If you have a small footprint home and you need a functional kitchen, you might try some of these tips. Organizers, secret drawers, and rails are all clever ways of creating kitchen storage in a small space and they’re not terribly hard to install either.

Add shelves, rails, and racks

Even if your kitchen has no room to install extra cabinetry, you can eke out every last ounce of storage space with shelves, rails, and racks. Add dropping magnetic knife racks in a wood finish to free up countertop space and hook rails to allow for different heights of cooking utensils. And rustic shelves with metal brackets can add an interesting juxtaposition of warmth and cool energy. 

Use a pull-out table

If you have a narrow or limited countertop workspace, you might want to consider using a pull-out tabletop to double your work area. Pull out kitchen table tops that are built-in or snap-in allow you to prep, read, work or do a number of other tasks without taking up your countertop space. And when you’re done, you just slide the tabletop back into its concealed drawer. Look for them in a range of finishes to complement your kitchen design.

Invest in organizers

You’ll never regret having a beautifully-organized drawer. Expanding cookware organizers in plastic are durable, rustproof, soft touch, and useful. Use them for storing a wide range of pans and lids upright so you can get more in each drawer. Keep plastic bags from taking over with a bag storage solution. And stack breakables in your pantry or on visible shelves in a rustic pine box or crate to add interest.

Make drawers from toe kicks

A toe kick is that little space underneath your kitchen cabinet before it reaches the floor. And it’s usually just full of air. Make something useful out of the space by installing baseboard drawers. They are pretty affordable to make yourself at around $100-200 or you can buy a premade version. Just make sure to measure twice for the perfect fit.

Install an appliance garage

An appliance garage is a covered storage space for your useful (but perhaps unsightly) appliances. Think about a pull-down tabletop from a cabinet door as a coffee and tea prep area. Or make a hidden tall space for your mixer, blender, and ingredient storage. The options are endless and these appliance garages allow you to create specialty workspaces within even a small kitchen.

Create spice storage in gaps

If you have any small open spaces in your kitchen (like between the microwave and the wall), try adding unique and hidden spice racks. Measure to ensure it fits in seamlessly into tight spaces and invest in soft close to protect little fingers and ears. Use an under-the-shelf solution for gaps in between the bottom of your cabinets and appliances or a back of the door option for cabinets. Or you can use the side of your fridge for storing spices with magnetic jars. This keeps your spices easily accessible but reduces the chance that they’ll become cluttered.

If you’d like help planning your kitchen storage in a small space, have a look at our design packages.