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Writer's pictureTori Cohen

7 tips for dealing with lack of kitchen counter space

Updated: Feb 11, 2019

My kitchen countertops are always so clear and available, said no one ever J. Whether you live in a tiny apartment, or you have a lot of kitchen supplies, keeping a clear countertop is a struggle for most people I speak with.

See below for 7 tips on making the most out of the space and possibly adding a little extra.

1. Declutter (duh!): No matter what size countertop you have, the less you have on it the better. And the less you have in your cupboards, the more space you’ll have for the items that need to live there.


2. Pots and Pans as Artwork: If you’re suffering from a lack of counter space, think about mounting items to the wall. Check out this kitchen pegboard organizer capable of acting as a home for pots, pans and everything else you don’t have space for! When it comes to hanging items on the wall in your kitchen, Ikea is where to go, check out their kitchen wall storage section for a number of great options.


3. Slim Spaces: Think about that space in between your fridge and the wall or your fridge and the counter. It’s too small for anything to fit in, thus rendering the space unusable… or is it? Check out this slim slide out pantry from the Home Depot. This is great for slim items like oils, vinegars and spices! There’s also a shorter version if the first one is too large.


4. Ceiling Options: In addition to mounting items to the wall, you can also make use of your ceiling. Check out this 3 tier wire hanging basket that can be used to store fruits and vegetables.


5. Dish Drying Hack: If you don’t have space for a dish dryer on your countertop, check out this collapsible over-the-sink dish drainer, which expands to fit different size sinks (i.e. no need to measure). It’s also dishwasher safe and flattens when not in use. You could even hang it on the wall or use a heavy-duty fridge magnet to hang it up on your fridge.


6. Chopping in Style: The question about where to put cutting boards while still keeping them accessible is a constant source of frustration in the kitchen. My go to is this cutting board filing system from Joseph Joseph; please note that there is a version without the knives. And if the first version is going to break the bank, check out this less expensive option.


7. Add a Surface: Sometimes there just isn’t enough space and you need to add another surface. This will obviously depend on the amount of space you have in the rest of the kitchen and nearby but you can find inexpensive islands with storage on Amazon, Wayfair, Ikea and Overstock.


A word of warning, although these are really cool products, the reason I most often find that people don’t have enough counter space is clutter. So before you go buying more products, decide if what you already have is what you need/ want. And probably look through the cans on the top shelf; they’re most likely expired.

For more tips on kitchen organization, check out this kitchen optimization post and let me know how it goes! You can email me at tori@toritheorganizer.com and follow me on Instagram @toritheorganizer.


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