Urban living definitely has its perks, however, space is not one of them. Most families and individuals living in the city find out that even if they have better access to jobs, transport, education, technology, and shopping establishments, a large home is something that is left to the financially-endowed because of the premium price of space.
Because apartments and condos have limited square footage, that translates to an equally small storage area regardless of room. Contrary to what most think, not all small things are a disadvantage. It is just a matter of perspective. However, not everyone has the innate ability for smart organization and one of the most difficult to organize if you have particularly limited storage space is the kitchen.
Small kitchen cabinets let you exercise organization. Instead of cluttered storing, you are conscious of the matter in which you store kitchen tools or even food. Having small kitchen cabinets also allows you to develop a keener sense of frugality and prioritization which you can use even in different areas outside of the kitchen. Because space is a constraint, you are focused only in buying items that you really need depending on urgency and importance.
Not because your cabinet is small means you can’t make the most out of them. Instead of spending thousands of dollars on bulky kitchen tools and grocery items that you don’t even need, prioritize and get organized by following these tips.
Optimize Your Kitchen Storage Space
1. Make an Inventory of Kitchen Items and Food.
First things first is the need for you to make a list of what you currently have so as to allow you to create an inventory, categorize, and label them accordingly. This will also let you find out which food you need to throw away if they have reached expiration, which kitchen items that you have 2 or more versions of, and which items you have not used – ever. Having 2 of a can opener is ok, but having 3 versions of the same cake-decorating tools (which you have never used even once) is not acceptable. Accept it; if you have not used kitchen items within the three years that you’ve owned them, there is a big possibility that you will not even use them in the next 3 years. That said, you need to let go and make money off them by selling on eBay or having a garage sale. You can also give them to family or friends who would be happy to use them. Keep 2 of each small item just in case the other breaks and get rid of all the others you don’t need. After this, categorize and label items according to function or frequency of use. Label food accordingly and indicate expiration date. After all these are done, you will be surprised at the amount of storage space you have all of a sudden.
2. Store Similar-Shaped Items.
Consider shapes and sizes when storing in your small kitchen cabinets. By doing so, you make use of every inch in your cabinet and leave no irregular, non-functional spaces. To make sure that they are in such fashion, buy similar-shaped storage plastic containers that you can stack on top of the other. Make sure they are clear (so you can see what items are inside apart from having a label on each) and are air-tight to maintain freshness and keep ants or insects from touching your food.
3. Install Metal Bars and Hooks as Pots and Pans Rack.
To maximize storage space and keep items which are frequently used from getting buried at the bottom of the drawer, install a metal bar just below your upper kitchen cabinet shelf. On the metal bar, hang a few metal S hooks to hang light items such as cutlery, spatula, small pots and pans, ladles, or bottle opener. You can also choose fashionable hooks to hang items on to make things appealing to the eyes if you want to take design up a notch. If you are stuck with old-fashioned metal hooks, paint them to give it personality.
4. Install Kitchen Cabinet Organizers, Dividers, and Pull-Out Trays.
Dividing cabinet space is a great way to optimize space. What used to be a single space can be divided to 2 to four tiers for easy viewing of your canned goods. Deep drawers often pose a problem of “burying” canned goods because you do not see them. With tiered cabinets, you can organize food items according to kind, considering their expiration dates. To better organize items and make sure they are grouped accordingly, invest on organizers. Utensils which are usually very unruly to look at if kept loose can now be arranged and neatly stored in one area. Using customized small pillars to separate and hold items in place, store dishes on deep bottom drawers. With one pull, you will be able to see all dishes and won’t have to risk breaking some of them which happens when dishes and china are stored on high cabinet shelves. Pull-out trays are a good way to store condiments which normally clutter counters.
5. Install Handle Bars on the Under Sides of Hanging Kitchen Cabinets, for Wine Glasses.
Before installing the handlebars, paint them or wrap decorated cloths on them, so it looks nice and pretty rather than just a brown or dull grey metal color. You can also choose stainless steel or chrome-coated handlebars if you want a sleek, modern, industrial look.
6. Make use of the Unused Space Between the Ceiling and Kitchen Cabinets.
If your kitchen cabinet is not installed directly on the ceiling, and there’s a space between them, then place rarely-used kitchenware on top of it such as party serving bowls, large woks, and pots and pans and kitchen appliances. If you have money to spare, you can place additional cabinets with glass doors to prevent your kitchen items from gathering dust.
Efficiency by Right-Sizing
Small can mean just the right size. And when things are just the right size, you avoid wastage. Keep in mind that the kitchen is the most energy-intensive area of your household, so the more that you prevent wastage in space or materials, the more that you become efficient around your kitchen.