Glossy cooking magazines and shows on the Food Network give the impression that everyone has a palatial kitchen in which to make flatbread pizzas and prep three-course meals. But an awful lot of us are stuck with kitchens that feel like afterthoughts or were the victims of compromises made by the people who built our homes, especially if you live in a big city, where it’s not uncommon to find kitchens crammed into hallways and former closets. If your kitchen is so small you have to store bread vertically to keep it from sticking into the living room, then this is the guide for you.
Use Vertical Space
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Start with pot hanger shelves. Getting those pots and pans onto the wall will free up precious drawer and cabinet space. If you don’t have room for a shelf, a hanging bar will get skillets, saucepans, and woks out of your way.
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Mount a wooden knife bar to your wall, like this Schmidt Brothers Acacia 18-inch Bar ($50). The magnets that grab the knives are hidden beneath the wood, so it’ll be less likely to chip or dull your knife blades than an all-metal bar. Skip the countertop knife block—not only does it take up counter space, it’ll dull the blades of your knives more quickly.
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Wall-mounted spice racks free up a lot of cabinet space. You could buy one loaded with spices, but who knows how long those have been sitting in storage, going stale. They’re often low-quality anyway. Just buy a bare rack and stock it with good spices, like selections from Burlap & Barrel. Spices are one area where you should spend money; the difference in quality is noticeable.
Consolidate (and Downsize) Your Cookware
