How to Create More Kitchen Storage Space

If you happen to live in NYC, the sight of jam-packed pantries, cupboards and cabinets might be all-too-familiar. And if you live outside of NYC, you might also be plagued with teeny tiny storage space (what is this, a center for ANTS?!). In lieu of all these teeny tiny kitchen spaces we deal with on a regular basis, I propose the most underutilized of all spaces: the back of the door. 

Whether it’s your pantry, your kitchen cupboards, or your kitchen sink cabinet, the back of the door is there to rescue your space from clutter and chaos. Not only can it free up space, but the right storage solution, it helps keep those items more organized. Case in point: an over-the-door spice rack keeps spices neatly lined up rather than crammed together on your pantry shelves. 

If your kitchen sink cabinets are packed to the gills with free-floating plastic bags, consider using an over the door rack. Similarly, if the same cabinets are overflowing with cleaning products, migrate a few over to the side of your door with this kitchen organizer rack and you won’t regret it. 

If you’re tight on kitchen drawer space, consider stocking your Ziploc Bags, Saran Wrap, and Aluminum Foil in an over-the-door organizer (this one’s my favorite—it comes in a two-pack, and I recommend using the second one for any cutting boards taking up valuable space on your kitchen counter). 

If you’re looking for a quick fix, 3M adhesive hooks are also effective space-savers. I recommend using them to hang everything from measuring cups to oven mitts.  

Finally, if you’re blessed with a large pantry door but tight on shelf space, consider installing the White Elfa Utility Pantry Over the Door Rack for all your extra pantry needs. I love that the shelves can be repositioned depending on the height of your pantry items, and it’s also a breeze to install (no drilling necessary).

Oftentimes, when we’re low on kitchen space, we assume that a bigger kitchen would completely solve our problems. In reality, all it takes is a little creativity and elbow grease to carve out a more functional space for ourselves that allows us to move around it more seamlessly.