Make space in cramped kitchen
From
| April 29, 2009
In Kitchen Basics
Recently a friend was complaining to me that she didn’t have kitchen storage and felt cramped when trying to fix dinner. Storage and preparation space was a huge problem in my former kitchen, too, so I felt her pain. A modest 1960’s ranch, most rooms were big and roomy, but the kitchen was the size of a closet. A complete remodel wasn’t in the near future as we were just starting our family. And yet I needed to be able to move around enough to cook dinner.
Here are a couple of tips I used back then to co-exist with a small kitchen that may be helpful if you’re feeling cramped in your space.
Paint the kitchen walls a light, bright color that YOU love. It will make you happy--plus a lighter color will visually enlarge the space. My kitchen now is a bright coral-orange. There are no frowns allowed.
Transform your newly brightened walls into storage with everything from a wall-hanging pot rack to small cup holders for large spoons, whisks and strainers.
If you have a large enough wall, take a tip from Julia Child and use peg board from the hardware store to create an easy-to-reach wall of storage. You can paint the peg board to match or contrast your walls for additional color.
Consider a kitchen island to increase preparation area and provide additional storage underneath. Portable butcher block islands are available everywhere from specialty kitchen stores to discount “mart” type stores. There’s no need to spend a bundle.
Consider using the tops of your cabinets (if they are open) as storage for equipment you don’t use often. Large serving bowls, while beautiful, take up too much space inside the cabinets.
A nearby closet or even under-the-bed storage can be used for seasonal serving pieces.
Seriously evaluate your pots and pans. We were surprised at the pieces we had kept for years but never used. Other pans were too damaged to use -- and yet we allowed them to take up space.
Consider storing cookbooks you don’t use frequently on a bookcase outside the kitchen instead of on the countertop.
So, what kitchen storage tips am I forgetting here?
Comments
From Maria M. - May 12, 2009
After the appliances, counters and sink are factored in, we have a rectangle with an approximate foot space of 4 x 7 to move around in as we prepare meals. It is the smallest kitchen I have ever seen or had to work in. Nonetheless, all our meals as well as holiday dinners, baked gifts and yummies for a large volunteer group are prepared in that little space.
We use a portable cart to keep all our pots and pans. Our coffee pot and a pretty bowl with fruit occupy the space atop. Each of our small kitchen cabinets is a designated space - bake ware, bar ware, linens, cleaning supplies, etc. A small hall closet became our pantry. The china hutch in a corner of our equally small dining area keeps our china, with the pretty stuff displayed at the top and the everyday stuff kept below in the covered area. On our counters we keep a microwave, a pretty platter to hold incoming mail and the occasional bouquet of flowers. Nothing more.
As the individual above posted, you have to become ruthless in your approach to putting things away, as well as banning clutter from an already too-small space.
From Laura - May 12, 2009
I currently live in an apt with a huge kitchen but a laughable amount of counterspace. It’s what my mother would definitely call “wasted space.” There is a large island in the center but most of the space is used up by the sink. What is left is an angular shape that is something less than 1 ft by 2 feet. That is the countertop within the kitchen work triangle so I make it work. I purchased a portable full size dishwasher and the laminate top has become a very welcome secondary work space. I also use some metal rolling carts for cutting boards/pots and pans. I have a baker’s rack and two plan utility shelves to serve as storage and pantry space.
From Michael-Leonard - May 12, 2009
Depending on your height, don’t overlook the top of your refrigerator for storage space. That’s where I keep my everyday cookbooks and recipes (in folders).
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From Jason - May 09, 2009
We live in an older home with an eat in kitchen and no dining room, having lived there 20 years you can imagine storage space is at a premium (no pantry either!!). Target and other discount dept stores often have wire storage containers, we have one sitting on top of a small table where we keep our cookbooks. It keeps them off the counter and if you look - these wire storage containers are not bad looking.
I think another hint for storage is to take the time to organize. I’m anal about putting away groceries - I stack cans, keep like items together, etc. This also helps me from buying duplicate items which ultimately just take up more space.