This post on Tips on How to Make a Small Kitchen Work is compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #HomeIsWhereMrsMeyersIs #CollectiveBias

If you’ve ever lived in a tiny apartment kitchen (or currently are), you know that it can take some creativity when it comes to storage and utilizing space.

My past few apartments have included a teeny, tiny studio apartment kitchen, a one-bedroom apartment with a smaller kitchen than the studio, and a house with a small kitchen for its size.

I dream of renovating my kitchen and expanding it (seriously, I even have a Pinterest board dedicated to it), but for now, I’m making due.

Fellow small kitchen owners, please enjoy these 7 tips on how to make a small kitchen work!

7 Tips on How to Make a Small Kitchen Work

Create Space

Don’t have enough counter space? Low on storage? If you don’t make the space, create it. Buy a baker’s rack or add shelving to your walls. A tall, slender baker’s rack (above) works well for my space. Another great option is a rolling kitchen cart. I use an affordable, industrial one (below) that’s the perfect size for my bulky standing mixer.

If All Else Fails, Outsource Space

As a professional chef and food blogger, I need a ton of kitchen storage. Your kitchen storage doesn’t necessarily need to be in the kitchen. Add an attractive, tall cabinet or shelving unit in your dining room to store dinnerware or bulky pans. Add a cute rolling island to make a coffee station and clear some counter space. Put a bar cart in a family room and fill it with any glassware that you don’t use everyday. I bought some affordable open shelving to store some of my food props in my office (below).

Get Creative

Hooks, baskets, and shelves are your best friends. Anything that can be stored off of the counter frees up valuable space. That awkward space between your cabinets and ceiling is a great place to fill and store baskets or bins. Pans can be hung from a ceiling rack or you can use a pegboard a la Julia Child. Hooks are great for hanging everyday utensils or mugs. Magnet spice racks are an excellent way to free up cabinet space. When it comes to space, build up. Add shelves or lazy susans to the inside of tall cabinets, like below.

Choose Counter Space Wisely

Keep only the essentials on your counters, things that you use every single day. Keep everyday utensils within easy reach. If you use something often (like a blender, for me) that can stay on the counter. Find other places for things you may only use once in a while, such as a bulky slow-cooker or a standing mixer.

Purge and Condense

Before organizing, go through what you already own and make sure you actually want to keep it. Donate anything you haven’t used in over 6 months. Are you really going to use that gigantic punch bowl? Do you only ever use two knives out of your 12 knife set? Is it time to upgrade your flour sack dish towels? Check your pantry for anything that may have expired. Then condense everything you can. I like to place things in air-tight food storage containers and mason jars. Mason jars are great for beans, pasta, and rice, and they’re stackable. I put Cocoa’s dog food in narrow, large containers instead of keeping it in bulky bags.

Keep Things Neat

One thing that can instantly make a small kitchen feel even smaller is clutter. I’m a big fan of cleaning as you go when it comes to cooking. Working in the culinary world for over a decade definitely taught me how to keep a clean workstation. When it comes to cleaning my kitchen, I use Mrs. Meyer’s® Brand. I love the dish soap and multi-surface cleaner, both of which come in amazing scents such as geranium, basil, and lavender. The concentrated lemon soap formula in their dish soap cuts through grease like a pro. Mrs. Meyer’s® Brand all-natural cleaning products also makes me feel a lot better about cleaning my kitchen. Manufactured in the USA, Mrs. Meyer’s® Brand is packaged in BPA-free, recyclable bottles and made with essential oils and plant-derived ingredients. The amazing scents actually make me look forward to cleaning!

Rethink the Sink

Using an over-the-sink cutting board is one of the best and easiest ways to add counter space. Also consider organizing underneath the sink. Even though no one sees under there, it’s a great way to add more storage. Hang hooks on the inside of the cabinet doors to hang scrubbing brushes, rags, or gloves. Organize cleaners and soaps in storage bins and use tiered shelves to save space. If there’s enough room now, consider placing your recycling bin under the sink.

Thank you Mrs. Meyer’s® Brand for sponsoring this post on How to Make a Small Kitchen Work! Find Mrs. Meyer’s® Brand at your local Kroger and visit this page for dozens of additional home tips. Just can’t make your small kitchen work? Hover here for more info on kitchen remodel cost and tips!