Solutions for a small kitchen

Not enough space? same here. First things first however, edit what you own! I know I'm guilty of having and hanging on to things that I don't really use or need. One thing that has really tamed that vice in me is moving every year. I would sell or donate more and more of my possessions with each move, because I was tired of all the boxes! I can't recall a time when I said to myself, "gee, I wish I hadn't gotten rid of that!" Regardless, sometimes your apartment or house still doesn't have enough square footage for even the most stringent minimalist. This week I'm going to focus on kitchens, where maintaining an organization system, once you have it in place, is crucial. Hopefully, these images will provide some solutions!


Magnetic strips are my best friend. And mount everything you possibly can, i.e., the dustbuster is mounted as opposed to taking up precious surface real estate.

Clear boxes, like these from muji, are really important at keeping cupboard chaos at bay. I hate having everything tumbling out while I'm searching. Stackable containers are great too.

Use the insides of doors too. This shelving system looks custom, but I utilized this idea myself. I bought some simple wire spice racks from Bed Bath & Beyond, mounted them inside my pantry door, and now I have a great way to organize my smaller jars and cans, and I don't have to dig around for them.

The skinny vertical bookshelves are really starting to grow on me, and the owner's of this kitchen used one to take advantage of even the smallest bit of wall space.

An organization system like this one can be found at Ikea, or other organization stores.

hmmm... love this kitchen rack, but I would need way more bottle mounts.

My all-time favorite kitchen organizing idea, made famous by Julia Child. So great!

Excellent use of space, and it's pretty too!

Look! No space went unused - a shelf in front of the window.

Images via my Flickr photostream

Make your small kitchen work

Small kitchen? No counter space? No cabinet space? I share your pain, and it's probably one of the reasons I don't spend enough time cooking--that and whatever I attempt to make never turns out too well.

One trick that has served me well in the kitchen is to think vertically. I have doubled space in my kitchen by storing things on the walls. I found a long rectangular wooden box, painted it white, and screwed it to the wall, and now it is a great and convenient place to store my spices and things I need to grab quickly.

The wall behind my stove is exposed brick, so i just grabbed some metal hooks and large nails I had loose in the tool box, and pushed them into holes I found already existing in the bricks. It is a great way to hang my skillets and my wok! A magnetic strip screwed under my makeshift spice rack is another great catch-all for knives and utensils I need on hand.

Well utilized kitchen space...

image from California Closets



Storing pantry items in canisters or jars makes them easy to access, keeps them fresh, and the uniformity of the containers instantly adds a look of order. Image from The Kitchn


Even though this kitchen is small, it's compact and set up in an organized way. I love the magnetic spice containers on the fridge.
Image from The Kitchn


Shelves are our friends. Installing shelves is an excellent way to add A LOT of storage space, and allows you to keep counter surfaces clear as workspace. Shelving doesn't have to be expensive either. Image from marthastewart.com


The Ikea Grundtal bars are popping up in small apartments everywhere, the canisters are from Storables, and the galley ledge from Pottery Barn. Image from Not Martha



This idea is really smart, and from none other than Julia Child (thanks Upstart). Outfit a kitchen wall of any size with peg board. You can have it cut to size at a hardware store. After that, you can hang a multitude of baskets, bins, pots, and pans. Top Image from marthastewart.com,
bottom from domino



Kitchen carts can really come in handy for storing small kitchen appliances and provide extra work surfaces. Even better if they're on wheels!
Above two images from marthastewart.com