Organizing a Small Kitchen

By

hcannon

That is so true! I never really thought about that! Heck, maybe I should just rid myself of the awful stove too! Thanks Cathy S!

By

Cathy S

You don't really need a lot of pots and pans. An electric skillet can be used to cook soup, rice, scrambled eggs, chicken, pancakes, fritters, a roast, steak...almost anything! All you need is a plastic spatula and a fork, spoon and knife. Use disposable aluminum pans from the dollar store for baking, too. Use a small bowl (for eating out of) stored inside a larger mixing bowl for baking. Most often used utensils can be hung by nails from the cabinet doors if they are wood. All the best!

By

hcannon

Thanks guys! Great ideas! I am definitely going to install some shelving, put pans in the oven drawer, and I am totally loving this apartment therapy website. Thanks to all!

By

Amy3e

I would store what you don't need daily and find creative ways to maybe hang your pots on the wall. There are cute copper pot hanging accessories in stores. Also, use shelving and other creative storage devices in the drawers and cabinets to maximize your space. Places like the Container Store and Bed Bath and Beyond have space saving gadgets that may help you to extend your limited space. Good luck.

By

COflower

Apartment Therapy has posted oodles of articles on this subject:

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/main/search?q=small+kitchen

They've done a lot of articles on organizing for any room in virtually any size and most recently they had a contest for "Small Cool" apartments that range from under 400 sq ft to 1000 sq ft (link is at the top right now). Those entries may help you as well. Lots of great ideas to pull from their site even if the decor (seems to be mostly mid-century modern) isn't your style.

Hope that helps.

By

Tapestry Lady

I feel your pain; if two of us are in the kitchen here, someone has to back up so the other can leave. We bought an inexpensive sideboard which lives in our entry way, and it's doubled the kitchen storage. And things I don't use much, like the cake mixer actually stay in a box in the bedroom.

By

redhatterb

I store my baking pans in the oven and my pots, kettles, and skillets in the drawer.

By

Jilson

You can get kitchen "utility carts" in many styles and sizes. They're on wheels, so you can move them where you need them. Some are open shelves, some are enclosed with drawers and doors. These can let you store small appliances, etc. and move them out of the way when you don't need them. Many come with a wood, cutting board top.

Keep stovetop utensils in a crock at the stove. Store large flat objects like cookie sheets in the stove drawer, if there is one. If you're allowed, install a hanging rack for pots/pans. Store cleaning products elsewhere, and use the under-sink space for kitchen storage. You may need to clean it thoroughly and line the bottom with shelf-liner. If you don't use items daily, or at least often, store them elsewhere in the apartment. Get some underbed boxes and keep stuff there easy access, but out of the way.

Scour the local thrift stores, you may find several utility carts. If they're not pretty, you can add a fabric "curtain" all around it.

Good luck.