Tips for Decluttering and Organizing a Small Apartment Kitchen
Kitchens are notoriously small in New York City and often the first thing a new apartment owner sacrifices when looking for a new home. Living room space and storage space often take precedent over kitchens for busy professionals and families who don’t cook every day.
However, preparing homecooked meals is one of the healthiest and positive activities that you can do with your family and friends, so apartment-dwellers may be missing out on bonding and cost-saving opportunities. Here are some strategies for arranging an apartment-sized kitchen with your kitchen fixtures so that it doesn’t feel cluttered or cramped.
Get Creative with Storage
A lack of storage is what creates clutter in kitchens, but limited space is simply a challenge for your creativity. Think about mounting a pegboard to hang kitchenware from, or use stackable shelves inside your existing cabinets. Undershelf baskets, above-cabinet shelving, and even tension rods installed inside cabinets can free up counter space and make your kitchen more welcoming. The walls are your best friend when decorating a small kitchen, so hang up aprons, dish towels, and pot holders a safe distance from the stove.
Play Around with Lighting and Colors
The amount of light in your kitchen and the colors you use to decorate can really change your impression of a small space. Decorative kitchen and bath features can dramatically change appearances based on lighting and a coat of paint. Light colors with lots of natural light can make kitchens feel larger than they really are. If you don’t have many windows in your kitchen, under-cabinet lighting, flush-mount lighting, recessed lighting, and close-to-ceiling lighting fixtures work well in small kitchens.
Dress Up Your Kitchen Fixtures
You can make even the smallest and simplest kitchen beautiful, functional, and luxurious by paying attention to design details. At Central Plumbing Specialties, we carry versatile kitchen fixtures that work with every size of kitchen and within every budget. By replacing just your sink or faucet, for example, you can bring a modern look to an outdated room and feel more inspired to cook meals.
Reconsider Your Small Appliances
While it’s true that every functional modern kitchen needs a refrigerator, stove, and sink, other appliances that are taking up valuable counter space may not be as necessary. If you don’t use a mixer or a bread-maker on a daily basis, perhaps those things can be stored in closet elsewhere in the apartment rather than taking up room in the kitchen. Common appliances like toasters, coffeemakers, and blenders can also reduce the amount of cooking space you have to work with and discourage you from preparing healthy food.
Ditch Duplicates and Invest in Multi-Use Products
Over time, many of us accumulate duplicate pieces of kitchenware, and this is especially true if you’re moving in with a roommate or partner for the first time. However, few apartment households really need two cheese graters or two tea kettles. Take some time to decide which kitchen items are your favorites or in the best condition and donate the rest to someone in need.
When you go to shop for new kitchen items, choose ones that have multiple uses to save space. For example, if you choose dishes for cooking that are also safe to put in the refrigerator and microwave, you won’t need to buy as many plastic storage containers that take up space in cupboards.
Decorative Kitchen and Bath Fixtures in New York
Each of our decorative kitchen and bath showrooms have diverse offerings and displays that make the toughest part deciding which ones you like best for your apartment. Come visit us in Manhattan, on Park Avenue, in the Bronx, on 56th Street, in Spring Valley, or in Yonkers to see for yourself what we mean. With some ingenuity, creativity, and a little help from your local kitchen expert, you can personalize a tiny NYC kitchen and make it your own!