• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
the practical kitchen
  • Recipes
    • Recipe Index
    • Appetizers
    • Breads
      • Bagels
      • Biscuits, Scones & Loaves
      • Sourdough
    • Breakfast
      • Muffins
    • Condiments & Dips
    • Desserts
      • Bars & Brownies
      • Cakes
      • Cookies
      • Ice Cream
      • Pies & Tarts
    • Main Dishes
      • Pasta
      • Pizza
    • Salads
    • Side Dishes
    • Snacks
  • About
  • Shop
  • Newsletter
  • Tip Jar
    • Amazon
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • TikTok
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
    • Recipe Index
    • Appetizers
    • Breads
    • Breakfast
    • Condiments & Dips
    • Desserts
    • Main Dishes
    • Salads
    • Side Dishes
    • Snacks
  • About
  • Shop
  • Newsletter
  • Tip Jar
    • Amazon
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Kitchen Shopping Guides

    13+ Genius Small Space Kitchen Organizers

    Published by Rebecca Eisenberg ⁠— June 24, 2021 (updated September 24, 2021) — Leave a Comment

    26 shares
    fave small space kitchen organizers

    These genius small space kitchen organizers will help you make the most of your tiny kitchen space so you can stop doing the countertop shuffle and actually enjoy the process of cooking and baking!

    I've lived in small apartments with small kitchens, and I've lived in medium sized apartments with medium kitchens. And when you love to cook or bake, there's nothing more frustrating than working in a kitchen that just won't hold all your kitchen gear. So it's time to get your sh*t together and make your tiny kitchen space work for you instead of against you.

    I've rounded up some of my favorite kitchen organizers for small kitchen spaces. Because even the smallest kitchen can feel spacious when you've got a place for everything and everything in its place.

    fave small space kitchen organizers

    My favorite genius small space kitchen organizers

    1. This Joseph Joseph mini cutting board set with file folder storage case

    red, blue, white, and green rectangular cutting boards in a grey vertical file folder case

    Cutting boards are so frustrating to store because if you lay them flat, it's annoying when you want to use the one on the bottom. Standing upright they tend to slump over and block other things in your way.

    I love this set of mini cutting boards with their file folder storage because they take up minimal counter space and are always in reach. If you have a little more space to spare, JosephJoseph makes a bigger version too. I have a set of these and they're great. Dishwasher safe, too!

    Buy these cutting boards here!

    2. A pot lid and cutting board holder that fits inside your cupboards

    a wire metal rack holding cutting boards, sheet pans, and pot lids vertically in a cupboard

    Pot lids, sheet pans, and cutting boards are all equally annoying to store tbh — and this small space kitchen organizer is a wire rack that makes it easy to store all three in the same cupboard without dreading opening it every time you need something.

    With five 1.2" wide slots and four 1.6" slots, you have room for both narrow cutting boards and deep-welled muffin tins. I have one of these in a bottom cupboard that has an awkward back shelf that was impossible to get things to stay on and it made a huge difference in keeping that space organized.

    Buy this cupboard organizer here!

    3. A compact Joseph Joseph three tier organizer with a drawer so you don't lose stuff in narrow cupboards

    a light grey plastic three tier organizer with a dark grey drawer

    Narrow cupboards with deep shelves are the bane of any tiny kitchen's existence. The cupboards are dark, it's hard to see what you're grabbing when you reach inside, and things tend to get lost.

    This three-tier organizer with built-in drawer elevates things in the back of the cupboard so they don't get lost. What I like most about it is that there isn't any wasted space under the raised tiers in the back — the built in drawer ensures you can still make use of that space.

    Buy this three-tiered cupboard organizer here!

    4. A hanging basket to get stuff off your counter and out of the way

    a black wire three tier hanging basket

    For the longest time we had a wide, shallow bowl on our counter where we stored onions, garlic, bananas, lemons... it was sort of a catch all for things that didn't go in the fridge but that we didn't have room for in the pantry either. It took up a lot of space and we had to move it any time we wanted to use the counter.

    So we got a hanging basket (or, more accurately, my husband's aunt gifted us one) and boom — problem solved. One basket for onions and garlic. One basket for fruit. And the top basket is for candy.

    Make sure you use a heavy duty hook and screw it into a ceiling stud, but then these can hold quite a bit of weight! This one can hold 8 lbs per basket. There are a lot of models out there, but I like this one because the baskets aren't so deep that it'll be annoying to reach into them.

    Buy this hanging basket here!

    5. A set of baskets that hang on the back of a cupboard door

    a three tier set of black wire baskets filled with onions, potatoes, and veggies hanging on the inside of a cupboard door

    The best thing you can find in a small kitchen space is a really deep cupboard. I've got three cupboards like that in my current kitchen and they're nice and roomy, but hard to organize. They've got shelves only in the back half of the cupboard, leaving an awkward amount of space in the front.

    That's where these back of the cupboard door hanging baskets come in super handy — you can easily store things that like cool dark spaces (onions, potatoes, etc) in your cupboards and away from pests, pets, or children. They're also great for storing things like pot lids, trivets, rolls of aluminum foil, oven mitts, and things like that.

    If you don't have room in your cupboards for one of these, consider this version which fits on the back of a full size door.

    Buy these back of the door hanging baskets here!

    6. A hanging shelf that slides onto any existing cupboard shelf

    a white wire shelf that slides underneath the shelf above it perfect for adding room to small kitchen spaces

    I've had a at least one of these hanging shelves in every apartment of mine for the last decade. They're one of the best, most versatile small space kitchen organizers around. They're great for tall shelves where you store short things — think mugs, spices, stuff like that. It's a great way to add extra room to a shelf without needing to adjust or install anything.

    Buy these hanging shelves here!

    7. A roll-up drying rack that fits over the sink to reduce mess and free up counter space

    a roll up dish drying rack that lies flat across the opening of your sink

    No room for a drying rack in your tiny kitchen? I get it. In my very first apartment we didn't even have a sink in our bathroom — we had to brush our teeth in the kitchen. So a drying rack, in some spaces, is a real luxury. That's where this roll-up over the sink drying rack comes in so handy — just unroll it over one side of your sink.

    As your dishes dry, any excess water runs off your dishes back into the sink. You can even use it to wash and dry vegetables. Take it to the next level with this version that has a space specifically for utensils.

    Buy this drying rack here!

    8. This angled Joseph Joseph cutlery organizer that fits in even very narrow drawers

    a long narrow rectangular cutlery organizer with 4 rows of 2 slots in it, each at an angle to hold utensils on top of each other in a smaller space

    I am obsessssssssed with this silverware drawer organizer design. It might just be the king of small space kitchen organizers. Joseph Joseph makes so many great organizers for small spaces but what I love most about this silverware organizer is how narrow it is and the way it lets you stack utensils while still keeping them separate.

    At just 4.2" wide, it really can fit in just about any drawer, with room to spare. This isn't the only compact angled silverware holder Joseph Joseph makes either — you can get it in white or grey, with different divider configurations, and even wider versions that include additional organizing space too. They even make one designed to keep knives safely stored away inside a drawer. Genius!

    Buy this cutlery organizer here!

    9. A three tier corner shelf to organize chaotic corner counter spaces

    a three tier shelf that fits into the corner of a small kitchen space

    If you've got a kitchen with an awkward corner (e.g. in my current kitchen, the sink is in a corner so there's an awkward space behind it) that you're not quite sure what to do with, get yourself a tiered corner shelf. Suddenly that awkward space will make a lot more sense — it's a great way to organize things that you want to have out and within reach, but that look messy if they're just sitting out; things like dish cleaning supplies, your morning coffee or tea set up, a small bar corner, even spices and mugs.

    Buy this corner shelf here!

    10. A hidden fold down spice rack that can blend right in to your existing cabinets

    a wide shallow shelf filled with spices that can be pulled down from underneath a regular cupboard

    I spotted this magical hideaway spice space on Etsy months ago and haven't stopped thinking about it since. I rent, unfortunately, so it's not in my immediate future, but it's so cool I knew I had to share it with you. It's such a genius way to add more room for your spice collection without needing to do a massive installation and without taking up too much space in your kitchen.

    Because it's a handmade product, you give them the length and width of the cupboard you plan to fit it to and select your preferred hardware color and finish so it matches your existing kitchen space. The kit even comes with everything you need to install it.

    Buy this pull down spice rack here!

    11. A magnetic metal shelf that fits on the back of your stove to give you an extra shelf

    a metal shelf that fits on top of the back of a stove

    One of the best places to store the things you use most often while cooking is on the back of the stove. This is a fact. I don't know why every stove doesn't come with a flat top surface for you to stash bottles of oil, spices, aluminum foil, salt and pepper, and anything else you might want to grab quickly.

    If your stove doesn't, no worries — you can pop one of these magnetic flat top shelves to create that space yourself. If the top of your stove isn't magnetic, you might need to buy an extra set of magnets or magnetic tape to hold it in place but with almost 7,000 positive reviews this thing clearly works well for a lot of people.

    Buy this magnetic metal shelf for your stove here!

    12. Get your paper towel roll off your counter with this magnetic paper towel holder

    two black metal pieces with right angle hooks sticking off the front of them. the hooks slide into the tube of a paper towel roll.

    This magnetic paper towel roll holder was one of the BEST things I bought for our apartment in Baltimore several years ago. It wasn't the smallest kitchen we've ever had, but it was awkwardly configured and there just wasn't anywhere convenient to leave a countertop paper towel roll holder. We didn't want to install anything under the cupboards (again, we rent) so this magnetic paper towel roll holder absolutely solved our problem.

    This magnetic paper towel holder let us store our paper towel roll on the side of the fridge where we could easily grab and tear off sheets as needed. It's actually two separate pieces, which makes it easy to load new rolls on without fumbling with springs or sliding mechanisms or anything.

    The magnets are super strong and sturdy — you can grab and yank to tear the paper towels off without worrying the whole thing will fall off or knock everything off your fridge.

    Buy a magnetic paper towel roll holder here!

    13. Store your fruit under the cupboards in a cute macrame fruit hammock

    a hanging macrame fruit hammock that fits under cupboards

    How cute is this macrame fruit hammock??? It's another Etsy find, and so adorable. If you've got extra space under your cupboards and don't mind minimal installation, this is a great way to free up some counter space and put your fresh fruit on display at eye level. It installs with some screw-in hooks but that's it. So easy.

    I know I have a bad habit of forgetting about my fresh fruit until it's gone bad if I don't have it out where I can see it, but I always struggle to find a way of keeping them out in a way that feels organized, especially in a small space. This is a win-win!

    Buy a macrame fruit hammock here!

    14. Two become one with this combination salt and pepper shaker

    a tall brushed stainless steel tube that has salt on one side and pepper on the other

    Is this combination salt and pepper shaker technically an organizer? I don't know! I suppose it's an organizer specifically for salt and pepper. If you want to consolidate the space taken up by separate salt and pepper shakers, this is the salt and pepper shaker for you.

    There are a lot of dual salt and pepper shaker designs out there, but I like that this one has covers for the ends to protect the grinders while not in use as well as adjustable coarseness settings, and a sleek stainless steel design for easy cleaning.

    Buy this salt and pepper shaker here!

    15. This deli container set makes pantry, fridge, and leftovers organization a breeze

    stacks of 32 oz, 16 oz, and 8 oz round deli soup containers with lids

    I've waxed poetic about these deli containers before and I will do it again forever and ever. They're one of my all time favorite small space kitchen organizers but they're equally great in larger kitchens too. This set comes with 8 oz, 16 oz, and 32 oz containers.

    The lids fit on any of the containers, which means you can keep all the lids together, and they stack neatly in the fridge, freezer, or in your cupboards. We use the 8 oz containers stacked in a cupboard to store spices, the 32 and 16 oz containers we freeze with chicken stock, and they're perfect for storing leftovers too.

    And because the lids fit all of the containers, if you have something in one of the bigger containers and use most of it up, it's easy to transfer it into one of the smaller containers and pop the lid back on. That way you don't have mostly empty containers taking up precious space in your kitchen.

    Buy these deli containers here!

    For more of my product roundups, reviews, and gift guides click here. For a master list of my favorite kitchen tools click here.

    Kitchen Shopping Guides
    « Crispy Meringue Oven S'mores
    Quick 20-Minute Asparagus with Soy Sauce »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    No Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    rebecca wearing a black t-shirt with her left hand on her hip and her right hand holding a whisk upright

    Hi, I'm Rebecca! I'm a pastry chef with a home cook mentality. I'm on a mission to make spending time in the kitchen fun and accessible — that's why so many people love my beginner-friendly bread recipes. I'm always looking for new and creative ways to get the most out of my favorite ingredients and flavors!

    More about me →

    Seasonal Favorites

    • fluffy honey butter piped in a rosette in a glass jar. a honey wand is in front of it.
      15-Minute Homemade Whipped Honey Butter
    • dipping a torn piece of bread in the seasoned olive oil dip.
      Olive Oil Bread Dip
    • Arugula And Prosciutto Pizza
    • smoked turkey legs on a plate
      Better-Than-Disney Smoked Turkey Legs

    Get in touch

    Want to work with me? Just have a question? Shoot me an email!

    rebecca@thepracticalkitchen.com

    Treat Yourself

    • the best plus size aprons
      15+ Places to Buy Plus Size Aprons
    • college kitchen basics
      17+ College Kitchen Basics you Actually Need (and What You Don't)
    • 15+ best salt cellars for any kitchen.
      15+ Best Salt Cellars to Keep on Your Counter
    • flour storage containers for 5 lbs of flour
      Flour Storage Containers That Fit Five Pounds of Flour

    Footer

    About Me

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

    Journalist turned pastry chef, on a mission to make cooking and baking fun and accessible. I'm always looking for new and creative ways to get the most out of my favorite ingredients and flavors! A Pittsburgh native currently calling Boston home.

    My Favorites

    the bread book sits on a counter near a wicker brotform, two spatulas, a set of measuring cups, and a bench scraper
    a whole roast chicken sits on a bed of brussels sprouts in a cast iron pan on a metal counter
    a mini loaf of baguette bread sliced in half lengthwise with the top half offset slightly, showing the crumb inside.

    Popular Bread Recipes

    • Loaf pan focaccia
    • Crusty bread
    • Ciabatta bread
    • Everything bagels
    • No knead bread
    • Brioche buns
    • Pretzel bites

    Pizza Essentials

    • Thin crust pizza dough
    • Thick focaccia pizza
    • How to stretch pizza dough
    • White pizza sauce
    • Pizza sauce recipe
    • Prosciutto arugula pizza
    • Hot honey pizza

    Scratch-Made Staples

    • Cold brew coffee
    • Homemade hot sauce
    • Chex mix seasoning
    • Everything bagel seasoning
    • Bagel chips recipe
    • Homemade butter
    • Olive oil bread dip

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Links

    • About
    • Recipe Search
    • Editorial Policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • FAQ

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Resources

    • Shop
    • Links & Resources
    • Cooking Tips
    • Web Stories

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2025 Foodie Pro on the Foodie Pro Theme