With a new appliance launched every year and small spaces becoming more popular, finding ways to make the most of your kitchen space is increasingly important. Especially the ever-shrinking counterspace.
Even when you know how to organise a kitchen so that you're making the most of your storage space, it can feel like you still don't have enough room. Whether you've downsized or need to make space around your new top-of-the-range air fryer, there are many places to find inspiration from to help you free up more of that much-needed space.
So if you're in desperate need of ideas for keeping your counters clear in your small kitchen, this advice we spotted on Architectural Digest's Instagram @archdigest is just what you've been looking for.
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Organising a small kitchen can feel like a real challenge, especially when you don't have much counter space to work with. However, finding inventive ways to utilise your storage space can make all the difference. And just like this Architectural Digest guest, inspiration can be found anywhere.
"I have a friend who owns a houseboat, and he designed his own houseboat. I was out there one day in the summer, and I just started, like, opening his kitchen cabinets and looking at things," says Ben Riskin, in his 340-square-foot Tudor City apartment.
"He had a dish rack that drained directly into his sink. And so that's what we did here. There's actually metal grates that run along about two-thirds of this," he adds.
You can pretty much double the space in your small kitchen with this hack, whilst also giving the room a tidier look. No more messy dish rack out on the countertops, revealing rather questionable stacking techniques.
"I just put a regular store-bought dish rack, and then I'm able to, like, wash my dishes, put them in here, and they just directly drain into the sink, and it means I don't have to use counter space," explains Ben.
If you're not a dab hand at DIY, then you'll need some professional help creating the hole in your cupboard for the water to drip through. Other than that, the process is rather simple and needn't break the bank.
However, if you're not quite convinced or don't want to cut a hole in your cupboards, there are so many great alternatives for dish racks that won't steal your entire countertop.
Space saving alternatives
Be sure you're not making any kitchen organisation mistakes before going ahead with DIYs or alterations, as you may have more space than you think. It's also best to try various workarounds before making a big change.
