Ideas for Organizing a Small Kitchen

Getting Rid of Clutter

• Clearing the clutter in your kitchen area provides more usable space and makes it seem tidier. Get rid of unnecessary appliances that you never use. Store appliances that you use seasonally or rarely, such as a milkshake maker or canner in another room, a closet, or the attic or basement. Remove decor that takes up counter space useful in preparing or cooking foods. Look through each drawer and cabinet to get rid of unnecessary or rarely used items. Donate them to someone who can use them, or store the items in a location where you can retrieve them quickly if needed, such as an under-the-bed plastic storage container. Clearing the clutter allows you and other family members to store necessary gadgets and utensils in the proper place. It also enables you to grab items quickly when they are near the location where used.

Creating a Flow

• Place pots and pans in cabinets near the stove area in your small kitchen. You will then only have to walk a couple of steps to grab the item you need. Likewise, place dishes in a cabinet near the dishwasher area and beverage glasses near the refrigerator. Creating a flow in the kitchen area makes for quick preparation and serving of meals.

Using Storage

• Add adjustable shelving to your cabinets and pantry if they don't already have them. Adjustable shelves may be moved to accommodate the heights of the foods you store. For instance, more space is necessary for cereal boxes and canisters of flour, cornmeal or other staples. Less space is necessary for canned goods, condiments and other items. Store small items, such as spices, seasoning, pudding or other mixes in attractive wicker baskets, which keeps the small items together so that you can locate them quickly when necessary. Use decorative hooks to display your dishtowels, pot holders or oven mitts, which utilizes the vertical space and creates more drawer or counter space. It also adds attractive decor to the walls. Purchase magnetic strips to hang metal items, such as kitchen knives or other metal tools. Decorative tall containers are useful in holding soup ladles, spatulas and other equipment you use often.

Space-Saving Tools

• Invest in space-saving tools for your kitchen area. Hanging a pot and pan rack on a wall or ceiling utilizes these bare spaces. Purchase under-the-counter can openers, coffeemakers, microwaves and other appliances that come in a space-saving model. Lazy Susans are flat shelves that rotate, which makes a convenient space to store your canned goods, spices and other food items in a cabinet. It also prevents having to move items to reach whatever you need. Invest in quality plastic storage containers for your pantry. They are airtight and take up less space than bulky packages. These types of storage containers also keep the foods fresher longer, thus saving you money.