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Many people are beating the high cost of living by turning to smaller apartments and condos, especially in the city. Real estate is at a premium, so smaller living spaces are more practical. The downside is you must live with a tiny kitchen, and storage becomes a real problem. However, with a little organization and a keen eye for efficiency, you can make the most of the space in your tiny kitchen. Here are some smart ways to use kitchen cabinets and other storage.
Go up
Take your kitchen cabinets up to the ceiling. Many kitchen cabinets fall a few inches short of the ceiling, so that’s wasted space right there. You can either get 42-inch high kitchen cabinets or add smaller ones to fill in the space on top of existing cabinets. Either way, you claw back quite a bit of storage for your stuff.
Roll them out
High wall cabinets and deep base cabinets can be hard to access. You can fix that by putting in pull out shelves and roll out baskets. Lazy susans and swing out organizers are also popular, especially for corner cabinets in both wall and base cabinets. You can stack up your kitchen stuff as high and pack them in as deep as you can, and still get at them quite easily.
Organize them
You can put in organizers to keep drawers orderly and space efficient. Use the side of the refrigerator to attach magnetic spice racks or install them inside cabinet drawers. Buy tray dividers to accommodate baking sheets and cookware covers, or even plates.
Hang them up
Most people put pots and pans in base cabinets, but these can just as easily hang from hooks on the wall or the ceiling. If you do that, you free up your base cabinets for other things you can’t hang. You can easily buy and screw in a rack on the wall or pole on the ceiling and attach hooks to them to hold your pots and pans. If you have some nice cookware, they can even serve as a center of interest for your kitchen.
Move them along
A portable kitchen island is a great way to add storage space as well as a work surface. Depending on the side of your kitchen, you can get one or two RTA base cabinets to use as the base for a rolling island. Simply put in casters and a stone countertop to complete the picture.
Fit them in
Many small kitchens have a problem with odd, awkward spaces that simply do not conform to standard kitchen cabinets. Your best bet is to get custom cabinets for those spaces to reclaim them for storage. You can put in wine racks, drawers, and corner cabinets. You can even use the four or so inches of space between your refrigerator and wall to put in a rollout pantry. Every little bit counts when you live in a condo!
Open them up
Some wall spaces are too cramped to accommodate kitchen cabinets, but they can still accommodate open shelves. You can buy floating shelves in all sizes and put them wherever you can find a space for them. It is an easy DIY project that will pay storage dividends.
Magnetize
Your backsplash is a good place to put your knives and towels. Attach a magnetic strip for your knives to keep them off the countertop. You can put a simple towel rack alongside it to hold your dishtowels or kitchen implements if you put in hooks.
Over the top
Spaces over the window or kitchen door are usually wasted. You can use them by putting in some shelves and store bottles of wine, books, or anything else that can fit. Make sure they are level and with some type of guard to make sure they don’t fall out whenever someone slams the door or wind gusts through the window.
Side lined
You can borrow some space from the dining room or living room to sneak in a narrow freestanding cabinet that doubles as a sideboard as well as storage for your more presentable kitchen things. Think wine glasses, serving platters, and other display-worthy items.
Conclusion
Small kitchens are not an excuse for inadequate storage space. You cannot afford to have anything you are not using out of kitchen cabinets and other storage areas, because it takes up the workspace. Use all available space in your kitchen to make sure you can put everything away in a neat and organized way.
If you need help with finding the right kitchen cabinet or cabinet organizer for your tiny kitchen, get in touch with us. We have many storage and options at Cabinets City. We carry some of the best brands in the country, from RTA to custom cabinets, and at the best prices compared to Cabinets to Go and Advance Cabinets. These include Schrock, Fabuwood, J and K, Forevermark, and Wolf Cabinets, each of which come with manufacturer warranties. We always deliver on time, so you will not have to worry about keeping your schedule to stay in budget. We can advise you on the best cabinets for your kitchen. Give us a call for a free consultation and quote, or visit our showroom in Mt. Prospect, Illinois. We service cities such as Chicago, Schaumburg, Arlington Heights, Des Plaines, Hoffman Estate, Elk Grove Village, and surrounding areas.
