15 Organizers That’ll Make a Small Kitchen So Much Better
I once heard Food Network star Anne Burrell say something about small kitchens that really stuck with me. She was talking about how lots of people use their small kitchens as an excuse not to cook — or not to cook well, even. She then followed that up with the fact that some of the best, award-winning restaurants have teeny-tiny kitchens. She’s got a point: It’s not the space you have, but rather how you use it.
With her words burned into my brain, I decided to round up some of the best organizers to help those of us (me included!) with small kitchens. These smart Amazon finds all help to get stuff up and out of the way or just more in line. So that, you know, you have room to do the fun stuff — the cooking. Check them out and then get that oven preheating. You have no excuse not to.
Sure, we’ve all seen magnetic knife holders before. (And you probably already know that Kitchn editors are big fans of putting one wherever you can find the space!) But have you ever seen a magnetic knife holder that also has hooks for utensils and small pots and pans? This little organizer will free up counter and drawer space and only requires a few square feet of blank wall space.
Unlike most other slim carts on the market, this one is super sturdy — meaning it won’t wobble and feel like it’s about to come apart every time you roll it out of its hiding spot. Use it as a makeshift pantry and tuck it away behind a door, in a closet, or in a gap in cabinetry (if you have one).
3. YAMAZAKI home Tosca Dish Riser, $25
The thing about this dish riser is that it’s DOWNRIGHT GORGEOUS. While others need to be hidden in the cabinet and really just work to increase shelf space, this one can sit on your counter, holding dishes or frequently used ingredients.
4. Joseph Joseph DrawerStore, $10
Attention, all those with narrow drawers! This little plastic organizer is the only thing that worked for Kitchn staff members when it came to getting flatware in line. It’s less than five inches wide, so it’s sure to fit in nearly any drawer and it holds a full set of silverware.
Mounting your paper towel holder on the wall or under a cabinet is a great way to free up counter space. Mounting this one, which has a shelf for small dishes or ingredients, is an even better way to free up counter space!
6. simplehuman Sink Caddy, $17
If you really lack counter space, even the smallest things like sponges and dish brushes can take up too much valuable real estate. This caddy suction cups to the inside of the sink and you won’t even realize it’s there — until you go to use it and then you’ll be happy it is!
The one point Kitchn is constantly trying to drive home: Using your wall space is always going to be key! For that reason, we love a hanging pot rail. No matter how small your kitchen is, there’s almost always a spot to hang one of these. Even if it’s way high up there, you’ll still be able to reach your pots. (If it’s low enough for you to reach, you can even slide some lids into the top!) It’s amazing how much cabinet space you’ll empty out just by moving your pots to the wall.
If you have a lot of stemware, listen up. While those wire hanging racks are made just for wine glasses, these wooden slats can be hung however you want, which means they can hold all sorts of stemmed glasses.
That under-the-sink area tends to be a hot mess even in the largest kitchens! Get it under control with this adjustable rack. You can tinker with the height and width, and it makes room for all that annoying plumbing.
10. Command Spray Bottle Hangers, $9 for two
Don’t want to get a whole setup like the one above? Then at least try these bottle hangers to get your cleaning supplies up and out of the way, freeing up the bottom shelf space in your cabinet.
11. Southern Homewares White Wire Under Shelf Storage Basket, $27 for four
There are options on Amazon to buy just one under-shelf basket (or even two), but I think these things are so handy, you may as well get four! Put them in your cabinets and on a pantry shelf and you’ll create storage space out of actual thin air.
12. YouCopia Lid Organizer, $20
Storage containers are supposed to help you keep leftovers fresh and organized. But what’s there to help you keep those containers organized? Because the lids are the biggest problems, I recommend this holder, which has five adjustable dividers and holds square and round lids measuring up to nine inches wide. There’s also a smaller size, if you have less room to work with.
Read more: 7 Tricks for Taming Your Tupperware Cabinet
Because I know a lot of you have a Keurig machine at home, I wanted to call out this little drawer. It goes right under your brewer, so you don’t even have to come up with any more space for it. And then it’ll free up cabinet space because you can chuck all those boxes the pods originally come in.
14. YouCopia TeaStand, $25
More of a tea drinker? This organizer is the same idea (it eliminates the need to hold onto bulky boxes) and is super slim. Just slide it into a cabinet or push it to the side of your counter.
Even if you don’t have any extra wall space in your kitchen, I’m guessing you have a fridge, right? So maybe this magnetic organizer will work for you. It’s not super large, yet it has tons of space for tools, ingredients, towels, and more.
Do you have any organizers in your tiny kitchen that you swear by? Tell us about them in the comments below.
