SMall Spaces Organizing Tips - FOcus on the kitchen

While I'm blessed to now live in a home where we recently remodeled our kitchen and I have plenty of counter and cabinet space, this was not always the case. One place had only 2 upper cabinets and 2 lower cabinets. The only counter top was next to the sink. Plus, it was an "eat-in" kitchen, so there was a small dining table there, too. That was probably the smallest, but I had a couple others that were almost just as small. Needless to say, I had to learn to be creative with the space.

One of the things I learned along the way - be very picky with what you decide to keep or buy. This applies to food, cookware, and appliances. I did not buy food in bulk (I had no where outside of the kitchen to store things, either). I changed my habit of shopping every two weeks to going weekly. Planning your list is a must - you can't buy too much extra because you don't have the space for it. Also, only have small appliances that you absolutely need - and bonus points for appliances that serve multiple functions. If only the InstaPot was a thing back then! You might have to decide that you can live without a toaster oven, a crock pot, a food processor, etc. Instead use your range, and opt for a microwave and a blender that can chop food. Then, only keep the minimum amount of cookware and other dishes you use. If you have a family of four, only keep enough plates and drinkware for your family plus two more, in case of guests. 

Beyond limiting the items in the space, make sure you're using the space you do have efficiently. Think about space you have on the walls, under cabinets, and on the ceiling. Can you add open shelving on a wall? This doesn't have to be pricey shelving - just some nice brackets with stained or painted 1x12 lumber would work nicely. Can you hang a small pot rack - and hang serving utensils there along with your pots and pans? 

Something like this one available on Amazon with a shelf on the top works great for extra storage. ​Inside your cabinets, be sure to use shelf expanders where possible. (If you aren't sure what a shelf expander is, check them out here). These handy shelves will eliminate wasted space - especially where you're storing food or dishes.  Another wasted space eliminator is using magnetic strips along walls, inside the door of, or under, cabinets. Then, you can place knives or other metallic objects there, rather than take up

precious drawer space.

One other thing to consider - keep your counter tops as uncluttered as possible! Put things away when you're done using them. Clean up the dishes right away, rather than letting them pile up.  Keeping the counter tops open will make the space feel bigger, which is almost as important as actually being bigger!

What ideas do you have for a small kitchen? Let me know in the comments!