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Owning a small kitchen has its advantages and disadvantages. It takes less time to clean and you don’t need to move around that much whenever you cook. However, this also means that keeping too many items in the kitchen will make it look messy and disorganised very easily.
If you happen to own a kitchen that's packed with things that you don't know what to do with, and have no clue on how to start organising your kitchen, don't get discouraged! Here are 10 useful tips and tricks to help you create more space in your kitchen so that meal prepping will be a stressful, hair-pulling event no more.
Image source: Instagram | @whitneyfrenzel
Take a look at the stack of plates, glasses, cups, and cutleries you own. Are you using the same ones over and over again?
If that’s the case, it’s probably best to let go of the ones that you barely use. Also, if you have any broken or incomplete sets of kitchenware such as containers without their lids, get rid of them.
When you’ve decided which ones you want to keep, organise them in a way that makes everything accessible.
Place your everyday dishes in a plate rack near the sink, in the lower shelves of a cabinet, or an easily accessible area inside a pullout drawer. You can also opt for open shelving, but it’s not really recommended as it will expose your cutleries to dust and other contaminants.
Image source: Instagram | @home_renovation09
Cutleries are usually long rather than wide, making them perfect for vertical storage.
This works even better if you own a deep drawer. Use tall drawer dividers that are typically used for closet organisation to make compartments in your drawer.
If you can’t find any of such dividers, cut up some old tissue boxes or reuse regular storage containers for placing your cutleries. Apart from making everything visible and easily accessible, this trick will instantly create more space in your pantry.
Having multiple boxes of disposables such as aluminum foil, cling wrap, and baking paper lying everywhere takes up a lot of space.
Without their individual packages, these things are actually quite space-friendly. To make your space tidier, take them out of their boxes and transfer all of them into a single container.
You’ll probably lose the metal cutter that usually comes with the boxes, but this tip is something you can use if you’re absolutely short of space in your kitchen, or if the boxes are torn/broken, making them unusable. To replace the metal cutters, you can use a pair of scissors.
Image source: Instagram | @sharonfruitti
Kitchen appliances such as your mixer, juicer, and toaster occupy a lot of space in the kitchen when they’re not stored in an organised manner.
We recommend storing kitchen appliances in cupboards to free up more space in your kitchen and on the counter top.
Place the ones you use the least frequently at the back of a cupboard, and put the ones you use regularly in front.
Also, after your appliances are washed and dried, quickly reassemble and return them to their designated spots instead of leaving the individual components lying around.
Not only do they make your kitchen space look messy, this also increases the chances of you misplacing them, especially if you own many kitchen appliances!
As for the items that were bought impulsively and haven’t been used in ages, it's probably best to bid them farewell and give them a new home.
Image source: Instagram | @honeyandcoblog
Fabric towels might seem like they don’t occupy much space in the pantry cabinet, but if multiple sheets are tossed into a drawer without proper folding and organisation, they will become a mess and take up valuable space that you can use for storing other things.
Tightly rolling your cloth towels is the easiest way to fit more towels into the same place.
Adding drawers or baskets inside the cabinet will also help in organizing towels—it allows you to stack multiple towels and even separate them by color or function. Check out this link for a clearer guide!
Image source: Instagram | @miamilivingco
Shelf stackers and wall shelves will provide more vertical space when you add them to your kitchen.
Putting a shelf stacker on the countertop allows you to display things such as spice jars and sauce containers on top of each other in a neat and organised fashion.
Adding wall shelves is also a great option for creating more storage space in your kitchen and reducing clutter in your cabinets. When appropriately installed, wall shelves are very durable and can hold a variety of things, from cookbooks to ceramic dinnerware.
Image source: IKEA
The empty area above your stove is quite often overlooked, but it’s actually the perfect spot to keep some of the cookware that you regularly use.
If you do not have a stove hood, consider adding a wall shelf or a rail with multiple hooks on the empty space above your stove (also called the kitchen backsplash).
These hooks are perfect for displaying and organising kitchen utensils such as your pans, skillets, and spatula. IKEA’s Fintorp series is a great choice for creating some extra space on your backsplash.
Image source: Instagram | @one_small_home
Using the windowsill to place items is great for expanding the storage space in your kitchen.
If your sink is situated near or in front of the windowsill, you can use the space to place your dishwashing items. This also allows for plenty of sun to reach them!
Also, if the windowsill in your kitchen is deep enough, try moving some canisters and jars there. However, refrain from putting things that are too big, since it’s probably going to block the sunlight.
Image source: Instagram | @thatchedcottagecotswolds
Consider using a cupboard or closet in a nearby room to store your kitchenware if there’s just not enough space in the kitchen.
Wooden or metal cupboards are best suited for this since no one will be able to see what’s in it—even if you’re storing cookware and frying pans in your living room.
Image source: Instagram | @monkeyhigh
Although it’s not common in Singapore, a rolling pantry placed between your fridge and a wall will give you a lot more extra space for storing items that do not have dedicated storage space in your kitchen.
Rolling pantries are great for storing non-perishable items like canned food and dry breakfast cereals. You’ll be amazed at how much clutter can be reduced from utilising vertical storage!
While many of us enjoy whipping up treats in the kitchen, not all of us have the privilege of owning a spacious kitchen.
A small kitchen can also be made into a comfortable haven for churning out your favourite treats by simply using these reorganising tips and optimising your space.
When reorganising your kitchen, aim to create a space where you can truly enjoy cooking.
A small kitchen might need some tweaks here and there to make it feel less constraining, but it’s not as complicated as you think!
Try applying our kitchen reorganisation tips and bring out your kitchen’s full potential. In a tidy and uncluttered kitchen, cooking and baking will certainly be a more delightful experience!
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