Seven Small Kitchen Storage Ideas

Small kitchens have many advantages, but finding storage space can still be challenging. Using a variety of kitchen storage ideas, you can have everything you need without clutter above the fridge or underneath the sink. Having a place for each type of ware and avoiding duplicate items will go a long way to making your compact kitchen a cooking oasis.

OPEN SHELVES

One of the best ways to help your kitchen feel bigger while supplying ample storage space is to use open shelves rather than upper cabinets. Open shelves can run along a wall, above doors, above appliances or anywhere else you have free wall space. Better still, they can store more than just dishes and food, but plants and other items you'd like to keep visible.

VERTICAL SPACE

Not only will open shelves help widen the room, but you can take them all the way to the ceiling. Store rarely used items on the top shelves and save lower tiers for everyday sets of containers and plates. Another way to create vertical storage space in your kitchen, according to Better Homes And Gardens, is through the use of hanging pot racks. Pot racks can also add decorative elements to a small kitchen, depending on where you put them (tip: above the stove).

FREEING UP SPACE

Counter space is a luxury in small kitchens. Find ways to move things off the counter and onto the walls or even the island, assuming this is the kitchen's design. Magnetic knife racks eliminate the need for a block or a drawer for knives; just make sure yours is kept in a safe place. And just like pot racks, hooks are an essential kitchen storage idea. Keep in mind you can use them for coffee mugs, utensils, pans and kitchen linens, as well. Hooks meant for kitchenware can be placed inside cabinets, on doors and certain accent walls.

HIDDEN STORAGE

Small kitchens often lack a pantry and enough cabinet space for everything. Hidden storage can make a huge difference. A slide-out kitchen pantry that tucks in beside the fridge makes a great place to store food items you don't have room for but deserve to be stowed together. Shelving inside cabinets creates even more space. Placing a shelf over layers of plates, for example, doubles the amount of space you can use in an upper cabinet and ensures you give taller items the height they need.

SMALLER APPLIANCES

If you're remodeling your kitchen, consider smaller appliances along the way. Not everyone needs the traditional-sized oven they had when they moved in. A smaller oven, pull-out dishwasher or refrigerator can all free up space for the more important cabinetry. These appliances need to fit your lifestyle, and a small kitchen can easily be overwhelmed by a large, double-door fridge and six-burner stove.

A CART

A kitchen cart can serve many purposes. Choose one with a cutting board for a top, and you don't need a separate board. This cart also works as a small island and, if you choose one with a folding top, a kitchen table. Another bonus is using the belly of the cart for kitchen storage. Carts can hold pots and pans, baking dishes, linens, herbs, spices and utensils.

DRAWER ORGANIZERS

As you know, one of the keys to keeping a small space clean and clutter-free is organization. For this reason, drawer organizers are the perfect asset in a small kitchen. You can even add plastic drawers for extra storage under the sink or in the surrounding cabinets.

No matter what kitchen storage ideas you use, keeping your kitchen clean and cutting down on items you seldom use or already have will help give your food room a spacious atmosphere. Regularly clean your cabinets with a natural product like Murphy® Oil Soap. Store things in places that make sense for their use and it'll be easier to keep the kitchen clean.

This article was brought to you by Colgate-Palmolive Company, the makers of Murphy® Oil Soap. The views and opinions expressed by the author do not reflect the position of the Colgate-Palmolive Company.