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One area of the kitchen that many homeowners and cooks have issues with, is the amount of storage space available. Small kitchens can be made to look bigger through the clever application of light and dark colors, but physically the room won’t change.

Smart planning when remodeling a kitchen can make the difference between being cramped or having enough space. However, kitchen remodels are extremely expensive, and you may love the kitchen you already have so why change it?

There are many ways you can make extra space by utilizing hacks and being smarter about the existing space you have. Here are some ways that you can improve on the storage you already have in your kitchen, without spending a fortune.

Declutter your kitchen

Every year, Americans spend more and more on kitchen gadgets and tools. A few years ago in 2107, the retail market for kitchen gadgets was $1.2 billion according to Statista. This means that every American household has at least one or two kitchen tools and gadgets that they don’t need.

Before you start thinking of utilizing some storage hacks, have a clear-out. There are bound to be items in your kitchen that you don’t use and don’t need.

This can not only be a productive thing to do, but it might be financially beneficial too. Any kitchen gadgets that are in good condition could be sold on eBay or Amazon. Alternatively, give them to charity shops so that they can realize the financial benefits.

How can you make the most of your storage space?

Once you have decluttered and removed unwanted items, you may find that you have much more space. The likelihood is that you can still make some changes.

Small homes are often very difficult when it comes to space. Making the most of apartment living means not wasting space, so some hacks are essential.

Below are some ideas that anyone can use to make more storage space simply and easily, or to change the way you store items.

Baby proof your cabinets

This first tip won’t improve the amount of space you have, but it will make your kitchen that much safer.

If you have young children then consider putting baby locks on cabinets, especially the lower ones. Very often people store kitchen cleaners and bleach under the sink, and all of these products are hazardous to young children. Adding baby locks will make your kitchen just that little bit safer.

Plan your pantry effectively

This tip is only really effective if you are planning a kitchen remodel. However, it is still an important one. To make the most of storage space means planning effectively.

A pantry is one of the best ways to add kitchen storage but it needs to be positioned in a prime location. Ideally, the kitchen pantry should be positioned at the end of a wall so as not to disrupt any worktop space. It could be placed next to the fridge for convenience when selecting ingredients for cooking.

Replace kitchen cabinet doors with glass-paneled ones

This is an effective way to give a kitchen a new look without the expense of remodeling. It will also help to take your storage system to the next level.

Glass paneled cabinets are very attractive, and they are also practical. Having these cabinet doors will make it clear for anyone to see what is stored in which cupboard. Very convenient if you have a particularly large kitchen.

Make your utensils part of the decor

One simple hack to create more kitchen space is to hang up some of your utensils. Simply by putting in some hooks along one of the wall surfaces you can make extra storage space. Hanging your skillet, cutting boards, and wooden utensils, will mean less cupboard space is needed, and you will be creating a kind of functional decor.

Use tension rods inside your lower cabinets

Those under sink cabinets are often the muckiest places in the kitchen. They usually store buckets and cleaning products and the like. By putting in a tension rod or two, you can make the cupboard a little tidier, and create space.

Putting one tension rod in the cupboard means that you can hang cleaning products by their trigger. This frees up floor space in the cabinet for other items. You can even run a roll of kitchen towel on the tension rod for wiping up drips and any mess the products make.

Use glass jars for dried goods

It may not be the most dynamic hack but this age-old use for jars is perfect. If you find that you use a lot of lentils, dried beans, and other pulses, then glass jars will be very handy.

Putting all your dried goods into glass jars will make storage easy in your larder, and you will be able to see what you have at a quick glance. There will also be far less spillage, so less waste, and less tidying up.

Add a compost bin

Some people are still wary about compost bins and are worried about the smell. However, modern compost bins have charcoal filters to reduce any odors.

Adding a compost bin to the inside of a cabinet door means taking up little space, and you’ll be helping the environment. Even if you don’t have a garden you can still compost and have it collected.

The US PIRG reports that most areas of America now have composting programs with some being highly effective. San Francisco for instance has reduced the amount of trash sent to landfills by a whopping 80 percent.

Use the top of cabinets as storage space

Your wall cabinets have the same space on top of them, as they do on the bottom shelf, and yet the chances are that you aren’t using them.

Dishes and plates that aren’t often used could be stored on top, so could jars and other items. How practical this will be will depend on the height of your cabinets and the ease of access. Yet, for items that are not used often, there is definite potential.

Use a metal file organizer for your baking trays

A metal file organizer is perfect for storing cutting boards, shallow cake tins, and baking trays.

Normally you would have these stacked up in one of your cupboards meaning that you have to slide them out from between each other. A file organizer makes selecting what you want and replacing it extremely easy.

Put a whiteboard inside a cupboard

Do you find your fridge is covered with magnets and notes? Are there menus and recipe cards, and post-it notes all over the place?

Try fitting a small whiteboard to the back of a cabinet door. You can write any notes to yourself here out of the way, leaving the kitchen looking far tidier. And throw out those menus, you can look for takeaways online. Besides, you’ll be too busy cooking to think of takeaways, won’t you?

Summary

Some modern kitchen design ideas can inspire you to make changes yourself. But you don’t need to invest tens of thousands of dollars in remodeling your whole kitchen. You could just make some small changes to improve the storage you have or change the appearance of it.

If you are happy with your space but not the way it looks then change the cabinet doors. Put in glass ones or repaint them. If you need more space then try simple changes such as adding a roll-out cutting board, or a mobile kitchen organizer on wheels.

A few changes can make the time you spend in the kitchen more fruitful, and more enjoyable.

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