I’ve lived in my apartment for almost two years now and spend a lot of my time in the kitchen, so I thought it was about time to share my top 3 tips for working with a small kitchen space.
If you’re moving out on your own for the first time, moving into a new space, or organizing your existing space don’t feel like you have to organize and buy all the kitchen tools at once. That’s certainly not what I did. You can add on naturally according to your needs and lifestyle.
Add storage wherever you can.
I’m so glad my apartment came with some features in the kitchen that add extra storage. For one, there is a horizontal paper towel holder on the door to the water heater closet, which saves valuable counter space. There are two shelves below the pantry cabinet (is that a phrase?) that are held up by double rail tracking. Either the landlord or previous tenants must have added them in.
To make dish washing more efficient, I got a dish rack for the sink and towel rack that fits over one of the cabinet doors beneath the sink. Paul also got us a spice rack that sits out on the counter, which saves space in the pantry. We also have an IKEA RÅSKOG utility cart in the dining area that adds in some extra storage space.
Have a home for every little thing.
Earlier this year, I organized the pantry so that the things I use least often are on the top shelf, most of my baking supplies are on the middle shelf, and the items I use most often are on the bottom shelf. Everything has it’s place. My pots, pans, and other kitchen supplies are organized similarly. With limited cabinet space, you have to use it wisely.
Each little thing on the two shelves beneath my pantry is sorted. I use a wicker basket to store staple items like bread, tortillas, rice, and dry beans. My cookbook collection is organized according to height and popularity.
Be choosy about what you buy.
Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, I’ve found that it’s important to me to put careful thought into everything I bring into my kitchen. Appliances in particular can take up a lot of space, so small kitchens can only house so many. To keep a small kitchen organized, carefully consider every item in the space and it’s usefulness.
When I moved in with my boyfriend almost two years ago, he didn’t have any appliances. I brought in a coffee maker and a toaster that I had from my time spent living in an apartment my junior year of college. Those both broke fairly quickly. I replaced the toaster with a toaster oven, and the coffee maker with a ceramic drip coffee filter.
The toaster oven is always out on the counter and takes up valuable space. I had to make the choice between either getting a toaster oven or a microwave and I chose a toaster oven. I also bought a blender and got a slow cooker as a Christmas gift last year. With all that I’ve just about hit the maximum amount of appliances that will fit comfortably in my space. I’m happy with them for the most part, but I might want to opt for a microwave instead of the toaster oven after another year or so.
In what ways do you keep your kitchen space organized? Share your favorite tips in the comments below.
Modern Notebook 