The Kitchen Set-Up Check-List

How To Maximize Space in a Small Kitchen

Oh No! I Have No Room in my Kitchen!

Does this look like your kitchen? You can cook in a small space just like this.

 

Galley kitchen Small kitchen

Guess what?

You can cook and bake in any size kitchen and you don’t need all the space-age gadgetry to become a decent home cook.

In this post, I am going to show the most overlooked areas of a small kitchen that can be used as additional storage.

All the storage devices don’t cost a lot nor do you have to have master building skills to install.

With just basic tools and a lot of imagination, you can design additional storage in any size kitchen.

  1. GO VERTICAL With Storage Racks and shelves !!

Place pots and pans on hooks underneath cabinets or mount a storage rack into the ceiling. Pegboards on empty wall space are great for smaller items.  Consider using a roll-out storage rack that can be moved from another room into the kitchen.

 

Ceiling mounted pan rack

This storage rack can be mounted underneath a shelf or cabinet.

 

      2. Wicker Baskets or Decorative Storage Containers

Wicker baskets and containers are great for storing kitchen items. Plus, they add some color and texture to your place.

Wicker Basket
Wicker baskets are great for storing kitchen utensils

3. Utilize space in other parts of the home

Metal storage rack with wheels
A storage rack with wheels can be moved from room to room if there is no storage in the kitchen

Multi-sized storage racks can be stored in closets or pantries when not in use. Then when you are ready to cook just roll out the racks. The smaller shelves can be placed on the floor like the one below.

A shelving unit placed in the kitchen

 

4Utilize Empty Wall Space

Place hooks or pegboards on refrigerators, cabinets or empty wall space above the stove or sink.

Sides of large appliances and cabinets can be used as additional storage

 

Kitchen Utensils stored over a window
Items can be stored underneath windows or on window sills

The top of a refrigerator or cabinet can be used for storage as well. Installing small shelves on empty wall space could be used to store spices and small pantry items.

 

5. Utilize the space over the sink and stovetops.

Large cutting boards can be placed over the sink and stovetops during meal prep. You can make your own cutting board or purchase a large piece of plywood from the lumber yard. Measure the stovetop and have someone at the yard cut the board to size.

When prepping food, place the plywood slab over the stove or sink and use a cutting board on top.  After using the board, store it upright between larger appliances or in a closet.

The board should fit neatly on top of the burners and provide a stable area to prep food.

Cutting board placed over a stove top during meal prep
A large cutting board placed over the stovetop

 

Essential Kitchen Utensils

 

Here’s a list of a few utensils and appliances to get you going in the kitchen.

 This is a basic list and as your cooking and baking skills grow you can buy additional utensils as needed.

A non-stick frying pan that has a label stuck on the surface
Don’t get stuck with a poor quality fry pan LOL!

These are MUST-HAVE Items!!

  1. Chef’s knife
  2. Various measuring cups for solids and liquids
  3. Large and small mixing bowls
  4. Various Corrianders/strainers
  5. Various perforated spoons
  6. Measuring spoons
  7. Various non-stick frying pans. Preferably, small, medium and large pans. These items can often be bought as a set. Be sure to get non-sticking. 
  8. Cookie sheets
  9. Casserole Bakeware
  10.  Salad bowls
  11. Serving trays
  12. Standard size Muffin tins
  13. 1.5-inch silicone molds for making low carb fat bombs and other treats.
  14. Manual Spiralizer for making low carb pasta dishes. MUST HAVE!!

“Nice To have Items” if You can Afford Them.

  1. Food processor
  2. Slow cooker
  3. Various casserole dishes
  4. Bread knife (for keto or low carb bread of course)
  5. Powered spiralizer

 

I know it can be frustrating working in a small kitchen space.  But with a little ingenuity, you can make it work.

Take your time You’ll have to experiment with different storage solutions that will work in your kitchen. In time, you will develop a nice workflow for cooking and baking. Remember it’s not the size of the space but what you do with the space that you have.

Be creative with the available space and look for space-saving items from your local home goods supply store or purchase items online. With a little thinking, you’d be amazed by how much space you can find.

One final tip, when baking or cooking put away items that you are done with to reduce clutter on the counter.

Bonus Solutions: There are software programs that allow to take pictures of your space and see how the containers and shelving units will look in your kitchen before you purchase them.

 

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