How to Make the Most of a Cramped Kitchen When Relocating

For many families, the kitchen is the heart of the home. Unfortunately, only some have the luxury of a spacious kitchen with many cabinets and drawers. Cramped kitchens can be hard to manage, especially if you love to cook. 

Fortunately, there are many ways to be creative and work around the challenges of smaller kitchen spaces, so let’s discuss some of the best ones.

Purge Before You Pack

Your new modest kitchen will be more manageable if you pare down your kitchen items as you pack for your move. There’s no sense in taking more than you need to your new home — especially if your space is limited. 

 

Utilize Every Surface

We tend to think of surfaces as horizontal spaces like countertops or shelving. However, what stops you from using vertical surfaces like walls, cabinet doors, and even the underside of those cabinets? For example, you can mount a glassware holder to the bottom of a cupboard and use that for stemware instead of taking up valuable storage space.

Similarly, you can attach hooks or grip holders to keep utensils and other kitchen equipment hanging within arm’s reach. So again, each surface has potential – you just have to get creative to unlock it.

Avoid Single-Use Items

We’re living in a golden age of kitchen gadgets – items designed for a single purpose and not much else. When you’re short on storage space, you can’t afford to keep products you won’t use often. Also, you don’t have to make everything from scratch. For example, you can purchase pre-mashed garlic and keep it in the fridge.

Use a Rolling Cart as an Island

Rolling kitchen carts are perfect for cramped kitchens because they’re easily deployed and often have many usable workspaces. Some may come with drawers, shelves, and hooks to hold unused items. One of these carts allows you to increase your prep area without investing in expensive countertops.

Maximize Negative Space

Some kitchens have various “dead zones” that do little more than collect dust. One notable dead zone is the kitchen sink, which is often only used to hold and wash dirty dishes. Instead, consider covering the sink with a countertop or cutting board so it doubles as a prep station. Similarly, what if you utilize the space above and around the refrigerator or microwave, you can use them for items that don’t get used very often.

Think Vertically

People often overlook vertical space in a kitchen, but you can tap into this area with limited kitchen space. Some examples of vertical storage ideas include:

  • Cabinet Shelving – Yes, your cabinets already have shelves, but what if you could add others in between the ones already there? Wireframe shelves work perfectly for canned goods, spices, and other small items that may be hard to stack.
  • Wall Mounts – You can mount all kinds of things to the wall, including hooks, shelving, and even some fixed accessories.
  • Stackable Items – Plates and cups are already suitable for stacking, but you can buy items designed to stack as tightly as possible. This way, no inch goes unused, and you can increase your cooking capacity without reducing your overall counter space.

Get Help With Your Move

With these creative ideas, you can turn a cramped cooking area into a fully-functional professional-style kitchen. Yes, it may seem crowded or “busy,” but you’ll be far more productive and less stressed.

Let us help you move your kitchen materials and the rest of your residence. Contact us today to find out more.