5 Problems With Your Small Kitchen (and How to Fix Them)

A tiny kitchen can be a huge inconvenience if you like to spend a lot of time in it. It can be difficult to keep organized, you lack counter space and the list goes on. Fortunately, we have a few ways that can save you a lot of space and headache while you're preparing the perfect meal in your kitchen.

My cabinets are a constant mess

Are you ever trying to cook, but the pan you need is clear in the back of your cabinetry? We've been there. It can be so frustrating taking everything out of your cabinets, just to get one small thing. Luckily, there is a solution to this issue. Adding accessories, such as pullout drawers inside your cabinets can help you keep your cabinet organized and save you from the constant headache of digging through to the back of your cabinets. These work great if you have a Lazy Susan or if you just need to organize your pots and pans. Our storage recommendation? We love pullout drawers like this from Rev-A-Shelf.

I can never access the back of my drawers

If the drawers in your kitchen only have a partial extension, we understand your frustration of not being able to access everything you want. Luckily, there is a simple, but time-consuming, solution to this problem. This involves taking all of the slides off of your existing cabinet drawers and replacing them with full extension slides. This upgrade will allow you to have more access to your drawers, meaning that the days of you not being able to reach the back of the drawer are long gone.

I wish I had more space in my cabinets

Storage space is so important, especially in a small kitchen. We do have a few solutions for you, however, if you are constantly running out of storage space. One solution is to replace your current frame cabinets with brand new frameless cabinets. Frameless cabinets are great for small kitchens, as they provide up to 15% more storage space per cabinet than frame cabinets.

So what is the difference between frameless and frame cabinets? It's actually pretty simple. A framed cabinet has frame attached to the cabinet box, while a frameless cabinet does not. While they are both quality cabinets, if you are fighting for storage space in your kitchen, frameless cabinets are the way to go.

Another storage solution is to add shelves and baskets in your cabinets. This can help you organize everything in your cabinets from top to bottom and give the inside of your cabinets a little extra personality. This can even be on the cabinet door itself, such as a spice rack. This way, you can see all of the spices organized in front of you, as opposed to digging through your cabinets to find what you need.

The space above my cabinets is wasted space

We all have that issue in our kitchen where it seems like certain areas are "wasted space." That seems to be especially true for the space above the cabinets, between the cabinet tops and the ceiling. The problem with this space is that everyone can see what you put up there, unlike the cabinets where you can hide the clutter. The best way to utilize that space is by adding decorative baskets and putting items that you do not use all too often in those baskets. It may be a pain to get them down when you do need them, but it will save you a lot of space and hassle in the long run, but not taking up precious cabinet space.

I need more countertop space

It seems like people are always trying to fight for more counter space in their kitchen. Fortunately, there are solutions to this problem that don't involve spending thousands of dollars on a new layout for your kitchen. It does, however, involve being more strategic with what goes in your drawers.

Let's take the cutting board for example. If you have limited countertop space, you may not have a lot of room for your cutting board. A great way to increase space for this is to add a cutting board drawer insert. This drawer will look like the other drawers, but once you pull it out, you will discover a cutting board that can be used right there, as opposed to the top of the counter. Many of these are found directly above a trash pullout so you can just slide your unused items in the trash.

Another solution is to add drawer accessories. This allows for organized drawers and a clutter-free countertop. An accessory we love is a knife holder to put in your drawers from Rev-A-Shelf. This tool removes space from your countertop and stores it away directly in your drawer.

Having a small kitchen can be a pain, but you can rest assured that there are solutions to these problems. Whether you are looking for drawer accessories or looking to expand your kitchen, Waukee CabinetWorks can help. Contact us today to schedule an appointment with one of our designers.