Many homeowners have a difficult time decorating their kitchen, especially if it is a smaller space. With your kitchen, you may want to combine style and practicality. Having space to cook is important, but you also want room to store all your ingredients and utensils.
Cooking materials are often bulky, which further adds to the challenge. Even if you do not have any fancy cookware, basic pots and pans still take up a great deal of space. If you do not have a dining room, you might also need space to sit down and enjoy your meals. Fortunately, there are several easy tips and tricks to maximize the space in your kitchen.
Kitchen Islands
A great way to free up space in your kitchen is with an island. Kitchen islands are customizable freestanding cabinets. There are many types available, based on whether you have a fixed or portable island. If you are hard pressed for space, a portable island is nice because you can move it around to make space as needed.
Portable islands do not have as many options as fixed islands. With a fixed island, you can even install a sink directly into the island. You can also attach seats as well, letting the island double as both storage space and a table.
Avoiding Clutter
A common issue with smaller kitchens is feeling cluttered. With minimal storage space, it is hard not to feel like everything is thrown together. One of the easiest ways to get rid of clutter is with cabinet and drawer organizers.
These items divide your storage into separate containers. With drawers, a utensil organizer is a great way to keep your utensils close by without all the items cluttering together and making a mess in the drawer.
Getting Creative with Storage
When you have a small kitchen, you probably want to make the most of your limited space. There are several areas that are easy to overlook for storage. If there is space in your cabinet, you can install pegs or similar holders on the inside of the door, letting you store additional items. If your cabinets do not go all the way up to the ceiling, use the tops as a makeshift shelf. You can also install hanging pegs along the walls. For even more wall space, consider adding shelves.
If you do not like the look of pegs, an excellent alternative is magnetic strips. Magnetic strips cannot support as much weight as pegs, but they are great for storing pot lids and similarly sized kitchen tools.
Portable Counter Space
While storage is an important issue to address, it is not the only downside of a smaller kitchen. If you focus too much on storage, you will not have enough space to actually cook. If you need more countertops, consider a portable surface.
A portable countertop slides over your sink, giving you a solid space to work on without fear of anything spilling into your sink. It is relatively small and easy to attach and detach, letting you shift between counter and sink with minimal effort.
Another option is to install a pull-out cutting board into your drawer. This works best with a higher drawer, as it otherwise puts the surface at a difficult angle to reach. This is less of an issue if you only need the surface to hold items as you move it to a more suitable surface.
