I recently moved from a 3 bedroom house to a single wide mobile home. I found I have much less storage space in my kitchen so this is what I did. I don't use my oven regularly, so I store my pots and pans and lids in the oven. In order to cut costs on my electric and water bills, I do not use the dishwasher.
This puts everything in a place, out of sight, and everything is quickly reachable. This worked so well that I bought a small roll of that rubber mesh used for shelves and cut it to fit the top tray so the measuring spoons and other small items wouldn't fall through. Works great.
By Clynn Altemus from Inglis, FL
My kitchen in my apartment is very old and very small. More like tiny. I only have 1 drawer, 3 cabinets, and about 2 square feet of counter space. I don't know where to put anything.
By Ginn from Tuscaloosa, AL
You can get kitchen "utility carts" in many styles and sizes. They're on wheels, so you can move them where you need them. Some are open shelves, some are enclosed with drawers and doors. These can let you store small appliances, etc. and move them out of the way when you don't need them. Many come with a wood, cutting board top.
Keep stovetop utensils in a crock at the stove. Store large flat objects like cookie sheets in the stove drawer, if there is one. If you're allowed, install a hanging rack for pots/pans. Store cleaning products elsewhere, and use the under-sink space for kitchen storage. You may need to clean it thoroughly and line the bottom with shelf-liner. If you don't use items daily, or at least often, store them elsewhere in the apartment. Get some underbed boxes and keep stuff there easy access, but out of the way.
Scour the local thrift stores, you may find several utility carts. If they're not pretty, you can add a fabric "curtain" all around it.
Good luck.
I store my baking pans in the oven and my pots, kettles, and skillets in the drawer.
I feel your pain; if two of us are in the kitchen here, someone has to back up so the other can leave. We bought an inexpensive sideboard which lives in our entry way, and it's doubled the kitchen storage.
Apartment Therapy has posted oodles of articles on this subject:
www.apartmenttherapy.com/
They've done a lot of articles on organizing for any room in virtually any size and most recently they had a contest for "Small Cool" apartments that range from under 400 sq ft to 1000 sq ft (link is at the top right now). Those entries may help you as well. Lots of great ideas to pull from their site even if the decor (seems to be mostly mid-century modern) isn't your style.
Hope that helps.
I would store what you don't need daily and find creative ways to maybe hang your pots on the wall. There are cute copper pot hanging accessories in stores. Also, use shelving and other creative storage devices in the drawers and cabinets to maximize your space. Places like the Container Store and Bed Bath and Beyond have space saving gadgets that may help you to extend your limited space. Good luck.
Thanks guys! Great ideas! I am definitely going to install some shelving, put pans in the oven drawer, and I am totally loving this apartment therapy website. Thanks to all!
You don't really need a lot of pots and pans. An electric skillet can be used to cook soup, rice, scrambled eggs, chicken, pancakes, fritters, a roast, steak...almost anything! All you need is a plastic spatula and a fork, spoon and knife. Use disposable aluminum pans from the dollar store for baking, too.
That is so true! I never really thought about that! Heck, maybe I should just rid myself of the awful stove too! Thanks Cathy S!
I had this handy dollar store over-the-door hook. I wanted to hang it over the top of my cupboard next to the stove for hot pads and towels.
I am moving to a new place and unfortunately the kitchen has little storage space, no kitchen cabinets and little counter space. Does anyone have solutions or ideas for what to do in place of cabinets or how to go about putting in some?
Thanks so much.
By Laurie C.
Make a pot hanger: you need two heavy-duty screw eyes, one piece of rebar, and some large S-hooks. Choose a location for pot rack so dangling pots will not get in your way. Screw the eyes into your ceiling, about one yard apart. Thread the rebar through, crimp on the S-hooks (or purchase potrack hooks, pricey), and hang up your pots. For kitchen utensils, get a strip of wood about 5" across and 2' long; screw it to the wall at a good height. Hammer in some finishing nails (you can do this beforehand), staggering them in three rows, not too close together. If you have floor space, get some benches or bricks and plywood as a base, and put some cabinets on them; the surface top of these cabinets will be your new counter space. Cover it with anything until something better comes along. You can put boxes under the cabinet, and things inside (table cloth, bowls, cutting boards). Leave a space between two cabinets for your cookie sheets. If your kitchen is really small, you might not have that extra floor space. You can get a fold-out ironing board as an extra counter. A small kitchen is nice and saves steps! If you have any cabinets at all, consider taking off a door or two for an open cabinet and shelf look. I am describing my kitchen, of course! LOL.
My husband constructed two wooden cutting boards to fit my double sink to increase my counter space. The stove is to the left of the double sink; there is no space to the left of the stove for cooking preparation.
I have a very small kitchen and do not have any space for a dinette table and 4 chairs. I only have 2 adults in my family, and was wondering if there anything else I could use for a table. I thought about a small portable card table, but wanted to get your suggestions first.
I adapted instructions for a vinyl molding spice rack to fit my space. I used the space just between the counter top and the cabinets.
I was about to lose it before a dinner party when I ran out of counter space. I opened my utensil drawer and laid my cutting board on top and it was the perfect fit. I use this method in the kitchen every day, now, not just for when I cook for a party!
To match my kitchen, I have a glass cutting board on a plate hanger right at my counter. Near my table is another with place mats, and two hot plates for the table in a multi-level plate hanger.
