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How to arrange utensils in small kitchen?
When it comes to how to arrange utensils in small kitchen, there is no one way to do it. Naturally, arranging your cooking utensils is a significant challenge on its own. Much more when it has to do with a small space. You want everything to stay within reach without cluttering the little space you have.
Where will the potato masher be? Where will you place the tongs such that it is easily accessible? Since a small kitchen has limitations, you will need the best creative ways to organize your kitchen. Whether you like it or not, you must put your creativity cap on when dealing with utensils in a small kitchen.
Ideas on How to arrange utensils in small kitchen
Luckily, we can save you the stress of what ideas you need to stage a small kitchen for your utensils. Here are some of the best ideas on how to arrange utensils in small kitchen without jeopardizing your items. We gathered these ideas from top designers, professional organizers, and kitchen experts.
Creating flexible areas
If you consider a popular layout for small kitchen, you might have come across zoning. For instance, the cabinets within the cleaning area – dishwasher and sink – will be an area to keep your cleaning products, waste bin, and kitchen towels. Furthermore, the drawers and cabinets around your hob and oven will contain spices, bakeware, pans, pots, etc.
This can serve as an efficient way to organize your small kitchen. Nevertheless, you must be more creative, especially with a small kitchen. In areas where zones are close together, it is preferable to break things down – baking zone, seasoning zone, coffee/team making zone, etc. in addition, you can group important things using baskets or containers before moving them to the area you want.
Keep the countertops clear
Another option if you do not want to create flexible areas is to keep the countertops clear. When dealing with a small kitchen, keeping everything minimal is critical. Ensure everything is clear of clutters and the space is easy to maintain. A general rule of thumb to apply is to keep every appliance you do not use frequently far.
Peradventure, if custom-made cabinetry is something you consider, you can set up a countertop cabinet with doors that show your toaster, coffee maker, etc. When you close the door, it gives your kitchen an uncluttered look. In addition, keeping related items in a jar or tray is another option to clear the countertop.
Keep unused items hidden
While some small kitchen items might be necessary for your day-to-day activities, you should consider storing frequently used items. There isn't any rule that says you should keep all your kitchen items within the cooking area. Think outside the box and place items where you hardly use them.
Remove things you hardly use and relocate them to free space. The same applies to utensils, gadgets, table linens, and pantry staples. Alternatively, if you have a high kitchen cabinet, you can place them on the top to save space.
Ditch cabinets and opt for Drawers
One critical thing most people face is when organizing kitchen cabinets, what goes where. If you had the same issue, there is a way out. Assuming your kitchen cabinet is full, and you still lack space, you can use your drawer to store items such as spices, appliances, pans, crockery, pots, etc.
Interestingly, it doesn't only open more storage options but increases your kitchen functionality. Nowadays, kitchen drawers are vital when planning for kitchen storage ideas, especially if you are looking for how to arrange utensils in small kitchen. Furthermore, these kitchen drawers can be customized to meet your specifications.
Although standard drawer dividers remain essential, you should consider custom-made inserts to capitalize on space and keep items tidy, neat, and easily reachable. Today, niche inserts to keep and organize spice jars, chopping boards, coffee pod refills, knife blocks, etc., are increasingly becoming popular.
Store some items outside the kitchen
There's no universal rule that all kitchen equipment must be within the cooking zone. Therefore, look for items you don't use daily and keep them outside the kitchen. Your pantry staples, gadgets, table linens, and other things don't have to remain in the kitchen; you can keep them inside a basket and place them outside the kitchen.
In addition, avoid buying the wrong size cabinets and appliances because it occupies more space than expected. It would help if you kept your oversized dishwashers, ovens, refrigerators, and microwaves outside the kitchen area.
Think vertically
Do you lack storage space for dishes and food? Is your kitchen too small to accommodate all your items? You can transform that little kitchen space. Instead of storing things horizontally, you can vertically store items. It's one of the best creative ways that save space in a small kitchen. Besides this, it makes things easily accessible and fits large-sized items perfectly.
Since most kitchen tops remain unused, you can create at least four dividers to organize things by size. Remarkably, a vertical storage system is very multifunctional and creates a unique effect on your kitchen. Overall, this method can be a handy trick, especially if you want to store pan lids.
Personalized Cabinet corners
If you don't have the eye for design, you might think that small kitchen space is useless. You can organize small kitchen cabinets to serve more purposes. Every space is critical and usable when you want to arrange utensils in a small kitchen.
It can sometimes be hard to reach certain items or store them. Nevertheless, you can act cleverly by using kitchen cabinet corners. This can save adequate space to store bulkier kitchen items, including appliances, pans, and pots.
The cabinet corners come in handy compared to the regular cabinet without any corners. You can utilize available space around the door in a friendly manner, making it easier to lift items out.
Choose an open shelve system
Sometimes, you have to ditch the norm and look for something different. Wall cabinets look imposing, primarily if you have a small kitchen. However, if you create a lighter feel, it can create additional storage issues. In this situation, using an open kitchen shelf becomes essential.
Depending on your creativity, you can serve as a way to inject your style and personality while maximizing that little space. Obviously, it's a definite place to keep your dinnerware sets – whether for display purposes or easy access. There is no magic to learning how to arrange utensils in small kitchen.
Notwithstanding, to keep the kitchen shelves neat and mindfully arranged, you can organize utensils in groups – different heights, sizes, and colors to decorate your kitchen. The open shelve system makes room to organize things properly.
Keep food items in check
A small kitchen requires orderliness. Well-organized food storage items must be installed to ensure your cooking activities run effortlessly. Get rid of any bulky food packaging items that are not useful. Like when arranging your cabinets, transfer all dried foods, sugars, pulses, flours, nuts, cereals, etc., into a transparent container and label them for easy access. This will create more kitchen storage space for dishes and food items.
When you have an inventory of food items that you only need, it is hard to overbuy such products and fill your cupboards. You can opt to use cabinet organizers such as clear storage bins, lazy susans, and risers to keep condiments, oils, and spices.
Try a portable workspace
Kitchens with overfilled cabinets and drawers aren't favorable for a well-organized small kitchen. In addition, it can make your cooking experience stressful. Understandably, you can cram things together because of limited storage space. However, you can opt for flexible furniture. Flexible furniture can provide a helpful way to offer additional storage space.
You can set a neatly sized rolling cart close to the dining table instead of the kitchen. Furthermore, store condiments and cereals in stylish containers while keeping dried foods and bulky items you don't require daily under a basket.
Ditch duplicate items
Keeping duplicate items is one simple mistake that contributes to no space in their kitchen. It is a common problem you can easily correct, especially for a small kitchen. Look for all your identical cookware and dishware and place them somewhere else. If you have three frying pans, you can use only one while storing the other.
It isn't easy to get rid of duplicates. Some of those mugs may hold personal significance to you, making it harder to ditch away. If you're unprepared to get rid of everything, consider boxing up whatever you don't use daily and storing it in the basement. You can always reintegrate something into circulation in the kitchen if you need something.
Tips to maximize your small kitchen space
People nowadays are spending more time at home than ever before. According to several studies, the kitchen is most family members' center point and gathering space. So, what should you do if you have a small kitchen? Here are some valuable tips for leveraging your small kitchen.
Maximize every little storage
Storage tends to be a major issue in most homes, but it's complicated in smaller kitchens. Consider installing floating shelves beneath the cabinets or a backsplash rail to hold kitchen utensils, mugs, or condiments. Even a pot rack can reduce space while adding to a kitchen wall's aesthetic.
Utilize Drawers
Drawers are an excellent storage option since they can be pulled completely to see and access what you need. Pantry organizers like risers, and carousels, are more accessible in cabinets. Spices can also be stored on door racks. Ensure everything is labeled correctly and that taller objects are placed toward the back.
Select your color carefully
Choosing your color in the kitchen is very important. According to color fundamentals, you must be thoughtful when choosing a color. For instance, white cabinets brighten the area and create an impression of a larger space. In fact, using a dark color (grayish or blue) on a side wall with white cabinets optically recedes that wall, giving the area more depth and imagined space.
Decorate with purpose
Cluttering the kitchen might be your worst nightmare working in a small kitchen. Decorative items, lotion bottles, or soap can clutter the kitchen. So, when it comes to kitchen decoration, accessorize wisely. Choose decorative items that offer a flash of color and height. Choose a lotion dispenser that matches the style and finish of your faucet.
Make a pass-through design
In a kitchen, creating open spaces creates the impression of more space. Using a pass-through-like design makes it even bigger. Replace big blocky cabinetry with narrower roof cabinets or side towers. Cabinets with two transparent doors allow light, making the kitchen appear bigger. If you don't need the closed cabinetry over the pass-through, try eliminating it thoroughly to make room for more counter and seating space.
Kitchen Essentials for a Small Kitchen
Regardless of the size of your home, chances are you spend considerable time in the kitchen. Because storage and surface space are premium in a small place, there is more demand for the kitchen. Fortunately, if you have a small kitchen, there are ways to get things organized without disrupting the functionality of your kitchen.
Hanging rails
Many people appear to have an overcrowded crock on the kitchen counter, loaded to the top with kitchenware and other items. Although these crocks are (relatively) practical, they consume counter space in a small kitchen. Rather than using a crock, hang your utensils and equipment with S-hooks to save space in your kitchen.
Hanging Dish holder
Consider using a hanging dish rack to continue the vertical storage. A drying rack saves counter space by allowing you to hang your dishes to dry. They can also be used to display dishes, reducing space in the cabinet.
Nowadays, over-the-sink dish racks are trendy in smaller kitchens. The racks may be used to dry dishes and store commonly used products such as pepper, olive oil, dish soap, and salt, allowing you to keep essential items within reach. Consider the items you frequently use in the kitchen and place them conveniently.
Square containers
Quality, homogeneous, and flexible, stackable containers are among the things you need for a small kitchen to conserve space. The importance of these containers cannot be overemphasized, especially in organizing and utilizing smaller spaces.
Avoid the urge to buy a bunch of mason jars. Jars are attractive from an aesthetic standpoint, but round objects are a space-saving nightmare. On the other hand, square storage containers come in different sizes and stack nicely in your cabinet or refrigerator. This stackable feature is essential if your refrigerator is extremely small because the area counts!
FAQs
How Can I Maximize My Small Kitchen?
You have several options available to maximize your small kitchen. For instance, you can decant bulk items, create a small cabinet for dishes, install hooks to place mugs, install a pot rack, store utensils in a tray, and toss and consolidate any unused items.
Furthermore, you can integrate your appliances to improve your kitchen luxury, incorporate glossy features, and invest in an open shelving system.
How Can I Arrange My Kitchen Utensils Without Cabinets?
It doesn't matter if you want to create a unique aesthetic for your kitchen or if it doesn't have adequate space for your cabinets; you have several ways to arrange your kitchen utensils. Firstly, you can maximize your kitchen space by keeping items you frequently need close to you while removing unnecessary items. In addition, you can throw appliances and food you don't need since it takes up space.
Secondly, you can create space on the wall using open shelves. Alternatively, you can hang a pegboard to keep your items well-organized.
How Do You Organize Dishes in a Small Kitchen?
Instead of constructing shelves or cupboards in locations where space is limited, use simple hooks to hang dishes and kitchenware flat against the wall. Simply hang the hooks straight on the wall or construct a pegboard for more flexible storage options.
Where Should I Put My Fridge in a Small Kitchen?
A fridge is among the biggest items you will find in a kitchen, making it extremely hard to integrate into a small kitchen. Although it consumes a lot of space, you can try blending the fridge with your décor, make it hidden, or consider using a small fridge.
How Do You Cook in a Small Kitchen?
Because of space, you can use a paper towel when peeling vegetables or get more space with a cutting board. Another option to keep your kitchen less cluttered is to rinse and reuse utensils and tools immediately using them instead of grabbing a new one.
Conclusion
Learning how to arrange utensils in small kitchen is not rocket science. Whatever popular layout for small kitchen you choose, you have several ways to utilize that space. There are creative ways to organize your kitchen using drawers and cabinets. Importantly, you don't have to invest heavily as we have shared important ways to use that small space in your kitchen.