Having a smaller kitchen space doesn’t mean you have to give up making your favorite meals. However, it can be a challenge to make room for all of your kitchen equipment. Here are some suggestions that will inspire you to optimize your kitchen practices and start cooking in a small kitchen in style!
Stove covers
If you find yourself running out of counter space, it may be helpful to invest in a burner cover. Not only will this give you more counter space when you’re not using the stove, but the burner cover doubles up as a cutting board – killing two birds with one stone! Then, when you need to cook something on the stovetop, you can easily remove the cover and set it out of the way.
Wall-mounted pan racks
Cabinet space can sometimes be limited when you are cooking in a small kitchen. That’s where wall mounts come in handy. Moving your pans out of their cupboard and onto the wall mount not only frees up more space for storing other kitchen tools and appliances, but also makes it more convenient to grab whichever pan you need when you’re cooking.
Spice racks
Spice racks are another common type of wall mount that can free up space in your cabinets, especially if you have a large collection of big and small spice containers. Not only are they practical and conveniently within reach while cooking, they also lend to a more luxurious aesthetic to the kitchen. Having a spice rack where all of your spices are on display may also inspire you to use a different variety of spices and get creative with your seasonings.
Store away counter appliances when not in use
… within reason! You might not want to lift a heavy microwave out of storage every time you need to heat something up, but with smaller appliances like coffee makers, toasters, blenders, etc., you might want to consider putting them away when you’re not actively using them. This is a common practice in many households already, but a good suggestion if you haven’t tried it.
Prep your meals ahead of time
Simply pre-chopping vegetables, measuring out ingredients, and seasoning your protein ahead of time and storing it in the fridge until it’s ready to cook can save you kitchen space. Practicing meal prep also makes cooking generally less stressful and more efficient, since everything you need is ready to go – all you need to do is throw it in a pan or bake it.
These are definitely not the only things you can do to make your time in a small kitchen easier, but they definitely are a good place to start.
