If you're looking to organise a small kitchen, it may be tempting to add as much storage as possible to maximise the space you have available. However, lining the walls with cabinets can make the space feel small and cramped, making your kitchen a less inviting place to be.

In this article, we've put together some top tips that will help you to make the most of your small kitchen if you’re looking to avoid cabinets. We’re thinking outside the box and looking at creative ways to design a functional space that looks great and is a joy to spend time in.

Install open shelving

SHOP - Suspended Kitchen Shelf

Shelving is a great way to maximise limited space in your kitchen without installing cabinets. In particular, open shelves offer a less enclosed look. By taking advantage of the unused wall space, you can store food, tableware and kitchen utensils without taking up room that would be better suited to other uses.

There are lots of wall shelving options available to suit your budget and interior design style. If you fancy a DIY approach, scaffold board with exposed metal fixings is a great open shelving option for the industrial look that is easy to build and install yourself.

Ceiling-hanging shelves

SHOP - Boe hanging Kitchen Shelf

Ceiling-hanging shelves are great for creating extra storage space overhead and offer a unique, sculptural feel to your kitchen design. They can be installed directly over worktops or kitchen islands for easy access while you’re cooking.

Choose a suspended shelf that features an open design to ensure an open, airy feel that doesn’t obstruct sight lines, and remember to pay attention to the height during installation. Make sure not to hang the shelf so low that you’ll hit your head on it, but not so high that it’s difficult to reach.

Use glass jars for everything

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If you opt for open shelving, food packets and boxes can make the space feel cluttered and disorganised. Storing tea, coffee, rice and flour in jars is both practical and visually appealing. A set of kitchen storage jars will add an attractive design touch to your everyday essentials, while helping to keep them fresh for longer.

Choosing unusual or colourful jars can create an attractive display even when simply placed on a worktop or table. Decanting the contents of different packages into jars is also a great way to make the most of your limited space, as the uniform size and shape makes them easier to pack away.

Use a magnetic knife rack

While many people store their kitchen knives in a drawer, this can blunt them, even while they aren’t being used. It can also make knives harder to find, and you may end up cutting yourself when reaching for something else.

A magnetic knife rack is a great way to store knives in the kitchen. As well as avoiding these problems, a wall-mounted knife rack lets you save valuable drawer space for other items and keeps your knives in easy reach.

Install a wine glass rack

SHOP - Wine Glass Rack

Finding a good home for drinks glasses in your kitchen is important to avoid damaging them. A wine glass rack is an attractive and practical option that will give your delicate glassware its own dedicated space.

Installing a hanging wine glass rack underneath cabinets will make the most of unused space, while a suspended bar gantry will give your kitchen the feel of a sophisticated wine bar or bistro. These options also look much more attractive than tucking your drinkware away behind a closed cupboard door.

Store lesser-used cookware elsewhere

We all have kitchen gadgets and appliances that we rarely (or never) use. Relocating them is one of the most effective ways to organise a small kitchen and reclaim some space. Divide the items in your kitchen by their frequency of use: often, sometimes and never.

Everything you don’t use can be donated to a charity shop, while the cookware you only need occasionally can be stored elsewhere, such as the garage, loft, or a cupboard in the dining room. For the items you use regularly, try to find the most practical place for them in the kitchen, and consider storing some of the more visually appealing ones on the counter.

Final thoughts on how to organise a small kitchen

SHOP - Sigurd Wall Shelves

The main things to remember about how to organise a small kitchen are focusing on an open-plan feel, and minimising clutter. Remember that small spaces often benefit from a less-is-more approach.

Making sure not to fill your kitchen with unnecessary gadgets and excess food packaging can help to save space and create a clean, organised feel, while multi-purpose pieces, thoughtful organisation and an open-plan vibe can elevate your interior design while offering practical storage solutions.