My first apartment had a kitchen the size of a closet. It had exactly four cabinets, two drawers, and absolutely no pantry. Every time I bought groceries, I faced a giant puzzle. Where do the cereal boxes go? Where do I put the canned beans?
If you want to organize a small kitchen with no pantry, you know this struggle. It feels like you are playing a game of Tetris with your food. You do not need a giant kitchen to make things work. You just need to get smart with the space you have.
I learned many tricks during my years in that tiny apartment. Today, I want to share the best ways to find extra storage. You can find more simple home organization tips on our site, but let us start with your kitchen today.
Hang Your Items on the Wall
When you run out of cabinet space, look at your walls. Most people leave their walls completely empty. This is a waste of great storage space.
You can mount a sturdy pegboard on an empty wall. Hang your pots, pans, and big spoons on it. This frees up an entire cabinet for food storage.
Another great tool is a magnetic knife strip. It keeps your knives safe and out of the way. You do not need a big knife block sitting on your counter.
You can also install cheap floating shelves. Use them for jars of flour, sugar, and pasta. They look pretty and keep your baking goods within reach. Just make sure to use airtight glass jars to keep your food fresh.
If you have a metal fridge, use magnetic spice tins on the side. This saves drawer space.
Clear the Clutter Before You Organize
You cannot organize a kitchen that has too much stuff. If your cabinets are full of old plastic containers and broken mugs, you have no room for food.
Take everything out of your cabinets. Throw away expired food. Donate the appliances you never use, like that sandwich maker from five years ago. Be honest about what you actually use every week.
Getting rid of excess stuff makes room for your actual food. If you find this process hard, you are not alone. It helps to learn how to declutter your house in 10 minutes a day to make the job easy. Once you have only what you need, organizing becomes simple.
Double Your Cabinet Space with Shelf Risers
Standard cabinets have a lot of wasted empty space. You put plates on the bottom, and then you have ten inches of empty air above them. It is hard to stack different items without making a mess.
You can fix this with wire shelf risers. These are small wire shelves that sit inside your cabinets. They turn one shelf into two. They are very cheap.
Put your plates on the bottom and bowls on top of the riser. You can also use them for food. Put canned goods on the bottom and spice jars on top.
Lazy Susans are another great tool. These are spinning trays. Put one in a corner cabinet. You can spin it to find your cooking oils and sauces instantly. No more knocking over bottles to reach the back of the cabinet.
Create a Pantry on Wheels
If you have a small gap next to your fridge, you have a hidden pantry. You can buy a slim rolling cart that slides right into that gap.
These carts are usually only five inches wide. They have wheels, so you can pull them out easily. They are perfect for storing cans, spices, and jars of sauce.
If you do not have a gap next to your fridge, get a three tier utility cart. You can park it in a corner. Use the top shelf for onions and potatoes in baskets. Use the middle shelf for snacks. Use the bottom shelf for heavy items like bags of flour.
The best part is you can roll the cart to your stove when you cook. It acts like a mobile prep station. When you are done, roll it back.
Use the Back of Your Cabinet Doors
The inside of your cabinet doors is perfect for small, flat items.
You can hang small plastic hooks on the inside of the doors. Use them to hang measuring cups and spoons.
Another option is to hang a small wire basket on the door. This is a great place to store tin foil, plastic wrap, and sandwich bags. It keeps these long boxes from filling up your drawer space.
For larger cabinet doors, you can use a hanging organizer. The clear plastic pockets are perfect for small snacks, spice packets, and tea bags. You can see everything at a glance without digging through shelves.
Maximize the Space Under the Sink
The area under the kitchen sink is often a dark mess of cleaning supplies.
Buy a small tension rod. Place it high up under the sink from one side to the other. You can hang your spray bottles by their triggers on this rod. This frees up the entire floor of the cabinet.
Place plastic bins under the rod. Use one bin for sponges and dish soap. Use another bin for trash bags. Keeping these items organized gives you more room in your main cabinets for food.
Organizing a small kitchen takes some trial and error. You do not need to spend a lot of money on expensive storage systems. Start with one small change today. Clear out one cabinet or buy one rolling cart. You will be surprised by how much space you actually have. What is the first area you want to tackle?