6 Reasons Small Kitchens Are Actually Better than Big Ones, According to a Small-Space Pro
Small kitchens have a bad reputation. “They’re cramped!” “They’re cluttered!” “They’re a pain!” But as a small-space expert, I’m here to let you in on a secret: Small kitchens are truly better than large ones. I know, I know, what a bizarre thing to say, right? But hear me out. Here’s why.
Small kitchens encourage organization.
Small kitchens encourage a “mise en place” attitude and have honestly made me a better cook overall. Prior to having a small kitchen, I’d be running all over to find the bag of sugar, then the baking soda, then the chocolate chips. Now, if I don’t lay out my ingredients beforehand, the sugar is just a step away. The baking soda is at arm’s length, and the potholder is just two steps away — ensuring my cookies never burn.
Small kitchens also encourage organization within cabinets and drawers. Because I can only fit so many items into my cabinets and drawers, I’m gently coerced into organization by the space itself. I find nothing more frustrating than not being able to open a drawer, or having a box of cereal topple onto my head first thing in the morning. Thus, in my small space, I am encouraged to have a place for everything, and to put everything in its place.
Small kitchens incentivize less food (and money) waste.
Due to my limited storage space, I have to keep my pantry and refrigerator well-organized. The organization helps me ensure that no cans of beans are hiding in the back of the pantry, or that a jar of peanut butter doesn’t go missing for two months.
In fact, since I started cooking in a small kitchen, I have implemented a weekly Sunday clean-out session. On Sundays, I briefly look through the pantry and fridge to see what items I have, what I’m missing, and then, according to what I have, do a bit of meal planning. This practice has saved me from wasting a lot of food and money!
Small kitchens contribute to a “clean as you go” attitude.
By nature, I’m not a “clean as you go” person. I’m more of a “scroll Instagram while I wait for the water to boil” person. But small kitchens get messy quickly, and when the mess starts piling up, that’s my visual cue to start cleaning.
You can’t have every gadget in a small kitchen, so you have to be more creative.
Limited space is freeing. For me, limited space makes choices easier. I don’t have room for the latest gadget, so I don’t buy it. It also forces me to be more creative with the tools or gadgets I already own. For example, I recently wanted a frother for my coffee, but instead of buying another tool, I used the French press I already own to create bubbly, frothy milk for my morning cup of Joe.
Fewer dishes means less time spent washing them.
Dishes are my least favorite chore. Doing dishes is a seemingly never-ending task, but with less storage space, I have fewer dishes, and fewer pots and pans. I can’t use 10 pots and pans when I cook because I simply don’t have that many — therefore, I have fewer things to wash, dry, and put away.
Small kitchens foster togetherness.
This may be controversial, but I love the sense of cozy togetherness a small kitchen can bring. Yes, my partner and I may bump into each other or trip over the dog, but a small kitchen fosters conversation and togetherness in our relationship. By default, we have to talk to each other about the meal and our day, and, ultimately, we create memories here. Some of my fondest childhood memories involve sitting on the floor of my mom’s galley kitchen, licking the cookie dough bowl and having to scooch over when she needed to get another stick of butter out of the fridge.
Do you, too, have a love for the togetherness, organization, and minimalism a small kitchen can bring, or do you prefer a large space? Let’s discuss in the comments below!