How To Make A Small Kitchen More Functional

If you live in a home with a small kitchen, you know exactly how frustrating it can be. Whether it’s making dinner while bumping elbows with your roommates or significant other or running out of counter space in the blink of an eye.

Unfortunately, unless you own the home, there’s not much you can do to increase the size of the kitchen. Even if you do own the home, remodels are pricy and time-consuming. When is the best time to undertake such a project?

Fortunately, you can squeeze more functionality into your kitchen with these simple tricks:

1. Put Up Floating Shelves

Floating shelves, available from retailers like Ikea, are ideal in a small kitchen. Designed to hang on the walls without elaborate braces or structures, floating shelves are the perfect storage space for pots, pans, canned goods, and plates. If you have high ceilings, take the shelves vertical and bring a small footstool into the kitchen to make reaching them easy.

Living in a rental? No problem. Most floating shelves can be installed with only a small screw hole. This makes any damage easy to patch and cover before you move out.

2. Swap Your Backsplash For Pegboard 

If you have some freedom to alter the home, swap your traditional tile backsplash out for pegboard. Choose a stainless steel variety, and it will be easy to clean and provide extra storage space for your hanging items. 

3. Purchase Over-The-Sink Cutting Boards

One of the biggest headaches of a small kitchen is a lack of counter space. Luckily, this is easy to rectify with an over-the-sink cutting board. Designed to extend and brace over your sink (no matter its size), these handy little kitchen helpers make it easy to max out your kitchen space. You will get the most out of even the tiniest countertops. 

4. Install Corner Shelves

Corners are notoriously under-utilized spaces in most kitchens. To squeeze as much storage as possible out of yours, install corner shelves to hold spices, utensils, bowls, and other kitchen gadgets you need within arm’s reach.

5. Use A Nearby Closet For Storage 

If you don’t have much storage space in your kitchen, use a nearby closet in the living room or hallway for storage. By covering the front with curtains or keeping the doors closed, you’ll be able to conceal the closet’s contents while also ensuring you have ample room to store all your kitchen must-haves.

Small Kitchen Made Comfortable

While a small kitchen can be frustrating, these five smart tricks will make your space more functional, user-friendly, and enjoyable. From sneaking storage space into corners and up walls to taking a unique approach to the traditional backsplash, there are dozens of options for overhauling your tiny kitchen into the space of your dreams.