Your kitchen is the one room in your home that you probably spend more time in than any other. While your kitchen may be the heart of the home if it feels uncomfortable to cook in or you find it a challenge to find anything due to its small size you are not alone. More homeowners complain about small kitchens and finding helpful storage solutions and hidden storage ideas to create a kitchen they love to be in. Instead of being discouraged about your small kitchen, look to these helpful ideas for finding creative ways to save space in your cozy kitchen.

Find creative storage areas in your small kitchen

Get rid of what isn’t needed in your kitchen:

The first rule to finding hidden storage and saving space is to create more usable space. Go through your small kitchen and purge what isn’t used or needed. Try and consolidate pantry and food items into smaller containers or opt for vertical options such as stackable containers to free up more horizontal closet space. Once you have purged items consider installing vertical shelving, cabinets, and open shelving to take advantage of bare walls that could use storage.

Take advantage of vertical shelving for display & functionInstall shelving & cabinetry on free walls in your kitchen

Save space with multifunctional elements:

Small kitchens should use every free space to the best of their ability. Kitchens that share a dining space can use the counter space for preparing meals and eating afterwards. Dual purposed kitchen bars that roll on casters or wheels are another great option. There are several varieties of rolling kitchen organizers that can roll under your counter or even into an adjacent closet when not in use. Also use open glass door cabinets to not only store your dishes but as display. While your kitchen is small it doesn’t have to lack in decorative style. Store pretty dishes and dinnerware in an organized display for everyday functionality and as a focal point.

Built-in storage in the walls doesn’t waste any space

Ensure your small kitchen has good illumination:

While you may think that storage options are the only way to add creative space, good lighting can also reveal areas you didn’t consider before. Ambient lighting overhead, task lighting underneath overhead cabinets, and pendant lighting for ambiance can add dimension to your kitchen and help you cook safer and easier. If you have tall ceilings take advantage of them with dramatic pendant lamps and store baskets, decorative elements and seldom-used kitchen items in taller cabinets and on top of shelves. Lighting can reveal areas in your small kitchen you may have forgot about!

Don’t forget multiple lighting options in your small kitchen

Your small kitchen just got a little larger with these creative ways to find storage but also ways to work better in your cozy kitchen. Decide what can go and what should stay before you get frustrated in your lack of storage options. Once you do, your kitchen will ultimately feel large and multifunctional elements and good lighting will pull all the elements together beautifully. Small kitchens can still be the heart of your home, all you need are a few creative ways to use your existing kitchen space.

Photo sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, & 5.