During my sophomore year of college, I lived in an apartment that didn’t have the biggest kitchen. The most annoying part about it was the lack of a dishwasher, but I digress. Since my campus didn’t provide the most (or best) food options, my roommate and I cooked almost all of our meals. Here are some ways to make the most out of a small apartment kitchen.
Using a tiny kitchen isn’t just about maximizing the space you’re given, it’s also about creating even more storage room.
Amazon links: click on the “Buy on Amazon” links, not the picture above it.
Notice: Make Your Place Livable LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Only Buy, Pack Or Keep The Items You’ll Actually Use
Before you start moving into, shopping for or rearranging your kitchen, make sure that you’re not holding onto things that you don’t plan on using. This includes stuff that you don’t use at least once a month. Since you’re already given a limited amount of space, you’ll want to keep your belongings to a reasonable size. With less tools to work with, you might have to adjust your recipes as well, or find new ways to cook the same ones.
Inside/Outside The Cabinets
1. Hang Stuff Underneath Your Cabinet
You can attach some renter friendly adhesive hooks to the bottom of your kitchen cabinets to create some storage. From here, you can hang mugs, cooking utensils, oven mitts, etc. Depending on what you’re hanging, make sure that the hooks can accommodate its weight. You don’t want it to rip off the paint or cause any other kind of damage. The weight capacity is usually listed on the packaging to prevent this from happening.
2. Use Pull-Out Baskets
Inside of the cabinet, you can place some baskets that act as portable drawers. This’ll help you store more things by taking advantage of otherwise unused vertical space. This is especially helpful if your cabinet doesn’t come with built-in shelves. These baskets are a great place to store small items together so that they don’t take up counter space. Things like snacks, leftover condiment packs from your favorite take-out spot, teabags, napkins, etc.
3. Use Over-The-Door Organizers
If they can fit on your cabinets, then this storage solution could be a welcomed addition to your apartment. They’re a great way to get fast access to your most commonly used spices, plastic baggies, snacks and other items. They also come with different tiers in case you need one compartment or three. If you’re not a fan of visual clutter, you should opt for hanging the basket on the inside of the cabinet rather than the outside.
4. Use An Organizer Rack
These are like installing cute mini shelves in your cabinets. They’re all pretty short so storing tall things on them isn’t an option unless you lay them down horizontally. Some of them allow you to adjust the height which comes in handy for smaller items. This is another good place to store spices, sauces and other small ingredients. It’s also a good place to stack dishes and bowls.
On Top Of Your Fridge
1. Use Baskets Or Bins
You can stack things on top of the fridge more easily if you put them in a basket or bin. If reaching the top of the fridge is difficult for you, consider buying a small, folding step stool. Tuck it somewhere so that it won’t take up floor space. I suggest using a clear bin to store stuff on top of the fridge to give you a better view of what you need before reaching up to get it.
2. Put Stackable Containers On The Fridge
If you don’t want to put your stuff in one or two big bins, then you can opt for a few stackable containers to separate your items more efficiently. Again, I recommend getting clear ones to make it a lot easier to find your stuff. You can also label each container to remind yourself of what’s inside. If you’re going to stack multiple, make sure that they fit steadily on top of one another. Go for the ones with sharp square edges rather than curved ones.
3. Use The Space For Small Appliance Storage
The top of the fridge is also a good place to put small kitchen appliances when they’re not in use. If you don’t have enough counter space for a rice maker, blender, food processor, etc. then doing this could help free up some room. You could also buy a portable shelf for the fridge to store more small appliances if you own multiple.
4. Use An Organizer Rack
If you bought some of these to put in your kitchen cabinets, you might want to buy one or two for your fridge top as well. Appliances can’t fit on them, but you can store extra plastic wrap, aluminum foil, wax paper, parchment paper, etc. Pretty much anything that’s lightweight and can fit on here is fair game for putting on top of your fridge.
5. Use Cubbies If Your Ceiling Is Tall Enough
Up to four of these would be enough to store your kitchen supplies. You can use these for paper towel rolls, napkins, cereal, tupperware, less used cooking tools, etc.
The Cabinets Under Your Sink/Countertops
1. Place Organizers Under Your Sink
One way to make the most out of the cabinet space under your sink is by putting organizers in them. Of course, this only applies to the cabinets that you don’t plan to use for pots and pans. There are different types of organizers to choose from, such as L shaped ones, stackable drawers, one-tiered, multi-tiered, etc. You could also opt for clear ones, solid colors or baskets.
2. Use Over-The-Door Organizers
These are not only helpful with the cabinets above the sink, but they can be just as helpful with the ones below the sink too. They’re great for storing cleaning supplies that you use to keep the kitchen sparkly. They’re also good for any dishwashing tools if you don’t have a dishwasher; or if you only have one or two plates to scrub down. With these, you can avoid taking up too much space while utilizing vertical storage.
3. Stack Containers And Bins
If you don’t need a mini pull-out drawer underneath your sink, then a normal stackable container or bin might be more your speed. I suggest picking up clear versions of these so that you can find what you need faster. You can also label them for better organization.
4. Grab A Lazy Susan Turntable
Another way to maximize the space underneath your countertops is by getting a Lazy Susan to hold your spices, teas and other cooking ingredients. I suggest getting the kind with multiple tiers. This’ll let you stack things on top of each other and avoid having to dig for what you need. It’s also a great way to use that precious, precious vertical storage space. Here’s an example of a two tiered Lazy Susan at work:
On The Window Sill
1. Multi-Tier Spice Rack
If your window sill is big enough, you can use it to store your spices, or other small kitchen items, on this multi-tier rack. It’s a creative way to utilize all of the surfaces that your apartment kitchen provides. I suggest sticking to plastic spice bottles and other durable containers when stacking them on this thing. You might accidentally knock it over when opening the window and we wouldn’t want broken glass on the floor.
2. Attach Some Shelves
Even if your kitchen is small, you might have a window big enough to fit some extra shelves. Granted, they won’t be very big, but the extra space is still helpful. Don’t worry, there are rental friendly ways to attach them. One way is by hanging them using adhesive hooks:
Another way is by sticking them to the window with suction cups:
Make sure to keep lightweight items on these shelves to avoid creating a mess.
3. Store Small Containers On It
Another way to utilize your window sill is by keeping your smaller ingredients, gadgets, tools, etc. on it; as long as they don’t roll off. Things like tea boxes, spice bottles, small snack boxes, etc.
4. Store Mugs/Cups There
If your sill is wide enough, you might be able to fit some mugs/cups on there. If you don’t have a lot of cabinet space then this may be helpful. Especially if you’re not a fan of hanging them on hooks from the bottom of the cabinet. This is also a clever form of decor; you can bring aesthetics into the space through functional kitchen supplies. For those of you worried about dust collection inside your mugs, you can lay down a cabinet drawer liner with a grip and place your mugs upside down on it. The grip will make sure that they don’t slide around easily and fall off of the window sill.
5. Store Dishes On A Skinny Drying Rack
If you lack the space to dry your dishes, or if you don’t have enough cabinet space to hold them all, then you could store them on your window sill. If it’s wide enough, then it may be able to fit a skinny drying rack. I suggest displaying plastic ones or dishes made of more durable material than glass. This way if one of them accidentally rolls off, it won’t break.
Other Ideas
1. Use An Over-The-Sink Drying Rack To Save Counter Space
Since we’re talking about small kitchens, let’s acknowledge that some of them don’t have counter space…like at all. This can make air drying your dishes a challenge or impossible. Tools like these can help turn your sink into a drying rack. You could also get the kind that rolls up when you’re not using it to help save space. There are different shapes, sizes, tiers, etc. Amazon is a good place to start when shopping for one. They have some pretty creative options over there.
2. Use An Over-The-Sink Cutting Board To Create More Work Space
Speaking of having zero counter space, this makes prepping ingredients a challenge too. You probably end up dicing your onions on the kitchen table (with a cutting board of course). While that’s a perfectly fine solution, you could keep your cooking in the kitchen if you get a board that fits over your sink. This creates a workspace out of thin air while making clean-up a little more convenient.
3. Buy Storage Racks, Rolling Carts, A Portable Island, Etc. If You Have Enough Space
Even though your kitchen is small, you might have just enough room to fit a portable storage solution in there. You’ll have to pick and choose which one to go for to avoid overcrowding the room though. Depending on how much more space you need to store things, taking up floor space to fit a rolling cart might be worth it. Not to mention that, if it has wheels, it can make a home out of anywhere in the room at any given time.
4. Use Drawer Organizers
Since you don’t have a lot of drawer space, you may end up stuffing a lot of cooking tools in there. Like a kitchen junk drawer. Investing in some drawer organizers can make cooking less of a headache. Visual clutter in itself is annoying to look at, much less sort through while you’re in the middle of cooking. These organizers can save you the time and the effort of looking for the utensils you need.
General Tips
1. Store Less Used Items Up High
High storage places in a kitchen, like the top shelf in your cabinet or the top of your fridge, are good places to keep less used items. Keeping them in high traffic areas, like the counter or the kitchen table, will just make them feel like they’re in the way all the time. If they’re up high, then they’re still within reach when you need them without taking up unnecessary space on the counter or elsewhere.
2. Get Rid Of Bulk Packaging
We can’t control the packaging that our food comes in. Especially if you’re trying to save money by shopping for bulk ingredients. The frustrating part is that it takes up way too much space in an already small kitchen. To get around this, try moving the food into square containers that will stack on top of each other. Then, you can store them up high and out of the way if they’re dry goods.
3. Buy Things Pre-Cut, Diced, Halved, Etc. If You Can Afford To
If you don’t have the counter or kitchen table space to be cutting peppers, onions, garlic, etc. every night, try buying ingredients that are already prepped. This is what my roommate and I did in our college apartment and it saved us both space and overall cooking time. The catch is that it costs more to shop for these items, but if you’re willing to spend a few extra dollars, it’s an option.
4. Get Kitchen Tools That Nest Or Collapse
Another cool way to save space is by getting measuring cups/spoons that nest into one another to save drawer space. There are also cool cooking tools like collapsible colanders, stock pots, strainers, etc. that function just the same without taking up a lot of space!
5. Use Adhesive Hooks For Renter Friendly, Creative Storage
If you have unused wall space in your kitchen, then sticking some sturdy adhesive hooks on them will give you some extra spots to store more cooking supplies. For example; If you don’t have a lot of drawer space and want a spot to keep your oven mitts, then this could be a solution. Not to mention that they could double as decor!
The Don’ts
There are a few common mistakes you’ll want to avoid that’ll make your small kitchen feel even more crowded.
1. Don’t Use Too Much Decor
When it comes to a tiny room such as this one, you’ll have to pick and choose a few decor pieces and leave it at that. Incorporating a lot of items that don’t have any functionality other than aesthetic will make your kitchen feel even more claustrophobic. Instead, you’ll want to get items that function as both decor and functioning kitchen tools. For example, display some beautiful mugs or fresh herbs on the window sill, display your oven mitts on the wall, rest your cutting board against the backsplash, etc.
2. Don’t Buy New Stuff If You Don’t Need It
You don’t have a lot of storage space, so you need to pick and choose which dishes, cooking utensils, appliances, etc. to keep in the room. As a rule of thumb, don’t keep it if you don’t use it at least once a month. Make some money back by selling it, donate it to goodwill or give it to someone who you know will use it.
3. Don’t Set Up An Eating Area In The Kitchen
Putting a table in the already tiny room will make it feel infinitely smaller. Choose a different place to put the table or opt to eat with a tray on the couch. If you’re in a college apartment, try eating most of your meals in the dining areas on campus if you’re not a fan of the previous suggestions.
4. Don’t Use Shades/Curtains On The Window (If You Have One)
Even though your kitchen is small, you can make it feel a bit bigger by letting in as much natural light as possible. If your kitchen comes with a window, don’t buy shades to cover it up. In fact, if you don’t need to use the space for storage, then avoid letting anything block the view of the window.
