Cramped kitchens are the bane of every renter’s existence: How the heck are you going to fit a Crock-Pot, panini grill and your grandma’s heirloom porcelain platter in there?! Luckily, with just a few adjustments and space-saving measures, you can turn a cramped kitchen into your apartment’s most hoppin’ hangout space. Try these three tricks for tricking out a small kitchen:
1. A Colorful Corral Station
If your kitchen wasn’t blessed with a bevy of drawers, then try creating a smart station where you can corral all your loose kitchen knickknacks, like matches, pens, clips and that splurge-worthy bar of dark chocolate. Use old vases or cool ceramic cups to store your do-dads and cooking utensils in, then neatly arrange them in a bright, heavy-bottomed tray. If you have room on the tray, you can even throw in your errant pair of salt and pepper shakers. Corralling all your kitchen essentials together will keep your clutter off your counters, which is especially useful if you’re short on counter space to begin with!
2. A Multitasking Mirror
You’ve probably heard of this design tip before: Tricking out a small space with mirrors can help it appear larger and brighter since the mirrors will reflect lots of light. Why not apply the same principle to a small kitchen? And here’s the best part: Your mirror can serve double duty as a dry erase board so you can write out the menu for the week, a grocery list, recipes, etc. Just make sure you keep erasable markers handy (try storing them in your corral station!). Also, since kitchens can get messy, make sure you’re using a mirror that you won’t mind splattering and battering, like this metal-framed thrift store find.
3. Smart Storage Devices
When both kitchen counter and cabinet space is at a premium, you have to get crafty with your storage. To get items up off the counter and out of the cabinets, try installing storage units underneath cabinets, like this easy screw-in wine glass rack from IKEA. Other cabinet-mounted storage options include paper towel holders, spice racks and even under-cabinet knife blocks. Still looking for space-saving measures? Try installing a sheet of pegboard on one of your kitchen walls; that way you can hang pots and pans within easy reach.
Whether your kitchen is super small or super roomy (lucky you!), there’s one kitchen spot that’s always a troublemaker: the utensil drawer. Check out this ForRent blog post with tips on how to get your messy kitchen drawers into ship shape with a DIY customizable organizer.
What space-saving measures have been game changers in your small kitchen? Share with us in the comments below!