34 space-saving storage ideas for small kitchens

Make the most of every inch of your small kitchen

A tiny kitchen means you might not have room for that dream dining booth or kitchen island. But, that doesn't mean you can't have a kitchen you love.

With clever planning, organisation and space-saving ideas, it's possible to create a perfectly formed layout that is functional, stylish and will do everything you need it to.

Click or scroll through and try these space-saving hacks to make the most out of every inch of your tiny kitchen...

Slot in a tiny table

If you haven’t got space for an island or large dining table, look out for a bistro-style table for two or expanding versions. Better still, install a fold-down version or desk that can be used when you want to eat or prepare food, but won’t take up any room otherwise.

If you want extra space to hide those spices, salt and pepper mills and more, opt for one with storage. Or, simply use the surface to store placemats or fruit in a bowl when not in use. This table for two has been brought into the scheme by colour-matching dining chairs to kitchen cabinetry using furniture paint.

Include a peg rail

The simple Shaker peg rail looks just as striking in modern kitchens as country schemes, and are handy hooks to have around a small kitchen.

Use to frame a colourful splashback or to break up an all-white wall. A run of these humble wooden pegs adds warmth, and texture and are easy-access holders for many kitchen utensils.

Use spice racks

The versatile BEKVAM spice rack is used for so many handy storage solutions, from books to jewellery. But let's not forget how practical they are used for their original purpose in a small kitchen. The smooth wood finish brings a natural touch to empty walls too.

Recipe books stored front-facing also look great in spice racks. Or, why not mount them upside down to offer an extra hook rail and narrow shelf?

Decant food items

Ensure your tiny kitchen remains organised and clutter-free by decanting dry food into coordinated containers. The task will free up cupboard space too as you should be able to fill the containers with more than one packet at a time. Hand-label clear food storage containers and leave them out on your countertop or open shelves.

You could store everything from pasta and rice to spices and biscuits, stacking them on top or next to each other for a colourful display.

Pile up your tableware

If you don't have a great amount of cupboard space, why not keep dinnerware sets out on your worktop or open shelving? Neatly pile it together, either using the same colour and pattern or mixing and matching for a stylish storage solution that looks too good to hide away.

We love the coordinated vibe all-white crockery makes set against soothing blue-grey-toned painted walls.

Use a tiered trolley

When cupboard space is really limited, a trolley can come into its own. You can fit just as much on them as a normal shelf, whether it's plates, glasses or jugs, but they’re much more versatile.

Move it to different parts of the kitchen when needed, then slot at the end of a run of cabinetry when finished. Plus, it can double up as a drinks trolley when you're entertaining.

Keep tableware on racks

Racks are a handy kitchen addition. Keeping crockery neatly stacked, whether inside a cabinet or on an open shelf above the sink, is a handy way of keeping things organised as well as decorative.

This rustic shelf looks idyllic in a country kitchen complete with a ruffed fabric kitchen skirt.

Fill up the window ledge

Deep kitchen windowsills make practical extra surface space, especially if they are used to house and display anything that feeds off sunlight. A herb garden or spring bulbs will thrive in a well-lit space as long as they are appropriately hydrated.

The potted greenery in the background looks fresh and invigorating in this bright kitchen. Dish soap is within easy reach also.

Mount a rail

For about the price of a cup of coffee, you can buy a rail that can be easily mounted on the wall of your kitchen. From this, you can hang absolutely anything. Utensils, oven gloves and spice holders all work well.

This compact kitchen has a rail mounted above the small sink to store washing-up items within easy reach, keeping the work surface around the sink clutter-free.

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Use heat-resistant boards

If counter space is at a premium invest in heat-resistant or toughened glass chopping boards to prepare food over the hob (when switched off).

A patterned style will not only protect the surface but will also hide the boring black ceramic top with something more stylish and colourful instead.

Store serving utensils in a pot

If your tiny kitchen only has a small cutlery drawer, make large serving spoons and utensils a feature on your countertops by displaying them in a dedicated utensil tub.

Options include a jug, a large upcycled tin can, a ceramic pot or a glass vase. In a busy kitchen, your new utensil storage will be best placed next to the oven for quick and easy access while cooking.

Choose stacking mugs

When cupboard space and worktop surfaces are at a premium opt for clever tableware ideas that also improve kitchen aesthetics for a double win.

Vertical stacking mugs use minimal space and can offer a pop of colour and texture to your kitchen. If you can't bear to part with favourite mugs that don't stack easily, invest in a mug tree stand that will serve the same purpose, storing mugs and tea cups vertically.

Opt for a slim pantry

You may think you don't have room for a kitchen hero but, a pantry or larder can be a blessing in a small kitchen if chosen wisely. Choose a tall yet narrow design that will use its height to its advantage.

This soothing grey statement larder includes shelves, drawers, bottle cubbies and storage racks mounted to the door – how's that for storage?
This placement cleverly blends the kitchen area into a dining space, too.

Hang vegetables in tier baskets

The simplest designs will combine style and practicality as well as make a statement in a small kitchen. These baskets are crafted from elegant wirework arranged in three tiers of cascading sizes.

The only question left is what delights to put in each basket...

Be clever with your rubbish

A large, conventional bin can take up a lot of space in a small kitchen. Instead, opt for sorting bins that can be stacked on top of each other and easily accessed through folding lids.

It will help you sort through different types of waste and recycling, such as paper, glass, metal, plastic and food, and will be a lot less obstructive than a big bin in the middle of the room.

Use hooks and holders

Don’t let the focus of your kitchen just be the worktops – add hooks on the walls for baskets, tea towels and pretty mugs.

These hooks double as a shelf meaning you can use the top for plants and storage jars. Look out for coordinating items for a streamlined and organised display.

Keep cookware tidy

Keep pans from piling up and clattering out of the cupboard with a simple pan stacker. The additional metal or plastic frame sits inside your cupboard, allowing you to stack pots and saucepans neatly when not in use.

It can also prolong the life of your cookware and protect non-stick surfaces from scratching. This handy version is adjustable.

Employ extra fridge space

Lack of larder space? Make the most of your refrigerator instead, with additional drawers that slot in underneath shelves.

These pastel sliders create useful extra layers for smaller and delicate food items, such as eggs, small fruits and soft cheeses.

Create a washing-up station

An over-sink drying-up rack is an instant space-saver and is practical, too, as the water from dishes drains off into the sink rather than onto worktops.

Choose a stainless steel version that won't rust and one with plenty of compartments for dishes, bowls, knives, chopping boards and the all-important detergent as well.

Go for over door storage

Over-the-door storage is especially useful in kitchens at rental properties, where hooks cannot be mounted to walls without damaging them.

These candy-coloured plastic tea towel holders are bright and cheerful, and can be used for oven gloves, fabric placemats and pot lids, as well as the obvious dishcloths.

Make the sink work hard

Don’t have the space to chop fruits and vegetables on your worktop?

Invest in an over-the-sink chopping board. Using your sink frees up the rest of your kitchen, and when you’re done, simply pop your chopping board behind the tap for easy access the next time you need it.

Bring in a butcher's block

A butcher's block table makes a handy addition to small kitchens. It usually comes on wheels and is a square shape in design so can fit in tight spaces or on the end of islands and breakfast bars.

Use it for extra worktop space or perhaps as an allocated toast or coffee-making station. Choose a block with a rail to hang linens, a drawer for utensils and extra shelves to hold storage jars and baskets.

Utilise the ceiling

Don’t forget your ceilings when maximising your vertical kitchen space. A ceiling-mounted rack can be used for hanging pots, pans and colanders, freeing up your cupboards and adding an interesting design feature.

Another option is to grow a herb garden from the ceiling. Ceiling racks look the part in country and Shaker-style kitchens.

Consider a pull-out pantry

If you don’t have space for a proper pantry, no problem: use a pull-out one instead.

All you need is a bit of horizontal room and you’ll have a space maximised to its full potential, with plenty of storage and nothing left languishing at the back.

Go for pull-down storage

Concertina storage below waist level is a fairly common kitchen storage solution but pull-down storage from high cupboards is extremely helpful too.

This is an especially good idea for the vertically challenged, it makes food and containers easy to access and every inch of the cupboard space can be put to good use.

Mount a magnetic knife holder

While a good set of knives can always be displayed on a worktop, save some extra room by installing a magnetic knife rack on a spare bit of wall.

You’ll save lots of space and your kitchen tools will always be easily accessed when it comes to chopping those vegetables.

Utilise corner cupboards

Corner cupboards have a bad reputation for being awkward spaces but when used properly can be effective storage solutions.

A pull-out Lazy Susan installed in the cupboard of a fitted kitchen can be filled with spices, food tins, cooking dishes or pots and pans which will become so easy to access.

Get on the grid

Wire wall grids make a genius space-saving storage idea for small kitchens that can be multi-functional and versatile to store any many of kitchen item. Install one or more mesh grids to the kitchen wall and add 'S' shaped hooks in various sizes, to hang pots, pans, graters, utensils, and baking equipment: the options are endless.

This small kitchen has used its wire wall grid to store and display traditional style pans that coordinate with classic stripe fabric, but colourful or contemporary equipment would look striking in modern kitchens.

Adapt space above upper cabinetry

Don't overlook the spaces on top of your cabinetry when it comes to storage. Even though items may be more out of reach, it’s still usable space. You could keep spare kitchen roll, cookbooks and boxes of soft drinks or emergency chocolate supplies up there.

Invest in wicker baskets or pretty boxes to keep your stores looking tidy on their high shelf. Or, choose a kitchen that adds dedicated additional upper storage with protective and contemporary fluted glass.

Repurpose a cupboard

No room for a pantry? No problem. Consider existing built-in small cupboards in your kitchen or even hallway and create one yourself.

Remove the door, add rustic-style panelling and shelves, then fill with labelled storage jars filled with dry produce and enamel containers for bread, sweet treats and drink supplies. What a fabulous farmhouse decorating idea.

Include secret drawers

Every time you open a cupboard that doesn’t use every inch of space, that’s a wasted opportunity and a secret storage space hiding in your home. Install narrow shelving units on the inner doors of your cupboards to store small items like spices, salt and pepper, and sauces, for a beautifully tidy and effective solution.

Most of us don’t really need the deep drawers and cupboards often found in built-in kitchens: you can only stack plates so high, and it’s not a good use of space to keep pots and pans there, so consider a handy cutlery drawer.

Mount side storage

Utilise all the kitchen storage space you have by including organisers and shelves where you'd least expect.

The sides of small islands, the ends of a run of units or even the side of the fridge may have empty space waiting to be adapted. This Scandinavian-inspired wall-mounted shelf is ideal to neatly store bottles, flasks, cookbooks and more.

Organise drawers

Utilise all the kitchen storage space you have by including organisers and partitions where needed in your drawers. Make a plan to declutter them once a month so they don't get filled with unnecessary items that spiral out of control.

An adjustable tray and removable pegs can be positioned based on your needs which means you can create the perfect fit to accommodate plastic food storage containers and lids, cookware, mixing bowls and more. If you don't have a built-in version, pop in regular cutlery trays to keep knick-knacks tidy and organised.

Store vertically

Shelves don’t always need to be horizontal. If you install a few vertically, you’ll be using space more effectively. Saucepans, chopping boards and cooking dishes can be stored beside each other, without the risk of them all crashing down every time you open the cupboard door.

These beautiful oak chopping boards slot perfectly vertically into a purpose-built unit, however, the same method can be created by adding partitions inside cupboards with MDF sheets, upturned storage boxes or even fibreboard magazine files.

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