No Kitchen Space? Don’t Have to Worry! 

If you’re like me, you’ve got tons of kitchen stuff. Now, it’s easy for clutter to take up your space, especially with small kitchens. Nothing pretty in that, am I right? 

No matter how much you’ve tried, kitchen minimalism cannot be a thing. Whether it’s essentials, like flour, sugars, and pasta, or pantry non perishables, like canned food, organizing them is necessary. 

Did you know you can achieve just that with minimum space and a smart use of furnishings? Fitting everything in doesn’t have to be a hassle anymore!

I have to say, I was truly taken aback by numbers 13 and 16 – SO cute!

Pick your favorites and get inspired by the 20 most creative ideas for maximizing your kitchen space below. 

1. Wall Shelves Are Your Best Friend

One of the simplest organizing hacks of all times is wall shelves! Most kitchens, even spacious ones, will benefit from extra shelves.

Just grab a few of your chosen shelving models and install them wherever you need some extra space. Since wall shelves come in a multitude of materials, styles, and colors, this versatile space solution will definitely add some personality to your kitchen as well. 

Make sure you carefully consider every inch of your kitchen walls to make the best use out of them!

2. Can You Extend Your Counter Space?

Small kitchens will usually have limited countertop space. Especially in a family kitchen, this will not be enough. Remember clutter? 

So, similar to number 1, you might want to add a second mini countertop shelving above your countertop or dining table. This easy trick can help with smaller items, like spices, glasses, and bowls. 

Some call this method ‘layering’. Be your own interior designer and improve your kitchen look while equipping it with a bit more storage space!

3. What About a Sideboard?

You will usually find table linens and dinnerware inside of kitchen sideboards. However, you are more than free to switch that up and adapt it to your kitchen storage needs. 

And with vintage models available or DIY versions, a sideboard could be a proper kitchen pantry. 

This is a great and aesthetic option if you’ve got some unused space in your kitchen. It all comes down to space – annoying, right? 

If you consider a sideboard, make sure to browse garage sales, your local antique shops, or choose your soldier here. 

4. Or an Aesthetic Bar Cabinet?

Another great piece of furniture that can host your kitchen stuff is a cute bar cabinet. There is plenty of space for both wine and dry goods with easy access! 

Probably my favorite kitchen organizing idea, adding a bar cabinet to your kitchen can literally transform the whole room with the right paint and design.

Depending on size and material, bar cabinets can go quite cheap. 

5. Look For Any Wall Space

Now, this is an obvious one, isn’t it? Before you do anything, reflect on your existing wall space.

If you want to be efficient, you may want to take those paintings and lovely family pictures off your kitchen walls and place them somewhere else.

Be inventive and look for available wall space behind your sink, around your windows, or around your meal prep area. This step is great for planning if you’re working with very little kitchen space. 

6. Keep Your Drawers Neat 

Kitchen drawers can get super messy with time. If you haven’t already invested in drawer organizing tools like dividers, it’s time you do so! 

Be careful with heavier goods like flour or rice bags that may not be stored in your kitchen drawers. 

Remember that if you move things around, you can always make some extra space for other items too. 

Pro tip: Any chance there are extras lying around? Do you own two or more of the same containers or utensils? Unless you’re some sort of a professional chef, always consider tidying up those drawers and cabinets for some extra space.

If that’s not an option for you though, it is a good idea to store extras and special dining items like fancy cutlery and dishes in other parts of your home. 

7. Plain Sight Essentials

This simple but good-looking trick that I use in my own kitchen saved me lots of space! 

If you’d like to try it out, check out my glass jar set I got for it. I also use a non-slip kitchen tray to keep my jars nice and neat.

Alternatively, repurpose your old jars and plastic canisters for storing dry goods in plain sight. As long as it looks well and does the job, this is a kitchen space no-brainer. 

You may not want to simply store bags of flour directly on your countertops though, as dry goods can get contaminated or spilled. 

Next up, I would definitely invest in a secure bread box for my dining table! My grandma had one, and I’ve always wanted a bread box ever since. 

8. Install a Wire Rack

If you have a small kitchen, every inch of space is precious. Installing a wire rack for your utensils, kitchen towels, and cutting boards will free up your cabinets and drawers for more space friendly use. 

I mean, it looks great, doesn’t cost much and will take you somewhere between 3 and 5 minutes to install!

9. Invest in a Rolling Kitchen Island

Let me guess. You’ve always wanted a kitchen island! 

The good news is – you can finally have one! On wheels! 

Investing in a smaller rolling island will add lots of extra kitchen storage. Move it out of your way and place it wherever you like every day. 

10. Got Some Space on Top of Your Fridge?

Take a quick look at your fridge right now. 

Use up the space on top of your fridge to store kitchen stuff. Non-perishables are best for this option, as you can check them out while meal prepping with your fridge stuff as well. 

11. What About Space on Top of Your Cabinets?

Another great self-explanatory tip? Most probably you do have some available space on top of your cabinets. 

And if you don’t, consider moving items around your home and keeping all the kitchen stuff in one place. 

Grab some cheap storage baskets and, if out of your reach, place a step stool for getting up there. 

12. Consider Hanging Utensils

Kitchen utensils and knives are everyday essentials. Why not hang them on kitchen hooks or magnetic strips for an easy grab? A hammer and nails will also do the trick. 

Empty your drawers up and add a country vibe to your small kitchen. 

If you’re a fan of efficiency, just stop opening that drawer 20 times a day. Wooden spatulas will do fine above your stove. 

13. Grab a Handy Pegboard

Thing is, pegboards are maybe not used traditionally in the kitchen. But trust me, once you customize this and it fits right into your space, you’ll use it forever. 

Pegboard hooks and shelves can store heavier items too, like fruit bags and teapots. 

This wooden pegboard will match any single one of your kitchen space needs AND look elegant at the same time. 

14. Install Lazy Susan Turntables

Who would’ve thought a round lazy Susan makes that long-forgotten Campbell’s noodle soup from the back of your cluttered cabinet super easy to grab? 

A few of these turntables will do wonders for both your cabinets and your fridge. They come in multiple sizes, so you can always have easy access to all your kitchen stuff. 

15. Hook Your Mugs

I’ve counted my mugs, and let me tell you. They needed hanging a long time ago! 

Want to enjoy extra kitchen space too? Grab some super cheap and small hooks you can install under your shelves and cabinets. 

Now that you did hook them up, you can never have too many! And I probably helped you clear half of your kitchen space just now, didn’t I? 

16. Tiered Baskets Elevate Your Space

Last but not least, use multi-tiered kitchen baskets on your countertops and walls. This compact and simple trick will elevate your space (quite literally, though!) in a heartbeat.

Depending on your needs and available space, you can choose from many options, styles and colors, but I went for this super functional and solid 3-tier storage basket in my kitchen. 

Ready to say goodbye to clutter? 

Kitchen organizing has never been easier for you!

With all these in mind, do you now believe your kitchen can handle more than you’d think? It’s incredible how easy it is to use some simple, space-friendly devices for all that stuff lying around.

Did you have some other creative ideas we’ve missed? Are you an organizing wizard or something? Let us know in the comments. 

In the meantime, if you found this useful, continue reading Top Design Predictions for 2025.