1. Ways to save space in your kitchen: keep cool and organize your fridge
One of the first ways to make the space work is to get your fridge organized. It may sound simple but being able to find things swiftly helps your kitchen work more efficiently. You’ll always be able to find items and will never reach for a new jar when you have one already open, ensuring you avoid food waste. Make sure that items you use most frequently are on the door rack or at eye level. If you’ve got one of the best French door refrigerators (opens in new tab), you’ll be at an advantage here as these are designed so that you can see all of your food without even having to bend down. Get some stackable food storage boxes that fit your shelves (don’t forget many shelves can be moved) and use different colors or stickers for different foods. Next, invest in stackable wine bottle holders, plus boxes to group similar things like yogurt, breakfast spreads, sauces, etc. Consider silicone storage bags, which are both reusable and eco-friendly, to store fresh food or leftovers. Be sure to label these bags up so you can keep track of when food goes off.
2. Ways to save space in your kitchen: start stacking
Stacking is a great storage method that can be used inside cabinets, on shelves, and on countertops. Invest in some attractive stacking jars and have them out on display for often-used items like coffee, pasta, sugar, and rice. Inexpensive jars and plastic boxes can be put out of sight inside cabinets – make sure to label them clearly, so you know what’s where. Next, look for some stacking stands for the counter; you can put small items below them, taller ones above. Not only does this create more room in the same space but you can see everything at a glance, too. Display colorful spices on rotating stands on your countertops - don’t hide them!
3. Ways to save space in your kitchen: get hooked
In a small kitchen, hooks can be a great storage solution – and can look pretty cool too, as you can display your decorative items in the open. Use them for towels, brushes and pans, bunches of herbs, chopping boards, aprons – anything you like! Hang cooking utensils behind the stove where they are handy, mugs from shelves, pots from a rack below a shelf, and fabric items like aprons, towels and washcloths from hooks fixed to the sides of your cabinets.
4. Ways to save space in your kitchen: use your walls
Now you’re thinking about additional spaces to store kitchen gear, ask yourself what every shelf and cabinet can do. The answer…they can be customized to create more storage! Firstly, shallow shelves are great. They can be fixed up in small spaces that would otherwise be wasted and hold canisters and boxes one deep, so you can immediately see everything. Freestanding shelf units are useful, as they can go in small corners to display your plates and bowls. Rails are very versatile. Fix them to the splashback above a sink for washcloths, scrubbing brushes, and utensils, to the side of cabinets for towels and underneath shelves for pot hooks. Next, a hanging rack for stemware can hang wine glasses upside down from the underside of a shelf, or inside a cabinet. Wire racks can hold plates, baking trays, and pot lids inside cabinets.
5. Ways to save space in your kitchen: magnetic appeal
Magnetic shelves can attach to the side of your fridge, making the most of a space that’s so often wasted. Magnetic clips will hold shopping lists and notes and magnetic knife racks will keep all your blades at hand.
6. Ways to save space in your kitchen: invest in a portable dishwasher
If lack of space makes it tricky to include a full-sized dishwasher (opens in new tab) without losing valuable cabinet space, consider one of the best countertop dishwashers (opens in new tab). These are ideal for smaller households and although they have a small capacity, they work efficiently. As most of these dishwashers are front-opening, you have a top surface to store things too.
7. Ways to save space in your kitchen: front and center
If you don’t have a laundry room, there are still ways you can save space around your washing appliances. Opting for one of the best front load washers (opens in new tab) means you still have a countertop above, which can be used to store laundry detergent in baskets or can be used to stack with a dryer (opens in new tab). A small corner space may be all you have for laundry equipment, in which case take a peek at our best portable washers (opens in new tab), and if you really can’t fit in two machines, consider exploring our best washer dryer combos (opens in new tab). For more on this, check out our feature dedicated to laundry room ideas (opens in new tab).
8. Ways to save space in your kitchen: portable solutions
A butcher’s block or utility cart on wheels can be a great investment. The top can be used for chopping and storage, the shelves below hold vegetables and it can be wheeled into a corner or slid under a countertop when you’re not using it. Some are narrow enough to slip between cabinets.
9. Ways to save space in your kitchen: best meal of the day
If space is tight, consider doing without the dining table and have stools that sit under a breakfast bar. Alternatively, a folding table and chairs set is a great solution. Remember those cup hooks? You can even hang spare chairs from those.
10. Ways to save space in your kitchen: maximize cupboard space
The inside of cabinets can often be customized too. Start by deciding what’s going inside each one; if it’s beside the stove, it could be oils and cooking sauces, for example. Collect together similar size items and move a shelf to sit just above them, rather than leaving empty space. Do the same with each one of your cabinets. To find things inside your cabinets, treat yourself to some cupboard dividers (great for flat items) or pan lid racks, pull-out racks with one or two drawers, and rotary racks that work like a Lazy Susan. Risers help you see everything at a glance. You can also hold flat items like pan lids, chopping boards, and bun tins on a clever rack that fixes to the inside of the cabinet door.
