Why You Should Throw Away Your Knife Block & Other Space-Saving Hacks For Your Small Kitchen
For those who have a small kitchen, space quickly becomes an issue. But with a few hooks, curtain rods, and a little creativity, you can maximize space. Put hangers on the bottom of shelves and cabinets, repurpose food cans, and put storage on the outside of your fridge. If you want easy, cheap hacks to save kitchen space, look no further.
Unify Your Pantry Containers
Many people struggle to organize pantries, mainly because food containers are all different. Cereal boxes are much larger than pasta boxes, while seeds and nuts come in plastic bags. If you unify your cabinet containers, storage will be much easier.
Get clear, airtight containers--preferably in square or rectangular shapes--and store food inside. Although this is an investment, it will make cooking so much easier. You'll be able to see how much food you have and stack the containers on top of each other.
Fruit Bowl? Why Not A Fruit Basket?
Although fruit bowls are popular, they can only hold a certain amount. Why not get fruit baskets instead? Metal baskets allow air to flow through them, which will prevent mold. But since they're square, you can also stack them!
Get a few baskets that are all the same size and stack them on the counter. These will separate your fruits and vegetables, which tend to ripen faster when placed together. Also, they'll appear more organized on the counter.
Put Utensils In Decorative Cans
Cooking utensils, such as wooden spoons and tongs, should be within your reach while cooking. For a DIY hack, save empty food cans, like soup or canned vegetables. Clean them, and then put utensils inside.
Because these cans are sturdy and lightweight, you can customize them. Glue them to a wood plank and hang them on the wall to save counter space. You can also paint the cans or cover them in decorative paper to match your kitchen decor.
Instead Of Stacking Pots, Hang Them
If pots and pans are cluttering your cabinets, check the handles. Many have holes in their handles for people to hang them. Hanging pots not only organizes them better, but it also relieves cabinet space.
Depending on the type of hook you get, you can hang pots beneath shelves, on walls, inside cabinet doors, or from the ceiling. Make sure that the pots are easily within reach and that the hooks are strong enough to support their weight.
If You Can't Nail Into The Wall, Get A Pegboard
If you cannot put nails into your rental walls, or if you don't have wall space, get a pegboard. A pegboard, or perforated hardboard, is pre-drilled with holes. By sticking pegs into the holes, you can hang whatever you want wherever you want.
Since pegboards are so sturdy, they can hang heavier items such as pots, pans, strainers, and bowls. Lean the pegboard against a wall or on the side of the fridge. Plus, you can paint it whatever color you like!
Transform A Breadbox Into A Charging Station
With some DIY techniques, a breadbox can become a charging station. Use it for your phones, or to keep appliance cords out of the way. You just need a regular wooden breadbox; you can thrift one for cheap.
Drill a few holes into the back of the breadbox. These need to be large enough for the charging cable to reach through. If you want to use this for phones, attach another shelf to the inside of the breadbox. Close it while not in use.
Throw Out That Knife Block
Knife blocks take up a lot of room on the counter. To get rid of it, buy a magnetic knife strip. These strips hang your knives with magnetism. Although it might seem like the knives will fall, they won't; the strip has a strong magnetic force.
These magnetic strips don't just hang knives. They can also store scissors, cheese graters, and other metal items. Many are designed to look like wood that can match your cabinets.
Use The Stovetop As Storage
How often do you use all four stovetop burners at once? Probably not often. In that case, your stovetop can serve as storage. While the burners are not on, you can leave teapots or pans on them that appear decorative.
Plus, most stoves have a ridge right about the clock and oven controls. Use this to your advantage. Place small containers and utensils on there, like spices, oils, salt and pepper shakers.
Multiple Uses For A Drying Rack
Dish drying racks are not just for drying dishes. They can also be cheap, convenient storage. Use a drying rack to stack lids, cutting boards, mugs, cheese boards, bowls, knives, utensils, and more.
If you didn't know, there are several different kinds of dish racks. Magnetic dish racks can hang on the side of a fridge, and some hanging dish racks have multiple levels. Put hooks on the bottom of hanging dish racks, and you'll have a complex storage unit.
More Storage, On Wheels
Storage carts come in all shapes and sizes. Many retailers offer portable storage, wheeled racks that have several levels. Some are so narrow that you can fit them in between the refrigerator and the cabinets.
Use these portable carts to your advantage. Put lesser-used materials inside, such as tinfoil, plastic wrap, spare towels, baking supplies, or measuring cups. Whenever you need them, roll the cart out, grab the supplies, and then roll it back in.
Take Spices Off The Counter
Spice racks do not have to consume counter space. There are many ways to store spices on the wall. One option is a hanging spice rack. These racks are nailed to the wall, and many come with spice jars that are labeled on the lid, which face outward.
If you lack wall space, get magnetic spice jars. These tiny jars attach to your fridge, and many have transparent lids so you can see the inside. If they don't, label them.
Make A Chic Food Jar Shelf
Dried foods such as pasta noodles, nuts, and seeds can become decorative items. Store them in a translucent, sealed container such as a mason jar. Then, hang them for as a decoration to clear cabinet space.
All you need is a shelf wide enough to hold the jars. For a cheap often, go to a thrift or antique store. Get a stylish shelf, repaint it, and mount it on the wall. It will maximize storage and make your kitchen look chic.
