Advice for Making Your Kitchen Feel Larger

If you think that you are stuck with a tiny, cramped kitchen, think again. You don't have to completely remodel your kitchen in order to make it seem bigger. In fact, there are many clever ways to create the illusion of spaciousness in even the tiniest kitchens. You can brush up on a few of the best tips below.

Only Keep the Things You Really Need - Go through your kitchen very thoroughly. As you go though each of your cupboards, drawers and cabinets, ask yourself whether you really still want or need these items. Be as ruthless as possible; only keep the items that you use on a regular basis. If you have things that you only use on special occasions, store them somewhere else - you need all of the space that you can get.

Arrange Things in a Logical Way - If you only use that garlic press once in a blue moon, you shouldn't keep it in the same drawer as your more heavily relied-on items. Keep the things that you use all of the time within arm's reach; tuck less frequently used items away in less convenient places. This will make you feel like you have a lot more space than you do.

Organise Everything - Throwing everything into the drawers and cabinets of your kitchen willy-nilly is never a good idea. Instead, you should invest in organisational tools to keep those areas as neat and tidy as possible. Buy roll-out shelves for cabinets that are hard to reach into; use lazy susans to get the most out of your pantry. Add extra shelves to your cabinets so that you can fit more things into them. Everything will have its proper place, and you won't feel nearly as cramped.

Hang Things Up - There's no law that says you must keep everything completely out of sight. Buy racks so that you can hang large pots and pans from the ceiling. Invest in some hooks and hang utensils from the walls. Put up a few extra shelves, too, especially way up high. Make use of every square inch of space to make your kitchen feel roomier.

Get Creative with Space - Many appliances can be installed to the undersides of cabinets. Whether it's a coffee maker or a microwave, buying one that attaches to a cabinet will save you a lot of valuable counter space.

Light It Up - Finally, let in as much natural light as possible - don't block it out with heavy drapes and shades. Invest in plenty of lights, too, and your kitchen will feel a lot bigger.