Solutions for a small kitchen

Not enough space? same here. First things first however, edit what you own! I know I'm guilty of having and hanging on to things that I don't really use or need. One thing that has really tamed that vice in me is moving every year. I would sell or donate more and more of my possessions with each move, because I was tired of all the boxes! I can't recall a time when I said to myself, "gee, I wish I hadn't gotten rid of that!" Regardless, sometimes your apartment or house still doesn't have enough square footage for even the most stringent minimalist. This week I'm going to focus on kitchens, where maintaining an organization system, once you have it in place, is crucial. Hopefully, these images will provide some solutions!


Magnetic strips are my best friend. And mount everything you possibly can, i.e., the dustbuster is mounted as opposed to taking up precious surface real estate.

Clear boxes, like these from muji, are really important at keeping cupboard chaos at bay. I hate having everything tumbling out while I'm searching. Stackable containers are great too.

Use the insides of doors too. This shelving system looks custom, but I utilized this idea myself. I bought some simple wire spice racks from Bed Bath & Beyond, mounted them inside my pantry door, and now I have a great way to organize my smaller jars and cans, and I don't have to dig around for them.

The skinny vertical bookshelves are really starting to grow on me, and the owner's of this kitchen used one to take advantage of even the smallest bit of wall space.

An organization system like this one can be found at Ikea, or other organization stores.

hmmm... love this kitchen rack, but I would need way more bottle mounts.

My all-time favorite kitchen organizing idea, made famous by Julia Child. So great!

Excellent use of space, and it's pretty too!

Look! No space went unused - a shelf in front of the window.

Images via my Flickr photostream