Decor advice for small kitchens often includes light colors and increasing natural light. While this is great advice to make a kitchen appear larger, it does not address making a small kitchen more functional to work in.

Small kitchens are often challenging to cook in and lack essential storage. However, this doesn’t mean they have to remain this way.

If a renovation to expand the size of the room is not possible, creating an organized small kitchen should be the goal. There are plenty of smart storage options that can increase the space and functionality of a small kitchen.

Add a Kitchen Island

Kitchen islands add more counter space and storage space to the room, both of which are often lacking when in small kitchens. Even a small kitchen island can add more function to the space.

Unfortunately, the kitchen layout and square footage of small kitchens don’t always allow for one. In this case, you can use a rolling island or an island shelf.

Choose an island with shelves to make the most of the space and provide extra storage for the room.

Utilize Vertical Space

When you don’t have the space to expand outwards, do your best to expand upwards. In small kitchens, vertical space is essential and often underutilized.

A smart way to use vertical space is by adding extra tall kitchen cabinets that reach the ceiling. This space is often left empty and can provide extra shelves to help declutter the room.

If expanding the cabinets to the ceiling isn’t an option, consider using the space above the cabinets as storage with baskets or shelves.

Clear Off the Counter

With a small kitchen, the counters can get cluttered quickly and easily. Unfortunately, this makes a small kitchen feel even smaller. Lots of items on the counter also make it difficult to work and prep meals.

For a more organized small kitchen, do your best to keep the counters free by finding a place for all the items. Small appliances, dry ingredients, and cooking tools should all find a home in a cabinet or pantry.

Consider Open Shelving

One problem with small kitchens is that they can feel closed in, especially with a lot of upper cabinetry. You can swap out a small portion of the upper cabinets with open shelving.

Open shelving, especially around windows, can help natural light bounce around the room more, making a space look larger and more airy.

You can use open shelving to store dinnerware, serveware, or glassware. These are also great places to store dry ingredients or spices jars.

Use Storage Containers

Proper kitchen storage is essential for keeping everything organized in the space. Look for containers to store dry ingredients and spices to make shelves and cabinets more organized.

You can also use storage containers to help corral similar items, cleaning supplies, and other kitchen necessities to keep cabinets neat. Using matching storage containers also visually makes a kitchen look more organized.

Hang From Walls and Ceilings

Bare walls and ceilings provide plenty of opportunity for storage and organization in a small kitchen. Hang pegboards or a wire grid on a wall to create a place to hang pots and pans.

You can also add small shelves to a wall to act as a spice rack. Use a hanging rack suspended from the ceiling to hold pots and pans when they’re not in use. Getting creative with this storage will help make a kitchen more functional.

Build Storage Into Seating

Make kitchen furniture play double duty and help create space in the room. Consider a bench where the seats lift or drawers pull out. Here, you can store tablecloths, napkins, and placemats.

You can use these benches to create a casual kitchen dining space that also helps keep counters and cabinets clear.

Use the Inside of Cabinet Doors

A space underutilized in the kitchen is the inside of cabinet doors. While many homeowners focus on cupboard design, few use the space right in front of them.

If you want more storage space, consider getting cabinet door racks to hold small items. These can be great for spice jars or boxes of aluminum foil or parchment paper.

Using cabinet door racks for storage can also help free up space elsewhere in the kitchen and help the room be more organized.

Create Item-Specific Storage

Make your kitchen more organized and customized to improve the function. Look at what items your kitchen has and create specific storage around those items.

For example, if you’re a baker with lots of baking sheets and supplies, create storage solutions to address those needs. Or, if you have a lot of spices or ingredients, focus on building a pantry that can hold all of them.

Item-specific storage will also help make your kitchen more functional and work precisely how you need it.

Make Space for Appliances

Appliances often clutter up a counter, creating less space to work and space that looks perpetually messy. Create storage meant specifically to hold appliances and get them off the counter.

Many homeowners are creating appliance garages to hold blenders, crackpots, toasters, and other small appliances. These are especially great for appliances you don’t use daily, so they don’t linger around the counter.

You can dedicate a cabinet or a pantry to hold appliances when they’re not in use.

An Organized Small Kitchen That Works for You

Kitchens should be as functional as they are aesthetically pleasing. Those with small kitchens should focus on more than just details like backsplash tile and countertops because storage and organization are crucial to function.

Maximizing your space and creating an organized small kitchen are the keys to creating a room you can work in, whether you live alone, cook for a family, or love entertaining friends.

noblessa mixes elegant design and German excellence to create your dream kitchen. Allow us to transform your space with our experts! Schedule a free consultation to get started with the design process today.