How to love a small kitchen

You don't need a huge kitchen for happiness; follow these tips to transform your small kitchen into one that you love.

If you have a small kitchen, you may find that your time spent cooking is equally spent bumping into things. Cooking can quickly become a very frustrating experience. Short of knocking down a wall and expanding the room, there are simple tricks that can maximize the space in your small kitchen.

Analyze the space you have
Look carefully at the space in your small kitchen. Do you have everything placed in the most convenient locations? When cooking, do you find that you are tripping over yourself trying to get to everything you need? Perhaps you can rearrange what you have in the cabinets and drawers. Move dishes, cookware, etc. close to where they are most frequently used. For items that are rarely used, move them to storage out of the kitchen.

Clear the countertops
Nothing can make a small kitchen feel even smaller than countertops covered with toasters, microwaves, and decorations. A good rule of thumb is: If you do not use it everyday, remove it. Even if you do use it everyday, but it can be easily accessed from a cabinet, then store it in the cabinet. Also, you don’t need decorations in the kitchen -- you need room to cook. Keep your countertops as bare as possible. This includes your keys and mail. Find another spot that can become their home. If you must keep your keys and mail there, then buy a cubby that can hang on your refrigerator so they are off the countertops. Keep you countertops for cooking. It is amazing how much clearing countertops can increase the appearance of space in your small kitchen.

Adjust or buy storage that meets your needs
To increase the appearance of space in a small kitchen, consider creating open cabinetry. This can not only give your kitchen a more open look, but it also forces you to keep only what is necessary in the cabinets and to keep your cabinets organized and neat. You can also purchase rolling storage pieces that can be stored in a nearby dining room or breakfast area but can be rolled into the kitchen when needed. Buy a hutch for your dining room that is not only a decorative and attractive piece of furniture, but can also hold your dishes or serving pieces, therefore freeing up more space in your small kitchen.

By being resourceful and creative, you can make the most of the space in your small kitchen. A larger kitchen does not have to be the answer. Instead, create a place where you enjoy cooking, no matter how small.