Tips to Make the Most of a Small Kitchen

The kitchen is the heart of every home-a place to cook, eat and socialise. And while not all of us are blessed with a spacious, Pinterest-worthy kitchen, even the smallest of kitchens can be somewhere for you to create and entertain if you make sure every centimetre of space is being used to its full potential. We’ve got some easy ways you can maximise available storage in your kitchen so you have the space to prepare and enjoy good food with family and friends. So keep reading for some smart small space hacks and design solutions to ensure your small kitchen is big on style and practicality, without having to start knocking any walls down.

Appliances

Article 2 block image Desktop_1.jpg Article 2 block image Mobile_1.jpg
Having a smaller kitchen shouldn’t put the brakes on your culinary creativity, or mean you have to sacrifice owning the appliances you love to use.

We have designed plenty of products that are ideal for using and storing in areas where space is limited, like the Chefette Metal Bowl Hand Mixer, which is a hand and stand mixer combined that’s perfect for passionate cake bakers who may not have the space for one of our larger kitchen machines. Or there’s the HandMix Lite with Metal Bowl, which despite its compact size can take on pretty much any recipe, and has a bowl capacity big enough to make up to 18 cupcakes in a single load.

​​​​​​​If making soups or sauces is more your thing, our range of jug and hand blenders make light work of chopping, grating and mashing and so much more, while the sleek and stylish Blend-Xtract Sport Blender allows you to whizz up your smoothie ingredients straight into the sport bottle attachment, ready to grab and go.
Article 2 block image Desktop_2.jpg Article 2 block image Mobile_2.jpg
All of these innovative products more than prove that when it comes to kitchen appliances, size certainly isn’t everything. But a lack of space shouldn’t necessarily put you off one of our larger stand mixers either. Our versatile Chef range of mixers is available in both standard and XL sizes, giving you the option of a smaller bowl capacity but the same design-led functionality. Your bowl tools can also be detached and hung on a rack or on the inside of cabinet doors when not in use.
Article 2 block image Desktop_3.jpg Article 2 block image Mobile_3.jpg
And if you’re looking for a food processor that can meet all your food prep needs without taking over your worktop, the MultiPro Compact+ is our most compact 3 litre capacity model, with no sacrifice on multi-tasking functionality. While the MultiPro Express Weigh + MultiPro Excel and MultiPro Sense models come with specially designed handy storage, so all the attachments and bowl tools can be neatly stored away.

 

Cabinet

There are plenty of quick fixes to make your kitchen cabinets work smarter for you.
Article 2 block image Desktop_4.jpg Article 2 block image Mobile_4.jpg
Shelf risers help you use every bit of available space in cupboards that are short on shelves, while pan stackers and vertical or tiered plate racks make sure everything is easily accessible, as well as preventing any non-stick cookware from getting scratched. Use wire baskets and plastic containers in bigger cupboards to create compartments and keep things neat and organised. Another way to create extra storage is to fix storage racks to the inside of cupboard doors-great for stashing away saucepan lids or chopping boards. 
Article 2 block image Desktop_5.jpg Article 2 block image Mobile_5.jpg
Nos armários de alimentos, a utilização de um prato giratório na parte da frente para os produtos essenciais do dia a dia, como óleos de cozinha e temperos, ajudará a tornar mais fácil encontrar o que precisa sem ter de passar por cima de outros frascos e garrafas. Outra dica importante é etiquetar as tampas dos frascos, para que, se estiver a olhar para baixo, possa ver facilmente o que pretende - especialmente útil quando se depara com filas e filas de frascos de especiarias idênticos!

Utensílios

Article 2 block image Desktop_6.jpg Article 2 block image Mobile_6.jpg
Os seus talheres encontram-se separados em gavetas para facilitar a visualização e a obtenção do que precisa, por isso, porque não utilizar a mesma abordagem com o resto dos seus utensílios de cozinha e gadgets? Os separadores de gavetas ou os tabuleiros para talheres evitam que ande a vasculhar gavetas desarrumadas, enquanto os utensílios mais utilizados podem ser guardados num frasco atrativo na bancada para estarem sempre à mão.

As gavetas rasas são ideais para os utensílios, mas se só tiver gavetas ou armários fundos para panelas, utilize cestos ou prateleiras extraíveis para ajudar a organizar e garantir que tudo é fácil de encontrar.

Organizador para chás

Se há dias em que prefere acordar com um Earl Grey em vez do seu habitual English Breakfast e, à noite, alterna entre um chá de menta ou de camomila, é provável que tenha um armário cheio de caixas de chás diferentes. Nesse caso, a aquisição de um organizador de saquetas de chá será uma verdadeira mudança. Estes organizadores compactos permitem-lhe armazenar e expor cerca de 100 tipos diferentes de chá sem sacrificar o espaço de armazenamento. Parece que está na altura de pôr a chaleira ao lume...

Prateleiras

Article 2 block image Desktop_7.jpg Article 2 block image Mobile_7.jpg
Se os seus armários de cozinha estão a "rebentar pelas costuras", colocar algumas prateleiras extra algures é uma forma económica de encontrar esse espaço adicional.

Pequenas prateleiras flutuantes para canecas, copos e outros artigos de loiça pequenos podem ser colocadas em áreas não utilizadas, como na lateral de um armário suspenso ou de um frigorífico/congelador integrado, ou no espaço por baixo de um armário suspenso. Pode até procurar instalar uma prateleira por cima de uma porta ou janela - perfeita para guardar objetos decorativos como jarras e copos que não são usados todos os dias.

Open wall storage

Modular or floating shelves not only add extra storage space, they can make a real style statement-injecting some more personality into your kitchen. Use open wall storage to display your favourite crockery and glassware or copper pans, alongside trailing house plants and framed artwork and photos.

Decluttering

Article 2 block image Desktop_8.jpg Article 2 block image Mobile_8.jpg
The key to decluttering is to be ruthless. Empty a drawer or cupboard completely and ask yourself when you last used each item before you put it back in.

If you’re struggling to make a decision about whether to keep an item think about whether it makes your life easier-for instance a tool or appliance that speeds up a process. Also consider whether you have similar items that do the same job and that you would always reach to use first-how many garlic presses do you realistically need? Finally, do you love it? If it’s a decorative item that you wouldn’t buy today and it has no sentimental value, it would probably bring more joy to someone else. This isn’t about throwing functioning things away-offer your unwanted items to friends and family, donate to a charity shop or sell online. 

Similarly, do a stock take of your food cupboards and cleaning products. Throw away items that are past their use by date, and if you have multiple open bottles or jars of the same thing place the emptiest one at the front of a cupboard so you use it up first.

Finally, most of us have a dreaded junk drawer somewhere, where anything that doesn’t have an obvious place to live gets put- chargers, random batteries, sellotape, allen keys, torches, tea lights, string-the list goes on. Go through it and get rid of anything that’s not fit for purpose.

Once you’ve taken stock you’ll have a clearer idea of what storage you actually have available to you-you'll be surprised how much space you can free up after a good clear out.
 

Hanging accessories

Article 2 block image Desktop_9.jpg Article 2 block image Mobile_9.jpg
If storage space is at a premium, go high. Using wooden pegs or metal hanging racks to hang pans, chopping boards or utensils on a wall is a practical, not to mention stylish, way to free up space in your drawers and cabinets and on worktops, and ensure everything you need is within easy reach. 

Having a magnetic knife rack above your food preparation area rather than a knife block saves precious worktop space and is much more convenient (and safer) than having knives stored loose in a drawer. You can also add hooks to the underside of wall cabinets or shelves to hang mugs. 
 

Corner cupboards

Used well, corner cupboards are a really effective way of creating hard-working storage in even the most awkward of spaces. Installing a rotating carousel which brings the contents to you makes for easy access-pull-out shelving also works well.

Stash less frequently used or larger objects, such as cake stands or special occasion serving dishes and platters in the harder to reach parts of a corner cabinet. 
 

Frascos de vidro

Article 2 block_image Desktop_10.jpg Article 2 block image Mobile_10.jpg
Compre a granel produtos secos, ingredientes para pastelaria, ervas e temperos e armazene-os em frascos de vidro e latas. Não só terão um aspeto suficientemente elegante para serem expostos, como os recipientes transparentes tornam muito fácil ver onde está tudo e verificar quais as provisões que estão a acabar antes de fazer as compras semanais. Utilize etiquetas de quadro-negro ou invista na sua própria máquina de etiquetas com relevo para um toque retro chique.

Opção digital

Article 2 block image Desktop_11.jpg Article 2 block image Mobile_11.jpg
Com uma grande quantidade de receitas, tutoriais em vídeo e aplicações disponíveis online para inspirar o seu próximo passo de culinária ou o seu próximo evento de pastelaria, talvez seja altura de pensar se precisa de ter dezenas de livros de receitas nas prateleiras da sua cozinha, alguns dos quais talvez consulte apenas para uma ou duas receitas favoritas testadas e comprovadas.

Existem alguns excelentes organizadores de receitas online que lhe permitem importar receitas digitais e sincronizá-las em todos os seus dispositivos, bem como adicionar receitas manualmente e digitalizar PDFs ou fotografias de receitas de livros de cozinha. Acabaram-se as páginas marcadas, os cartões de receitas com orelhas de cão ou as receitas manchadas de molho arrancadas de revistas - tudo organizado e na ponta dos dedos. Algumas destas ferramentas de organização também permitem criar listas de compras e planificadores de refeições, partilhar as suas próprias receitas com outros utilizadores e até procurar receitas com base nos ingredientes que sobraram.

Precisa de uma nova inspiração gastronómica? A nossa aplicação Kenwood World dá-lhe acesso gratuito a mais de 1000 receitas de cozinha e pastelaria passo a passo. Pode pesquisar e filtrar por produto, tipo de alimento, refeição, ocasião, tempo de preparação e cozedura, requisitos dietéticos ou facilidade de confeção. Quando encontrar algo que goste, pode guardá-lo como um dos seus favoritos para a próxima vez e pode até enviar comandos de receitas diretamente para o seu aparelho ligado, deixando-lhe mais tempo para ser criativo na cozinha.

Slide-out prep station

If you’re short on worktop space in your kitchen, creating a slide-out prep station will give you an extra food prep spot. Insert a butchers block into the top of a deep worktop-level drawer, and bring it out as and when you need it. You can use the space underneath for extra storage.

Make the most of sink space

The cupboard under the sink is usually the most disorganised spot in any kitchen, rammed full of cleaning products, bin liners, spare plastic bags and assorted other items that you can’t find a real home for. And then there’s a great big u-bend taking up valuable space. But with the help of a few clever storage hacks it doesn’t need to be like this. 

Utilise the back of the cupboard door by attaching an over the door organiser to store cleaning bottles and sponges, or hooks to hang cloths or dish towels.

Caddies and baskets will help you store things away tidily and avoid scrabbling around the back of the cupboard trying to find that missing rubber glove. You can also buy shelving units with removable panels to accommodate pipes, or sliding tiered storage systems that you can pull out for easy access. Remember adding shelves will always maximise your storage space. 

If worktop space around the sink is at a premium there’s a couple of easy fixes. Get a cutting board that fits over the sink to create an extra space for food preparation. Some even have a collapsible colander for rinsing chopped fruit and vegetables. A wall mounted drying rack is another great space saver- and as an added bonus wet dishes will dry quicker with more air circulating around them.
 

Explore the Kenwood range

Hopefully we’ve shown that when it comes to kitchens, bigger is not necessarily better. No matter the size, with the help of some of these smart storage solutions you can make your kitchen somewhere to relax and enjoy making-and eating, delicious food with the people you love.

Available in all shapes and sizes, our versatile range of kitchen products are designed to inspire your next creation and help you get even better results. Discover more here.