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Clever storage ideas for small kitchens


21 Small Kitchen Storage Ideas That Actually Work

By

Grace Gallagher

Grace Gallagher

Grace Gallagher is a lifestyle expert and writer with five years of experience covering home furnishings, storage, and organization, as well as health, fitness, and beauty. She has also written for Greatist, Veracity Selfcare, Brit + Co, and Healthline. Grace also taught creative writing workshops in Portland, Oregon.

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Updated on 01/07/22

The Spruce / Christopher Lee Foto

A small kitchen can be frustrating, especially if you love to cook or entertain. But even the tiniest spaces can be functional (and even fun to be in), and these clever storage solutions for small kitchens will inspire you to take your kitchen from cramped and cluttered to organized and airy.

From behind-the-door storage to lazy Susans and stackable bins, here are small, easy tweaks you can make so your space feels bigger and more organized. When you have a space for everything, you can spend more time cooking and eating and less time looking for a spice or gadget you know you have crammed deep in a drawer elsewhere in your home.

The Best Kitchen Cabinet Organizers for Every Storage Woe

51 Best Kitchen Organization Ideas

Aaron Colussi / Thomas Loof for Country Living

When you're the chef of the house, the kitchen can become cluttered and overwhelming, especially if you have a small space. If you're looking for smart and efficient ways to store your essentials, browse through our roundup of unique kitchen organization ideas. We're sharing clever ways to make use of your cooking area, including a few DIYs and useful installations.

From finding the best racks to store your spices and ingredients to the best drawers and countertop ideas to corral utensils, our list will help you tackle everyday cooking items and appliances you can never find a place for. And as an organization tip, Nicole Papantoniou, Director of Good Housekeeping's Kitchen Appliances & Culinary Innovation Lab, suggests grouping items together to make them easier to find and store. "The most accessible things should be the things you use most often," she says. "Use high cabinets and hard-to-reach places for things you rarely use." For instance, if you're not a huge baker, keep those baking essentials above your fridge.

Ready to get organized? Say goodbye to the messy drawers and pantries (check out our best kitchen cabinet drawer organizers and clever pantry organizing tips for more ideas) and say hello to the clean, sleek and glamorous kitchen you designed when your family first moved in.

Watchtower Interiors

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Ditch Countertop Produce Bowls

Pack a deep drawer full of removable bins (like in this custom cabinet from Watchtower Interiors). If you use them to sort produce that doesn't need to be refrigerated, you'll never lose precious counter space to a fruit or veggie bowl again.

Settled

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Add Bins to Your Bottom Drawers

Reserve your bottom kitchen drawers for jars and cans. Use 16"-deep bins to keep them organized and label each bin so you know where to find what you need quickly.

SHOP DRAWER BINS

Bakes & Kropp Photography

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Store Pots and Pans in Sliding Shelves

If you can't fit your pots and pans into your square cabinet, consider installing a corner pullout cabinet system. It'll easily open and close, while making those pots accessible.

Bakes & Kropp Photography

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Install a Pullout Pantry

Pullout cabinets are sneaky ways to keep your kitchen organized. They allow you to grab items from both sides, plus it gives you easy access to what's hidden in the back.

Diamond Cabinets

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Or Try a Tall Pull-Out Pantry Drawer

Keep unsightly — but frequently used — cans, bottles, and other staples within reach with this sleek pull-out pantry setup from Diamond Cabinets.

Eric Piasecki

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Design a Bar Area

If you're a wine lover, add slide-in trays to your cabinets to store your drinks. You can also use drawer dividers.

SHOP DRAWER DIVIDERS

Art Streiber

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Add Pot Racks to Your Walls or Inside Your Pantry

Pot racks are great for hanging pots and pans that can't fit in your drawers or oven. Use racks to hang them in an empty space on your wall or inside your pantry, where they'll be hidden yet secure for grabbing.

Lauren Pressey

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Add Corner Shelves in a Small Kitchen

Fill that empty corner with functional accents. Designer Kate Lester upgraded this kitchen with reclaimed barn wood shelves — perfect for a farmhouse flair.

SHOP CORNER SHELVES

Jason Hartog

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Utilize Your Island's Storage

Your kitchen island can be a great place to store most essentials — at least the heavier ones. Purchase an island with hidden cabinets on both sides to place your pots, pans, linens and single-use items.

Amy Bartlam. Design: Jenn Feldman Designs

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Create a Slide-Out Prep Station

Here's a clever solution for a kitchen short on counter space: Build a butcher block board into a drawer like designer Jenn Feldman did here. With a hole right over the trash can, it's easy to dump peels and pits as you go, using a scrapper-chopper.

Diamond Cabinets

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Add a Paper Towel Cabinet Inside Your Trash Bin Drawer

What makes this trash and recycling bin drawer from Diamond Cabinets stand out from all the rest: the built-in paper towel rod above it. Cleaning up kitchen messes has never been easier.

Margaret Rajic

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Design a Beverage Nook

Similar to this look by designer Kate Marker, you can upgrade your kitchen with a pantry cabinet that's functional and eye-catching. This one includes a beautiful counter workspace that's brilliant for prepping your morning coffee and storing your mugs and cups.

Decora Cabinetry

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Put a K-Cup Organizer in Your Drawer

Searching through the cabinet for your favorite coffee before you're caffeinated can feel, well . .. exhausting. This custom K-Cup drawer from Decora Cabinetry lets you store all of your options (up to 40 at any given time, in fact) face-up for easy early-morning locating.

Rev-A-Shelf

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Install a Charging Drawer

This sleek drawer idea is the secret to banishing unsightly cord clutter. Planning a reno? Talk to your contractor. You could also DIY it by installing a surge protector in an existing drawer or pick up this fully loaded version from Rev-A-Shelf.

SHOP CHARGING DRAWERS

ShelfGenie

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Try a Tray Organizing Drawer

Serving trays, baking sheets, and other large tins can be a pain to store in often-unaccommodating cabinets. Swap your usual stack of pans for this tray-friendly drawer from ShelfGenie to keep them upright and easy to locate.

Eric Lawler

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Design a Wine and Drinks Section

An ordinary closet in your kitchen can become the ultimate drinks station, where you store your favorites and separate them by type. Installing motion-sensor lights is another great addition.

Rev-a-Shelf

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Add a Food Storage Container Drawer Organizer

Fact: The Tupperware cabinet is the hardest part of a kitchen to keep orderly. But that's where this genius drawer organizer comes in — it has a spot for every last one of your food storage containers and their matching lids.

SHOP DRAWER ORGANIZERS

Mike Garten

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Designate a Drawer for Dishes

Keep your dishes protected and in place with adjustable plate holders, perfect for deeper drawers. Opt for holders with carrying handles, so you can lift them out of the drawer when it's time to set the table.

SHOP DISH HOLDERS

Victoria Pearson

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Or Try a Peg Drawer Organizer

Or you can try a built-in quick-to-assemble peg system allows you to move your plates from high-up cabinets to deep, down-low drawers. (The best part: They'll be easier to pull out and put away. )

SHOP PEG SYSTEMS

Danielle Occhiogrosso

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Attach a Spice Rack to Your Walls

Keep your condiments away from your counter space with a spice rack. Attach the rack to one part of your kitchen wall or use a hanging rack on your pantry's door.

SHOP SPICE RACK

ShelfGenie

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Or Add a Spice Drawer Organizer

Tired of digging around the back of your spice cabinet until you finally find the cumin? This genius drawer from ShelfGenie puts your full collection on display.

Mike Garten

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Install Bracketed Shelves

If there's an open space you haven't yet designed, install bracketed shelves for a practical look. They're not as bulky as cabinets and they'll make great storage for your colorful and cute glassware.

Dr. Organizer

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Install a Pull-Out Pots and Pans Drawer Organizer

If you've ever tried to pull a pan out of a big, heavy pile just to be met with a cookware avalanche, you're not alone. Avoid the crashing and clattering with this pull-out organizer, where you can hang up to 100 pounds worth of pots and pans on adjustable hooks.

SHOP PULL-OUT ORGANIZER

Erika LaPresto

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Create a Command Station

Stick chalkboard contact paper and adhesive pockets to the inside of one of your cabinets, so that everyone in your household knows where to look to find the grocery list, coupons, recipes and WiFi password. Add a plastic pouch to store coupons and receipts!

SHOP CHALKBOARD CONTACT PAPER

Smart Design

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Add a Refrigerator Egg Drawer

Easily organize fresh eggs with this refrigerator-ready drawer. (Worth noting: This organizer comes fully assembled, so all you have to do is clip it on to one of your fridge's shelves.)

SHOP EGG DRAWER

Lucy Call

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Mount a Double-Duty Shelf

Here, one shelf gives you two smart ways to store your kitchen essentials: Stick seasonal platters and pretty dishes on the top shelf for all to see, and hang cutting boards and oven mitts on the lower hooks.

Aaron Colussi

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Arrange Baskets High and Low

Trevor Tondro

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Make the Most of Your Drawers

Find ways to make your drawers work for you. Carve out spaces to hold your most-used utensils, baking supplies and spices. In this case, an ice cream-obsessed family dedicated an entire drawer to their sundae-making essentials.

Thomas Loof for Country Living

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Fill up Clear Canisters

When done right, your pantry staples can make an eye-catching display. Transfer all of your nuts, cereals, pastas and baking ingredients into glass jars, marking each and every one with a custom chalkboard label.

Mike Garten

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Add a Built-in Storage Block

Build a knife block into a narrow drawer to keep your knives sharp and secure — and your hands safe.

17 Smart Storage Ideas You Might Not Know - INMYROOM

Tips

The typical kitchen leaves us no chance - we continue to experiment with storage systems in search of new ideal options. Join if you love order as much as we do

Putting all the items and accessories compactly in a tiny kitchen is possible! Today we tell you how to store dishes wisely, find a place for accessories, and also some DIY ideas and sorting solutions to help you make the most of every inch of your limited space.

1. Open

Open shelving does not take up a lot of space and visually does not "weight" the kitchen space. A stylish bookcase can be placed both on the floor and on the table or on the surface of the tabletop - in Either way, it will look spectacular.

2. Wicker helpers

Wicker baskets excellent look in kitchens of almost any style, but this is not the only one advantage: they can store kitchen utensils, for example, cutting boards, and even groceries.

3. Let's move forward!

Built-in drawers – smart and practical solution: they slide smoothly over the worktop, and the presence several tiers makes the process of finding the supplies you are looking for easy and fast.

4. Unexpected use

Office organizers can easily transform into hanging shelves for light items - such as a sponge or a small pot of flowers. Fantasize!

5. Hanging

Perforated wall panel with holes - an ingenious solution. With the help of hooks you can hang on She has all the necessary little things, from scissors to towels.

6. All by containers

Plastic containers are practically a synonym for the phrase "smart storage". With their help, you can sort kitchen supplies and utensils, keep them in order and under hand. Do not forget to stick labels so as not to get confused, or navigate by flowers.

7. Clean up

Integrated cutting board, which can be pulled out of the countertop - what could be simpler and more convenient? Can make one more improvement - a hole for cleaning, right under which place the urn.

8. Utensils

storage of dishes, especially festive ones, usually lying on the upper shelves: so you won't have to tiptoe for a heavy service. Particularly good boxes equipped with movable pins. With their help, you can control space for plates of different sizes.

9. Deep approach

One can only shake hands with that the person who invented the countertop with a small hole in the shape of a shallow bowls in it. Thanks to this invention, fruits and eggs will not roll and will calmly wait for your turn.

10. Cardboard storage

Everyone knows a funny anecdote about "package for packages". To avoid repeating common mistakes, keep cellophane bags are elegant: just place them in the tissue box!

11. Gentle curves

Curved shelves - not just an elegant element of decor, but an excellent solution for convenient and safe storage glass bottles, especially wine.

12. Aroma protection

Store spices in a closed drawer is much more logical than open shelves. Exactly thanks to this approach, they will be safe from moisture and direct sunlight rays and retain their flavors.

13. Spinning-spinning

Use corner space using round shelves rotating like a carousel. In addition to saving space, there is another advantage: there will be no more kitchen utensils, pushed into the distance so that they can not be reached.

14. Compact transformation

To really expand kitchen space, use the most unexpected places. For example, a box under sink is usually a "false" shelf, but with the addition hinged panel on stainless steel hinges, it will turn into a compact a place to store sponges and other oversized accessories.

15. Unused resources

Use your best unused space! For example, the opening between the refrigerator and the wall is suitable for a pull-out (using wheels) shelf for storing canned food or a narrow shelves with drawers.

16. Sit in a corner

Place benches next to the table instead of chairs! They take up much less space, look stylish and concisely, and most importantly, they can serve as a space for storing anything.

17. Lids to order

Because of the pot lid handles and frying pans are difficult to adapt so that they do not take up much space. Try installing a rod inside a drawer to store them in vertical position.

You can choose and buy kitchen items in our catalog. For example:

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30 Brilliant Kitchen Storage Ideas - INMYROOM

DIY

Perforated wall panel, mesh baskets, magnetic bar - we've rounded up the best, budget-friendly and practical storage ideas for kitchen utensils and accessories. They definitely won't give clutter a chance.

With the bathroom storage sorted out, we went on the offensive, declaring war on kitchen clutter. Maintaining order here is not so easy - as a rule, a kitchen set cannot cope with crockery, appliances and other utensils. But we have a solution: with the help of small tricks you will not only put things in order in the kitchen, but also save space interior. Read on and get started!

Idea #1: Strictly Vertical

Vertical Storage – the best solution for a small kitchen. Compact shelves do not take up much space, but easily fit all your dishes.

Idea #2: out of sight

A pull-out mesh baskets inside kitchen cabinets are a great place for a secret hiding place for detergents.

Idea #3: in limbo

Also, don't forget about hanging mesh baskets, in which it is convenient to store not only cups, but also vegetables and fruits.

Idea #4: horizontally side by side

Kitchen functionality can be easy to increase with rails. Today, they produce many different modules, hooks, special jars for spices.

Idea #5: side by side

There are never too many shelves - buy several additional mesh baskets in chrome color, you will solve the storage problem forever utensils.

Idea #6: In plain sight

It's not easy to put everything together pots and pans in one kitchen drawer! Better hang them next to the hood or on the wall by the door. A special perforated wall panel will help you with this.

Idea #7: original approach

Space in the very corner of the kitchen quite difficult to use. To solve this problem will help special retractable racks and corner boxes of a special design.

Idea #8: Clean and tidy

Use drawer dividers to make them more functional. Now it will be much easier to maintain order!

Idea #9: Attractive Force

Attach the knives to the wall - and in the literal sense of the word. A special magnetic bar will show them who is there main!

Idea #10: house of spices

spice jars. Attach them, for example, to the wall of the refrigerator or inner cabinet door.

Idea #11: Take the height

Use special racks for pans and pots - so you can use the entire space of the drawer and you do not have to go through them before each cooking.

Idea No. 12: successfully hooked

And bulky covers from frying pans and pots are conveniently stored using simple crossbars: attach them to a free surface of the wall in a place convenient for you.

Idea #13: along the wall

Metal shelves-pockets will help to place covers on the wall of the kitchen cabinet. If the cabinet is fully occupied, such a shelf can also be placed outside the cabinet.

Idea #14: Everything is in its place!

It is convenient to store not only dishes, but also narrow boxes with pasta and dough inside the cupboard. Just attach a vertical drive to the door - and it will fully justify its new place.

Idea #15: in shabby chic style

corners of the kitchen behind rolls of foil or film, hang them directly on the wall - using an old hanger.

Idea #16: within reach

Remember how convenient look through postcards or small souvenirs on turntables in the store. Add several mobile racks in one of the cabinets - and all the jars and containers with spices will always be at hand.

Idea #17: Under control

Tired of clearing crumbs from your candy box? Solve this problem once and forever, pinching the packages with cookies with a regular clothespin.

Idea #18: Helper Labels

Stop wasting time looking for salt or sugar by labeling the lids jars in which you store cereals and grains.

Idea #19: Organize

Organizing your recipes will speed up the cooking process. No more throwing around the kitchen: put all the recipes in one place, or better - in alphabetical okay.

Idea #20: practical example

In wall cabinets too little space! Attach hooks to shelves and hang coffee cups on them. BUT store glasses under the shelves - upside down.

Idea #21: Stand in a row

Long, narrow shelves easily attach to the wall and are ideal for storage of spices and various bottles of oils.

Idea #22: a place in the sun

To the very top of the kitchen headset you need to put what you rarely use. For example, let it be baskets of alcohol or dishes for preparing festive dishes.

Idea #23: Surprise shelving

And various modules, shelving and racks will help to use even the narrowest and most uncomfortable places. For example, sliding kitchen cabinets.

Idea #24: for the little ones

The best for many spices a place in packages from under "Tik-tak". Just don't forget to sign them!

Idea #25: effective decoration

Dishes can be stored not only in closed cabinets, but also on narrow open shelves. Let your favorite service become original kitchen decor!

Idea #26: Board Basket

Cutting Board Company will no longer fall down the sink when introduced to the compact basket. Choose models from artificial rattan - a material resistant to moisture.

Idea #27: Budget Idea

Don’t Throw Canned Food jars and rusted rakes, because with proper processing they can be useful for storing kitchen accessories - spoons, forks and spatulas.

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