6 Simple Tips on How to Maximise Your Kitchen Space

Sometimes it feels like you do not have any free space in your kitchen. And there is nothing worse than coming back home from work and going to the kitchen to make yourself a good, tasty meal in a crowded and cluttered kitchen.  

But do not lose hope, instead of focusing on the space that you do not have, here are some tips on how to utilize the area that you do have in the best way.  

Shelves are your best friends 

If you have a lot of vertical space, the best way to make use of it is to put up a lot of shelves. Organize them in a way that is the best for you. For example, on the higher shelves, put items that you rarely use, and on the lower, more accessible shelves, put things that you use daily. By installing shelves, you will clean up a lot of mess on the counters that you actually need to chop and cook.  

Another great idea for organizing your cooking utensils is a pot rack. If you have a low ceiling, you can install a smaller version above your kitchen sink.  

But pots and pans are not the only things that you can hang on your walls. Mugs are also something that you can put up on your wall. Apart from clearing out your precious shelf space, brewing your morning coffee will be much easier.  

(Image is by Tony Smith, permitted for use from Pexels)

Store your cleaning supplies in a smart way 

Cleaning supplies often take up too much space in your kitchen, but they are a necessity. Install a pull-out drawer, or keep the supplies in the area under your sink, but keep in mind that you have to store the cleaning supplies away from your food. If you have kids or inquisitive pets, make sure to lock drawers with your cleaning supplies, because these chemicals are often very toxic. But they do not have to be. You do not have to use dangerous supplies for cleaning, because there are perfectly good eco-friendly products to clean your kitchen with. Not only is it more safe for your family and pets, but it is also better for our environment.  

Sometimes, people tend to stack all of their cleaning supplies under the sink, which makes that cabinet very crowded, so much so, that they cannot take out a supply they need without taking out everything. The best way to deal with overly cluttered cleaning storage is to divide the area into two shelves and place everything in a visible and reachable place.  

Organize your food storage 

Instead of cluttering your shelves and storage with food packaging, you can put them in neatly organized bins and jars. That way, you will have all the ingredients visible and clean. You can set the jars with ingredients you often use on your kitchen counter and easily grab them whenever you need them.  

Another creative way to store items in jars and boxes is in the cabinet doors. Install hooks and racks on as many doors as you need and store any frequently used ingredients or cooking utensils.  

(Image is by  Pixabay, permitted for use from Pexels)

Use up the narrow spaces  

Do you know that tight space between your fridge and the wall? You can use it! Make a shelf on install some wheels on it, and you have created your own DIY hidden storage area. How much space you have determines how wide your shelf can be. If you can rearrange and move your fridge a bit, you will be able to store much more, but if you can't, at least not you have somewhere to put your spice containers and other tiny objects in your kitchen. Or you can even store your canned goods and other nonperishable food. Just pull it out whenever you need it. This will save you a lot of space that would otherwise be unused. 

Make it moveable 

If you need extra space to store your kitchen utensils or a preparation area, you can make a moveable counter in your kitchen. Instead of having one in the middle of your kitchen, now you can move it around as you want it. Not only does that add up to your storage, but it also gives you some space to prepare the food, without creating a lot of clutter. Just put some wheels on your counter and make it moveable.  

You can do this with pretty much anything. There are many storage areas on wheels in stores, so you do not even have to build your own. Although it will take up some space, you can also roll it out of the kitchen when you need all of the kitchen area, or move it to a corner where you will not be very often. 

(Image is by Mark McCammon, permitted for use from Pexels)

Use the sink 

The sink is usually used only for washing the dishes, but there is a way to make use of it better. For example, buy a chopping board that fits over the sink or set up the bulky dish drier over it. When you are not using the sink, it can save you a lot of space and make the washing/chopping process much faster and easier.  

No matter how small your kitchen is, it does not need to be cluttered. There are always ways to make the best out of the tiny space, especially if you add a touch of creativity to it. Keep in mind that whenever you are dealing with the lack of space, the key is to think vertically and have fun decorating your space.

(Featured image at top is by Pixabay, permitted for use from Pexels)

Author Bio

Morgan Rose Elliott is an aromatherapist, yoga instructor, animal lover, and a happily married mother of three. She enjoys reading biographies and writing poems, sunny days on the beach and any shape and form of vanilla. Crazy about the 80s, her favorite band is Duran Duran (although kids prefer Franz Ferdinand, and the husband Blink182) and she is obsessed with Netflix original Stranger Things.