7 Tips to Expand Your Kitchen Space

You can make a small kitchen more usable by moving stored items off the counters, choosing cabinets that fit the room, and organizing utensils and drawers. Corner shelves, hanging storage, a suitable layout, a rolling cart, and overlooked door or cabinet space can help. Some ideas add a work surface; others reclaim the counter space you already have.

Plan to Expand Your Kitchen Space During Your Kitchen Remodel

Remodeling a kitchen can be a daunting task, especially when you have limited space to work with. If you're working with a small kitchen, there are creative ways to make better use of the room and create a more functional, organized place to cook.

These tips can help you plan a kitchen remodel when you're short on space, from storage solutions to kitchen layouts. Start by considering which items occupy your counters and where you could store them instead. Then consider whether a different cabinet arrangement or an additional work surface would suit the room.

Here are seven ways to make more room in your kitchen.

1. Use Corner Shelves

Shelves can add storage and extra surface area to a small kitchen. Corner shelves are useful when an otherwise unused corner offers limited wall space. Moving suitable items onto these shelves can reclaim counter and cabinet space for other uses.

Corner shelves may be an alternative to conventional shelving or cabinets where a full cabinet would not fit. They can hold cookbooks, spices, or small appliances such as blenders, food processors, or coffee makers, provided the shelf size and support are suitable for the items. The useful gain depends on the corner available and what you need to store there.

2. Get Customized Kitchen Cabinets

Cabinets play an important role in how a kitchen uses its space. Custom cabinets can be planned around the size and shape of your room, helping you use areas that a standard cabinet arrangement may not suit. Consider what you want to store and how the cabinet dimensions would support that use.

You can also choose a style, finish, and material that fit your kitchen. Custom dimensions do not automatically mean more storage or better durability than stock cabinets; the result depends on the design and materials selected. Include ease of cleaning and the way you use the kitchen when comparing cabinet options.

3. Hang Utensils Up

Hanging utensils can help reclaim worktop space when a small kitchen has few places to put everyday tools. Rather than leaving these items in containers on the counter, consider hooks inside a cabinet or beneath the cabinets.

The supports need to be suitable for both the mounting surface and the items being hung, especially heavier cookware such as pots and pans. Choose appropriate storage hardware rather than relying on improvised wire hangers or assuming that extra hangers make an unsuitable support secure.

An orderly hanging arrangement can also make the kitchen look more organized. Keep the arrangement practical so the items you use remain easy to reach without crowding the work area.

4. Use Drawer Dividers

Drawer dividers do not create a new countertop, but they can help organize existing storage so fewer tools need to sit on it. Separate spaces make it easier to group utensils and kitchen tools rather than keeping everything together in one crowded drawer.

For cookware or small appliances, first consider whether the drawer has enough room and is suitable for those items. Choose dividers that fit the drawer and the contents you want to organize. The aim is to use the storage you already have more effectively, not to assume every appliance can fit in a divided drawer.

5. Choose the Right Kitchen Layout

A kitchen needs enough room to function, but a small room can still retain the features you enjoy. The original article highlights two layout ideas to consider, where the available space allows:

1. An open layout with an island: An island can combine a work surface with storage and, where appropriate, seating. This may suit people who cook or entertain in the kitchen, but an open layout does not automatically create room for an island.
2. An L-shaped kitchen with an island: An island alongside an L-shaped arrangement may provide another surface for preparation, cooking-related tasks, or eating. Its storage value depends on the actual cabinetry and available room, not simply on using fewer cupboards.

Choose the arrangement that fits your kitchen rather than assuming either option will increase usable space in every small room.

6. Use a Rolling Cart

A rolling cart can provide an additional work surface and storage that can be moved when needed. Carts come in different shapes and sizes, so choose one that suits the room and the tasks you want it to support.

When it is not in use, moving the cart out of the work area can give you more room. Plan where it will sit between uses; a cart still occupies space even when it is movable.

Consider whether you need it primarily for preparation, storing kitchen items, or both. A cart can be a useful way to add flexible surface space without changing the existing cabinet arrangement.

7. Use Door and Cabinet Storage Spaces

Before building a new cabinet or installing a new countertop, look at storage areas you may be overlooking. Making better use of them can help reclaim counter space without adding another large piece of cabinetry.

• Door areas: The original article suggests looking near a kitchen back door or at the back of a door for storage. Shelves, a small cabinet, or suitable hooks may be options only where they fit without interfering with the door's use. Any door-mounted storage needs appropriate support for what it holds.
• Upper cabinet shelves: Review how the upper shelves are arranged. Additional shelves or vertical dividers may help separate cooking supplies and make an existing cabinet more useful, where its dimensions allow.

The goal is to organize existing storage into spaces that suit your kitchen items, rather than crowding more objects into an area that is already difficult to use.

Plan a More Functional Kitchen

With thoughtful storage and layout choices, a small kitchen can become a more organized place to cook and gather. Focus on the changes that address your own storage and work-surface needs. A useful plan makes room for daily tasks while keeping the kitchen an attractive, functional space for family and friends.