Living and cooking in a small kitchen has its flaws, but it’s also an important lesson in staying as organised as possible. Being savvy about how much you own, where to store small appliances, and how to cook without getting in someone’s way are all vital things a small kitchen will force you to get a hand on – and lessons I’ll be taking with me in my move to a bigger flat.
I’m in the process of moving from a tiny L-shaped kitchen with enough floor space for two people and a mere 2 cupboards to a U-shaped kitchen with almost four times the storage space. The promise of more worktop and storage space left me feeling very excited about upgrading all of my kitchenware and finally investing in one of the best airfryers, but instead, I’m choosing to sit back and think about the lessons I’ve learnt from small living.
Living minimally, especially in a cooking space, is one of the easiest ways to maintain a tidy and mess-free space. So there are the lessons from my small kitchen that I’ll still be sticking to post-move.
1. Keep just one set of everything
As my kitchen cupboard space is set to triple in size and the move is on the horizon, I’ve been making lists upon lists of new kitchenware I want to invest in. And while some of this is necessary (having more than two pasta bowls will be a real treat), I’ve had to sit back and assess what I do and don’t need.
If you’re a homeware fiend like me it’s really easy to get carried away with following the latest kitchen trends, but this is a one-way ticket to a bigger kitchen also becoming cluttered. To combat a messy cooking space and enjoy the increased space, I’m pledging to stick to only having one set of everything. This means no buying extra crockery or additional pans – the ones I have work perfectly well.
It pays to have high-quality cookware, as it works so hard in your day-to-day life. These are my favourites that won’t be replaced.
Joseph Joseph Space Folding Handle Non-Stick Frying Pan
These pans from Joseph Joseph stack nicely within each other and have a space-saving folding handle – it’s been a game changer for storing in drawers that aren’t wide enough to fit pans.
John Lewis Rectangular Stoneware Roaster
Although I love Le Creuset, it’s not always within budget. This rectangular dish from John Lewis is the perfect size for meal prep or hosting friends and comes in an on-trend shade of blue.
Finding kitchenware that stacks is the key to making full use of your space. This set from Our Place is a firm favourite on the Ideal Home team – it’s practical but also super pretty.
2. Always remember fridge freezer audits
Anyone who has moved house will understand how the process holds a mirror to your worst habits and the amount of stuff you own. Luckily, having a small kitchen and fridge has meant that we’ve had to stay on top of whats in our fridge freezer throughout the year.
By having regular freezer audits (because let’s face it, who can remember what’s stored in there?) it’s meant that there hasn’t been any mystery Tupperware left in there. It’s also been a great way to save money on food shopping by using up what you’ve got, but may have forgotten about.
‘Keeping a running inventory can help to avoid buying unnecessary duplicates and makes it easier to inspire meal ideas based on what’s already available,’ advises Gemma Gwynne Stevenson, APDO member and founder of Your Organised Space.
‘In terms of your fridge, every few weeks, take a few minutes to check expiry dates and reorganise items. Transparent plastic boxes are a great way of separating items within your fridge and making sure nothing lingers at the back unnoticed. I always suggest having a ‘use me up’ box or shelf – this is a great way of making sure things are used up in good time,’ she adds.
3. Put the kitchen to bed
One of the biggest issues with a small kitchen is that it looks messy really quickly. To combat this, I introduced the rule of always putting the kitchen to bed. This meant that before I ended my day it had to tidied and cleaned spotlessly.
‘Every Night Before you wind down for the evening, take a few minutes to reset your kitchen. It’s time well spent. I like to do this whilst the kettle boils for my evening cup of decaf! Clear the countertops, wipe down surfaces, and ensure the sink is empty and clean. Always set the dishwasher going before bed – you’ll never wake up to dirty dishes. When you start the morning with a tidy kitchen, you start the day on a positive footing,’ advises Gemma.
Although having a bigger kitchen might make it easier to leave stuff on the side to ‘sort out tomorrow’, I’m going to commit to my nighttime routine to help my kitchen to stay organised and
4. Restock and decant into jars
Earlier in the year a mice problem led me to search for ways to get rid of mice in my kitchen, and one of the best pieces of advice I got was to decant everything into glass jars. While this did fix my problem, it also blossomed into a habitat that I didn’t realise would be so handy for a small kitchen.
I had previously thought that in order to organise ingredients into nicely labelled glass jars you also needed a stylish kitchen to match, but it’s actually transformed the limited cupboard space I have. When you don’t have much kitchen storage space things can get messy pretty quickly, so glass jars have made it easy to actually see what cupboard essentials I have, or which need a restock. Ahead of my move I’ve just invested in a collection of new Kilner jars that will mean every one of my cupboards is as organised as possible.
Laura Haddy, APDO member and Founder of Clear The Chaos Ltd, also notes, ‘Start simple, the key is to only decant what you use regularly. Think pasta, flour, and the essentials. It may sound simple, but I can’t tell you how many people go overboard and try to decant everything at once.’
Kilner Clip Top Round Jar
You can’t go wrong with Kilner jars – sturdy, easy to open and available in many different sizes, they’re the best storage jars for your kitchen. I love the medium clip-top style.
Nothing screams ‘I’ve got my life together’ more than labelled spice jars. These stickers will make the task simple and ensure everything matches.
Pantry Perfect 24-Piece Airtight Food Storage
I used this exact storage set in my own kitchen and it has been great for keeping baking goods organised. The chalk labels make it easy to scrub off and rewrite if what you’re using the container for changes.
5. Utilise vertical space
In a small kitchen, you can’t magically make more floor space, particularly if you’re a renter, but you can make the most of vertical space. There are so many ways to add storage to a kitchen without undergoing a whole renovation and utilising the tops of cabinets is a great way to work in additional storage.
I have used space above cabinets to store bigger frying pans and woks that don’t get used as frequently, as well as a George Foreman grill. Above the fridge sits the microwave, which although isn’t the most aesthetically pleasing, frees up so much worktop space.
Even with more storage, I plan to still utilise the vertical space in my bigger kitchen but with the added upgrade of wicker baskets to hide away some of the clutter.
Do you already swear by these rules or is there one you’re going to try out?
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