearing up counter space
The hardest part of having a tiny kitchen is finding enough room to actually work on after you’ve moved in all of your things; with a microwave, toaster, blender and coffee maker taking up half your counter space, there really isn’t much left for chopping.
This is where roll out cabinets become incredibly handy. Instead of keeping your coffee maker on the top shelf and having to take it down every time you want to use it, invest in roll out cabinets. This way the coffee maker has a permanent home that can easily be hidden away.
Roll out cabinets are a great idea for toasters and microwaves because they do get used often, and having to lug them about every time is a pain in the behind. This way they’re not taking up space on your counter, but you can still access and hide them away again super quickly.
Creating more cupboard space
While we all usually try to organize our cupboards as well as we can, so as to use up all the space possible, sometimes we can be blind to hidden spaces like backs of doors, cupboards and under shelves.
Hanging shelves are cheap and easy to use – they usually have thin, flat hooks that go over doors, no screws or hammers involved! Whilst you might have considered throwing one over the kitchen door or pantry door, have you thought about hanging them on individual cupboard doors?
Get some miniature hanging shelves, or cut up and manipulate a larger one so you can hang small shelves on the insides of your cupboard doors. These would be great for things like spices, soup or sauce packets, and other lighter ingredients.
You can also buy some shelves to fit into taller cabinets that will divide the cupboard into two, so you can utilize the entire cupboard, not just the bottom half. Many stores sell baskets that clip onto shelves above them to create an extra shelf below.
Think vertical
Use as much wall space as you can. Magnetic strips for knives are great because then you can use the drawer space they would have taken up for other things.
Hanging pots and pans, they add a sweet, quaint feel and are incredibly useful, freeing up a lot of space in your cabinets. It’s also much easier to grab the one you want when you’re not digging around the bottom cabinet.
When working with minimal space you do have to do a lot of kitchen planning, so why not check out some showrooms near you to get inspired? You never know when you’re going to stumble upon an idea you would never have thought of yourself.
Estelle Page is an interior decorator who loves to cook and well, decorate; when she isn’t redecorating her kitchen for the umpteenth time, blogs for KDC UK, leading kitchen design specialists.
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