Creative kitchen storage ideas?
April 18, 2024 10:30 AM Subscribe
We have a pretty small kitchen and then a little area for the dining table. The existing cabinets of the kitchen are already filled with pots and pans, dishes, cups, etc.
We have a handy rolling cart thingy in the main kitchen area that we store the microwave and rice cooker on top of and then there's some open storage at the bottom we used for stuff like canned food pasta sauce, etc. The problem is, we have more stuff to store, like snacks, cup ramen, paper plates/cups, aluminum baking trays, tupperware, etc. This would have to be stored basically next to the dining table and right now some of it's ON the dining table and some just strewn on the ground. For those who don't have a walk-in pantry, how are you storing these items in the least eyesore-y way?
We have a handy rolling cart thingy in the main kitchen area that we store the microwave and rice cooker on top of and then there's some open storage at the bottom we used for stuff like canned food pasta sauce, etc. The problem is, we have more stuff to store, like snacks, cup ramen, paper plates/cups, aluminum baking trays, tupperware, etc. This would have to be stored basically next to the dining table and right now some of it's ON the dining table and some just strewn on the ground. For those who don't have a walk-in pantry, how are you storing these items in the least eyesore-y way?
A decade in a tiny NYC kitchen made me ruthless about my dishes: they had to stack. Like, they had to nest tightly, or they had to go. I got it so I had a 10-person dining set that took up just two 16" wide shelves in one of my two cabinets. Same with my cooking pots (though I agree with caek that hanging is usually a better solution).
(Mugs were always a problem, cause they just don't stack well. So I re-used them elsewhere in the house to store qtips in the bathroom, flowers on the table, handcream by the bed, etc. During a diner party, they'd be gathered up and washed, then used, then dispersed around the house again.)
If you can save some space by managing your dishes, maybe that allows you cabinet space to work with?
posted by minervous at 11:13 AM on April 18 [4 favorites]
(Mugs were always a problem, cause they just don't stack well. So I re-used them elsewhere in the house to store qtips in the bathroom, flowers on the table, handcream by the bed, etc. During a diner party, they'd be gathered up and washed, then used, then dispersed around the house again.)
If you can save some space by managing your dishes, maybe that allows you cabinet space to work with?
posted by minervous at 11:13 AM on April 18 [4 favorites]
Are there any small, neglected spaces that could be filled up with narrow shelving? Like the space between a stove and refrigerator? You can find little rolling storage carts that might help.
Any space you can maximize on shelves or in cabinets by adding a little folding shelf?
posted by corey flood at 11:32 AM on April 18
Any space you can maximize on shelves or in cabinets by adding a little folding shelf?
posted by corey flood at 11:32 AM on April 18
* pulls up chair and sits down *
30 year veteran of NYC kitchens here.
Nearly every apartment I've had, I've had to use some kind of additional shelf for pantry storage. When I was in my 20s I used a cheap metal shelf unit, about 6 feet tall, that I stuck in the kitchen. Then I upgraded to a bookshelf a roommate brought in and then left with me, and now it's a big-ass Ikea Kallax unit (the kind that has the cube shelves. Vertical space is your friend.
But I also was really, really consistent about evaluating all the stuff I put in that kitchen and pantry. Like, a couple times a year I will consider "am I really using this mug" or "do I really need this appliance" and often just get rid of some stuff. My roommate and I are now down to only 8 plates and about 4 bowls, all of which are stacked up in a single cube on the Kallax; a second cube on the kallax holds two drawers with all the silverware, and our mugs are in this small built-in shelf that was already in the apartment.
As for appliances: many of them are on the Kallax, which was my intent. I also tend to get smaller-size appliances; a hand mixer instead of one of the big-ass stand ones, a small cheap coffee grinder, a single-serving toaster oven. There's a full-size toaster oven, a microwave and a fancy coffee grinder on the kitchen counter (a concession to my roommate, who has yielded most of the storage space to me). For appliances that only get used once a year (the crock pot or the super-fancy ice cream maker) those I store in a closet.
This leaves the cupboards to the small assortment of pots and pans we have, and to all the food. And as for the food - I simply don't have the room to stock, like, eight cans of soup or eight jars of pasta sauce. I think I have like two or three cans of things in my cupboard at most, and the rest of it is all stored in an assortment of resealable containers in different sizes - plastic canisters or glass jars. I am constantly on top of decanting things down into smaller and smaller jars as I run out of them; I just had to re-up my rice, and I poured that out of the plastic bag into a glass latch-top storage jar thing. As I use it I will be decanting the remaining rice down to a quart-size mason jar, then a pint-and-a-half size, then a pint size, then a cup size; and only then do I go get more rice. I do similar things with dried beans or pasta or chocolate chips or walnuts for baking; dump them out of the plastic bag into a glass container, then scale down to smaller and smaller containers as I use things up. This lets me stack things as I use them and create more space, and also encourages me to use things up; the shuffling and re-shuffling also helps me stay on top of ingredient turnover and encourages me to use things more as I uncover "oh, hang on, I have the last of that quinoa? I should use that up."
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 11:45 AM on April 18 [5 favorites]
30 year veteran of NYC kitchens here.
Nearly every apartment I've had, I've had to use some kind of additional shelf for pantry storage. When I was in my 20s I used a cheap metal shelf unit, about 6 feet tall, that I stuck in the kitchen. Then I upgraded to a bookshelf a roommate brought in and then left with me, and now it's a big-ass Ikea Kallax unit (the kind that has the cube shelves. Vertical space is your friend.
But I also was really, really consistent about evaluating all the stuff I put in that kitchen and pantry. Like, a couple times a year I will consider "am I really using this mug" or "do I really need this appliance" and often just get rid of some stuff. My roommate and I are now down to only 8 plates and about 4 bowls, all of which are stacked up in a single cube on the Kallax; a second cube on the kallax holds two drawers with all the silverware, and our mugs are in this small built-in shelf that was already in the apartment.
As for appliances: many of them are on the Kallax, which was my intent. I also tend to get smaller-size appliances; a hand mixer instead of one of the big-ass stand ones, a small cheap coffee grinder, a single-serving toaster oven. There's a full-size toaster oven, a microwave and a fancy coffee grinder on the kitchen counter (a concession to my roommate, who has yielded most of the storage space to me). For appliances that only get used once a year (the crock pot or the super-fancy ice cream maker) those I store in a closet.
This leaves the cupboards to the small assortment of pots and pans we have, and to all the food. And as for the food - I simply don't have the room to stock, like, eight cans of soup or eight jars of pasta sauce. I think I have like two or three cans of things in my cupboard at most, and the rest of it is all stored in an assortment of resealable containers in different sizes - plastic canisters or glass jars. I am constantly on top of decanting things down into smaller and smaller jars as I run out of them; I just had to re-up my rice, and I poured that out of the plastic bag into a glass latch-top storage jar thing. As I use it I will be decanting the remaining rice down to a quart-size mason jar, then a pint-and-a-half size, then a pint size, then a cup size; and only then do I go get more rice. I do similar things with dried beans or pasta or chocolate chips or walnuts for baking; dump them out of the plastic bag into a glass container, then scale down to smaller and smaller containers as I use things up. This lets me stack things as I use them and create more space, and also encourages me to use things up; the shuffling and re-shuffling also helps me stay on top of ingredient turnover and encourages me to use things more as I uncover "oh, hang on, I have the last of that quinoa? I should use that up."
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 11:45 AM on April 18 [5 favorites]
We also have a small kitchen (less than 200 s.f.) and no pantry and getting the kitchen stuff to fit in or near the kitchen is sort of my white whale at this point. So far, I've tried:
- Converting the nearby entryway coat closet into a combo coat closet / pantry by replacing the standard one-shelf-with-hanging-bar with adjustable track shelving and adding an over-the-door hanging rack. We put lower-priority stuff in here like bakeware, specialty ingredients, anything we're not going to use every day.
- Cabinet organizers to max out the storage that does exist. I ripped the shelf out of one lower cabinet and replaced it with these roll-out wire drawers to be able to fit more in without losing stuff to The Void. This cabinet door organizer is also helpful for smaller stuff. Clear plastic bins help store things like spices or sauce packets together.
- Replacing all the disposable / mismatched storageware with a single matching set that stacks as tightly as possible.
You can also try:
- Hanging rails and S-hooks for utensils, mugs, etc.
- Dining furniture that could offer extra storage, like this gateleg table and these storage stools.
posted by fifthpocket at 11:45 AM on April 18
- Converting the nearby entryway coat closet into a combo coat closet / pantry by replacing the standard one-shelf-with-hanging-bar with adjustable track shelving and adding an over-the-door hanging rack. We put lower-priority stuff in here like bakeware, specialty ingredients, anything we're not going to use every day.
- Cabinet organizers to max out the storage that does exist. I ripped the shelf out of one lower cabinet and replaced it with these roll-out wire drawers to be able to fit more in without losing stuff to The Void. This cabinet door organizer is also helpful for smaller stuff. Clear plastic bins help store things like spices or sauce packets together.
- Replacing all the disposable / mismatched storageware with a single matching set that stacks as tightly as possible.
You can also try:
- Hanging rails and S-hooks for utensils, mugs, etc.
- Dining furniture that could offer extra storage, like this gateleg table and these storage stools.
posted by fifthpocket at 11:45 AM on April 18
Similar to what fifthpocket recommended, could you use a storage bench on one side of the dining table instead of chairs?
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 1:48 PM on April 18
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 1:48 PM on April 18
If you have a small kitchen, you are probably living in a city. And if you are living in a city, you can get everything at all hours. You don't need to store a lot of ramen, or snacks, or paper cups, or Tupperware. If you feel you need an emergency kit, and don't we all these days, get one of those boxes with rollers that can go under a bed or a sofa, and stock it tightly for a blackout or a storm. It's fine if you take things out of it and restock every now and then, it's how you keep things fresh.
The same with pots and pans and tableware. If you have a lot of lovely stuff you are keeping for that day when you have a bigger kitchen, rent a storage space. Even if you love entertaining, you don't have room for more than four pots and pans on your stovetop, so think about which are the most important and store the rest remotely. Once I cooked everything including big dinners in a wok, a 5 liter pot and a casserole dish. You don't have to go that low, but it is possible. I would expand with a smaller saucepan (maybe 2 liters) and a non-stick pan.
I like to have big platters and bowls for salads and other cold stuff, and I have found some that look decorative around the house when not in use, like in a window sill or the living and dining room tables.
Like someone wrote above, your oven is a great storage space. If you don't use it a lot, anything can live in peace in there, my ex-MIL kept her bread in there. Otherwise, stack everything on a big sheet tray so it is easy to move over onto your dining table or onto the stovetop when you need to use the oven.
If you need to have stuff on your countertop a good idea is to put all the noisy stuff like bags of snacks and condiments and cereal in a cupboard, and keep nice-looking stuff on the countertop. Mugs and bowls look nicer on the countertop than bags of snacks. Or put your stuff in nice containers the same day you buy them.
IKEA has a very narrow shelf-thing with hooks for mugs or cups that would also look nice in a living room, if you have nice dishes, plates and mugs. It's called TORNVIKEN. I don't think I can link to a different country's site from here, so I don't know how it will look in your country.
posted by mumimor at 1:51 PM on April 18 [1 favorite]
The same with pots and pans and tableware. If you have a lot of lovely stuff you are keeping for that day when you have a bigger kitchen, rent a storage space. Even if you love entertaining, you don't have room for more than four pots and pans on your stovetop, so think about which are the most important and store the rest remotely. Once I cooked everything including big dinners in a wok, a 5 liter pot and a casserole dish. You don't have to go that low, but it is possible. I would expand with a smaller saucepan (maybe 2 liters) and a non-stick pan.
I like to have big platters and bowls for salads and other cold stuff, and I have found some that look decorative around the house when not in use, like in a window sill or the living and dining room tables.
Like someone wrote above, your oven is a great storage space. If you don't use it a lot, anything can live in peace in there, my ex-MIL kept her bread in there. Otherwise, stack everything on a big sheet tray so it is easy to move over onto your dining table or onto the stovetop when you need to use the oven.
If you need to have stuff on your countertop a good idea is to put all the noisy stuff like bags of snacks and condiments and cereal in a cupboard, and keep nice-looking stuff on the countertop. Mugs and bowls look nicer on the countertop than bags of snacks. Or put your stuff in nice containers the same day you buy them.
IKEA has a very narrow shelf-thing with hooks for mugs or cups that would also look nice in a living room, if you have nice dishes, plates and mugs. It's called TORNVIKEN. I don't think I can link to a different country's site from here, so I don't know how it will look in your country.
posted by mumimor at 1:51 PM on April 18 [1 favorite]
Using the built-in drawers (in the lower cabinets) for snacks works great since most of my snacks are both a bit bulky and impossible to stack. The drawer is a bit of a jumble with half eaten bags of pretzels and dried mango packs, but because the drawer pulls out fully, I can easily find what I want. Consider swapping out one of your drawers or lower cabinets (you can get a box of the correct dimensions to pull out like a drawer when you want to rummage through snack options).
In case you have leftover air space in your cabinets (in other words, there are a few inches above your stacked dishes/bowls/cups), shelf risers have been a godsend for me, both in terms of storage and in terms of accessibility as I'm too short to reach the higher shelves in the cabinet. I also use shelf risers on the countertop and use small trays or low baskets to corral whatever I'm stashing there (tea, condiments).
posted by spamandkimchi at 2:54 PM on April 18 [1 favorite]
In case you have leftover air space in your cabinets (in other words, there are a few inches above your stacked dishes/bowls/cups), shelf risers have been a godsend for me, both in terms of storage and in terms of accessibility as I'm too short to reach the higher shelves in the cabinet. I also use shelf risers on the countertop and use small trays or low baskets to corral whatever I'm stashing there (tea, condiments).
posted by spamandkimchi at 2:54 PM on April 18 [1 favorite]
Absolutely do not rent a storage space.
- Make sure any adjustable shelves are adjusted for maximum storage. Shelf risers are great for plates etc.
- Things like soy sauce and Tabasco don't need to be refrigerated, but they can be if it saves room elsewhere. Likewise, unopened jars.
- Loose bottles of cooking oil etc look messy on a counter, but put them in a tray and they're neat. Then put that tray on a lazy Susan and they're fun.
- Paper towel holder mounted under an upper cabinet.
- Pantry items don't have to be stored in the kitchen. Maybe those paper plates would be happier in the hall closet next to your picnic blanket.
- Hanging pot rack for sure. A half round one will probably be easiest to install.
- Foldable step stool to enable you to reach the highest cabinets, top of the fridge, etc.
posted by umwelt at 3:41 PM on April 18 [1 favorite]
- Make sure any adjustable shelves are adjusted for maximum storage. Shelf risers are great for plates etc.
- Things like soy sauce and Tabasco don't need to be refrigerated, but they can be if it saves room elsewhere. Likewise, unopened jars.
- Loose bottles of cooking oil etc look messy on a counter, but put them in a tray and they're neat. Then put that tray on a lazy Susan and they're fun.
- Paper towel holder mounted under an upper cabinet.
- Pantry items don't have to be stored in the kitchen. Maybe those paper plates would be happier in the hall closet next to your picnic blanket.
- Hanging pot rack for sure. A half round one will probably be easiest to install.
- Foldable step stool to enable you to reach the highest cabinets, top of the fridge, etc.
posted by umwelt at 3:41 PM on April 18 [1 favorite]
Not a direct suggestion, but I find Apartment Therapy to often have good ideas for small spaces
posted by TimHare at 9:26 PM on April 18
posted by TimHare at 9:26 PM on April 18
If you have cupboards, can you get over-door hanging organisers to go inside them? I make a lot of use of these for things like pan lids and baking trays.
Other things I've done in my own extremely tiny kitchen include:
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 3:12 AM on April 19
Other things I've done in my own extremely tiny kitchen include:
- storing a lot of things in stackable shoebox-sized plastic tubs, which can take up odd bits of space that weren't really intended for storage, and are admittedly not beautiful but at least look intentional and organised
- using trays to gather things together tidily on worksurfaces
- using stackable cupboard organisers (not actually the linked product, but that sort of thing) as narrow open countertop shelving for mugs, to free up cupboard space without taking up too much of the counter
- hanging pans on cupboard doors (via over-door hook) and sides (screw-in hooks)
- and using plate racks in the cupboards.
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 3:12 AM on April 19
What's your goal for the dining area? Do you want something that feels like a dedicated dining room or are you fine treating it like an extension of your kitchen? I have a small galley kitchen with a reasonable amount of cabinet space but not enough drawers. I deal with it by basically treating the dining area like an extension of the kitchen. The furniture is very casual and there are two small storage units (a tall wire mesh shelving set and an Elfa drawer set) in the dining space. The shelves have s-hooks off the sides for pans, mesh bags, etc. I've got some of my nicer kitchenware on those shelves, canned goods, and small appliances. This lets me keep the kitchen cabinet space for things that I want immediately to hand or are harder to contain.
I maximize the kitchen cabinet space by cutting the tops off small, sturdy shipping boxes so that I can pack my cabinets while still being able to get to stuff at the back of them. There are a lot of more attractive options for doing this if you want to spend money on them.
Do you have space you could use for magnetic storage containers? You could get smaller stuff like spices and utensils out of your drawers/cabinets if you can put them on the refrigerator or mount a sheet of metal on a wall.
posted by EvaDestruction at 7:12 AM on April 19 [1 favorite]
I maximize the kitchen cabinet space by cutting the tops off small, sturdy shipping boxes so that I can pack my cabinets while still being able to get to stuff at the back of them. There are a lot of more attractive options for doing this if you want to spend money on them.
Do you have space you could use for magnetic storage containers? You could get smaller stuff like spices and utensils out of your drawers/cabinets if you can put them on the refrigerator or mount a sheet of metal on a wall.
posted by EvaDestruction at 7:12 AM on April 19 [1 favorite]
If you don't have cabinets above your refrigerator, you can set a shelving unit on top. I bought this over-microwave shelving units and then DIY'd shelves with some old MDF board I had laying around. Don't actually put your microwave on top of the fridge, though, hot stuff above eye level is dangerous.
posted by nanny's striped stocking at 9:08 AM on April 19
posted by nanny's striped stocking at 9:08 AM on April 19
I have a small kitchen. I put in a hanging pot rack several years ago. If you have air space for it to hang in, it frees up a lot of cabinet space that you can then use for other stuff. Mine is over the sink. They're pretty easy to install, as long as you have a stud sensor so you know where to put in the ceiling hooks.
Visitors love the look of it. It's sturdy, heavy stainless steel, I spent about $100 on it at the time. Checking online, it looks like you can get roughly similar ones in the same price range today.
posted by gimonca at 3:34 PM on April 19
Visitors love the look of it. It's sturdy, heavy stainless steel, I spent about $100 on it at the time. Checking online, it looks like you can get roughly similar ones in the same price range today.
posted by gimonca at 3:34 PM on April 19
« Older Mechanical Keyboards with Kalih Prestige Silent... | Good movie for romantic anniversary movie night? Newer »
You are not logged in, either login or create an account to post comments
posted by caek at 10:37 AM on April 18 [2 favorites]