These Are Our Readers’ All-Time Best Ideas for Organizing a Small Kitchen

When we talk to people about their kitchens, the most frequent thing we hear is that they’re just not big enough. There’s not enough counter space, not enough cabinet storage, not enough pantry shelves … you get the point. But you all make do, and you come up with some smart tips and solutions along the way. Feeling curious, we asked Kitchn readers on Facebook to give us their best tips for making a small kitchen work.

Here are some of the best responses we got.

“I got a really great, tall, and skinny piece of furniture to put my dishes and glassware in. It’s easily accessible, forces me to keep it straight, and buys me extra space. It also has drawers to keep napkins, silverware, and tablecloths. Best purchase ever!” — Johanna C.

“I keep all my cumbersome appliances in a closet. I also use baskets in my cabinets to keep spices and baking supplies organized and together.” — Jasmine L.

“I use Champagne buckets to hold frequently used utensils (tongs, wooden spoons, spatulas, whisks, etc!). I have one on either side of my stove. They hold way more than those little utensil-holders and look much nicer.” — Christine S.

“Try to go vertical with everything. I’ve installed a hanging rack for pots and pans. I use baskets that hang on the inside of cabinet doors and underside of cabinets. I try to keep the appliances that I’m not using off the counter (although, the stand mixer doesn’t fit anywhere else).” — Marie K.

“Own very little. Decide what you absolutely cannot live without, and sell the rest. Utilize corners, use shelving brackets to stack inside cabinets, and add carousels for spices and other items used frequently.”— Theresa A.

“Don’t buy too much! I have a tendency to buy as if I’m feeding a small army. Then I have to find a way to store 10 pounds of potatoes or five pounds of rice.” — Marie K.

“These magnetic racks work great in my small kitchen!” — Beth T.

“1: Offload as much as you can to other areas of the house. We keep a Crock-Pot in the coat closet. 2: Keep your counters clear. No extraneous decorations allowed.” — JoAnn G.

“Hang your cookware!” — Kelly B.

Do you have any super-smart small-kitchen ideas to share?