Lorrie
Are you tired of your outdated, tiny kitchen? Wish you had something more modern and functional, regardless of the amount of space? The good news is that there are plenty of ways you can maximize your small kitchen space. Consider these small kitchen storage ideas, as well as a few ways you can tell it is time for an upgrade.
How to Organize Small Kitchens
If you have a small kitchen with a lot of potential, it may be worth seeing how you can make the existing space work for you. Anyone who has lived in a smaller home knows that it is not the dimensions of the room that matter. The layout and the efficiency make the biggest difference in storage. Every piece of equipment and kitchen storage must do its job well, or else you will never be able to make more than popcorn. Start with these basic principles of small kitchen organization:
- First In, First Out: Small kitchen spaces often do not have much room to store food. If you bring in something new, be sure to cycle out something that you can consume right now.
- Minimize Extras: Clutter may be the biggest problem homeowners encounter with a small kitchen. To keep it from taking over your countertops, minimize small appliances to the ones that you will really use.
- Build Up, Not Out: Your kitchen’s walls and even the ceiling can be an excellent source of storage. Take advantage of hooks and wall-mounted racks, so you can leave small cabinets free for heavy or densely-packed items.
- Organize by Task: Try to keep tools and supplies for each task next to the equipment you need. This approach keeps your kitchen cleaner and easier to use.
- Guarantee Workspace: The countertop is usually one of the first things to disappear in a packed kitchen. Declutter or move items so that you have at least one free counter that measures about six square feet.
- Choose Modular Organization: When you only have room for a few cabinets, it’s important that they fit as much as possible. Find a specific brand of organizers for kitchen staples and tools, and stick with it. Remember that square or rectangular containers are more efficient than round ones.
These tips can make organizing a small kitchen much more effective, but they cannot solve every problem. If you find that you are stuck with a room that seriously fails to meet your needs, you have a lot of options to add storage or remodel it.
How to Decorate a Small Kitchen for Storage
Close your eyes and imagine a small kitchen. What do you see? If the sight is drab, cluttered or filled with mismatched storage, you should know that it is possible to do much better. Improving your kitchen storage does not need to make the space look cramped or resemble that horrid dormitory apartment you had in college. Instead, try one or more of these kitchen storage ideas:
- Incorporate your pots and pans into your color scheme.
- Choose trendy baskets and bins to keep small items out of sight.
- Select lighter shades of paint colors that make the room seem larger.
- If you are adding new cabinetry in a different style, replace the doors on the old ones and stain them to match.
- Don’t forget accent colors on cabinetry or large appliances, to unify the design.
With an eye for color and the latest kitchen storage options, you can have a space that works well and looks breathtakingly attractive, no matter the size.
Never worked with a design-build remodeling company? Learn more about the remodeling process and how to choose a remodeling contractor.
Make Use of Wall Space
Finally, be sure to make the most of unused wall space in your kitchen. Consider adding a wine rack to free up space elsewhere in your kitchen. Wall mounts for hanging your pots and pans help you save cabinet space. You can even purchase magnetic spice racks that mount on your wall and minimize clutter in your cabinets.
Kitchen Storage Remodeling Ideas
Sometimes, even the best effort is not going to be sufficient for the way you use your kitchen. If you have a problem that your current layout cannot solve, you may need the assistance of a professional design and remodeling team. You can easily turn a cramped kitchen into a space that feels open, efficient and a joy to use.
Create a Kitchen Storage Cabinet Solution
In any kitchen, storage usually starts with an analysis of your cabinetry. Do your current kitchen cabinets stop short of your ceiling, or have a soffit of wasted space above them? If so, then it might be time to replace those cabinets with new ones that will extend all the way to the ceiling (assuming your ceilings aren't vaulted). Making use of vertical space can help to expand your kitchen storage without taking up more floor space in the process. The good news is that with new cabinets, you can get all the latest storage and convenience features:
- Pull Out Drawers for Kitchen Cabinets: Maximize cabinet depth with pull-out drawers of various sizes.
- Drawer Organization: Build the perfect storage for each drawer, from spices to pots and pans.
- Pull Out Shelves: Add pull out shelving for small appliances and larger pots, so they are easy to reach.
- Extra Shelving: Maximize the height with the right number of shelves, so you have no large gaps.
Not sure what is available or where to begin? Take a look at our gallery to get ideas for your kitchen storage cabinets.
Add an Appliance Nook
If you cannot spare cabinet space for your small appliances, you do not have to leave them out on the counter to take up space. An appliance nook designates the right amount of space for your espresso maker, toaster oven, stand mixer and more. You can even hide the nook behind a partial wall, to keep these tools out of sight.
Convert to an Open Floor Plan
You'd be amazed at how much of a difference it makes to convert an existing kitchen into an open floor plan by knocking down a wall here or there. With an open floor plan, your kitchen will open directly to your living room and/or dining room space. This creates the illusion of a larger kitchen and may also provide room to add an island, affording you more storage and prep space.
How to Determine if You Need Extra Space
If you feel like you are trying to live in someone else’s kitchen, you are not alone. Many homeowners who schedule kitchen remodeling in Scottsdale start from the premise that they need a space that is uniquely their own. If you have tried to make the existing room dimensions work for you and they simply do not, here are a few ways you can tell it is time to change:
- You have little or no functional countertop.
- You need multiple stations for food preparation, and you only have one.
- You have to choose between storing food and storing tools.
- Your kitchen does not have enough space for a dishwasher or microwave.
These problems are common, especially in older homes. If you call Hochuli Design and Remodeling Team, you can see how a fresh design makes all the difference.
Looking for more advice on making the most of your kitchen remodel? Take a look at our Kitchen Remodeling Gallery for inspiring ideas for your project, then contact us to discuss your project.
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