I’m no storage guru, but I’m kind of proud of how I keep my pantry and fridge staples organized (and looking pretty) in my tiny kitchen. And when I say tiny, I mean it. Like…there’s room for maybe 1.5 people. The countertop offers a whopping three square feet of workspace (I measured). The fridge fits nowhere, so there it stands in front of the only window. And my dreams of having a dishwasher and a table to sit at died a long time ago.
All of that is to say…if you, too, have a tiny kitchen, I feel you! So, today I thought I’d share a few of my favorite products for keeping things organized. (Bonus: They’re all pleasing to the eye.)
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1. Wire shelving
In an ideal world, I don’t need any extra shelving in the kitchen. Instead, a sliding library ladder à la Beauty and the Beast takes me up to the glass-front cabinets where I keep all my prettiest serving dishes. But since this is real life, I have a couple wire racks for all the things that don’t fit it my cabinets. They’re great because they’re actually kinda chic (at least to me), and they don’t collect dust. Plus, you can set still-wet dishes on them, no problem. (Oh, and they’re cheap, too.)
I’m brand-agnostic when it comes to these; I just recommend measuring the heck out of whatever space you have available and choosing the one that fits best. IKEA, Target, and Amazon* all have good options.
True story: I had to move the fridge in order to take that semi-lit picture above.
2. Acrylic canisters
For anything I store in larger quantities—flour, sugar, oats, almond meal, rice, quinoa, popcorn kernels, chocolate chips, you get the idea—I love these acrylic canisters. They’re nice and lightweight, so I don’t have to worry about them being too heavy when filled. Right now I have the 32 oz.* and 64 oz.* sizes, but when Nate and I end up getting a larger kitchen (whenever the heck that is), I plan on getting a few 130 oz.* ones. Again, brand isn’t so important here.
3. Weck jars with wooden lids
I love these for things like chia seeds, flaxseed, poppy seeds (okay, basically all seeds), and flaked coconut. And those wooden lids*? I just discovered them, and I’m still not over them. Gosh, and look at how picturesque they are. (These are the 742 size*, in case you’re wondering.)
I’ve also been meaning to get a few smaller, tulip-shaped jars* for chia pudding (because, ahem, presentation matters) as well as little sauces I whip up. (Maybe with these plastic lids*?) How cute would they be??
4. Copper wire baskets
I found these at Walmart a few years ago, and I love how they tidy up my cabinets! I use one to hold things like baking soda, baking powder, and sprinkles, and then another for grab-and-go snacks (hey, Clif bars). Oh, and a couple for measuring cups and all my little cooking gadgets. And then there are about six more sprinkled throughout the apartment.
It looks like Walmart still sells them, but you have to pick ’em up in store!
5. Working glasses with lids
I mainly just use these as drinking glasses (I have the 21 oz.* ones), but I love love love that they have lids so they double as storage when I need ‘em to. They’re the perfect size for smoothies, batches of dressing, overnight oats, portable salads…
I may end up getting the 14 oz.* size in these because they’re so handy!
6. Tea tins
I love Harney & Sons for their tea…and their lovely tea tins. These are perfect for holding yeast packets, seasoning mixes, and the like.
7. Bee’s wrap
You know those awkward hunks of food you don’t know what to do with? (Looking at you, avocados, onions, and blocks of cheese.) Just wrap them in these! Besides the fact that they’re more eco-friendly than plastic wrap, I love how you can use the warmth of your hands to seal them up.
8. Ceramic egg crate
This is so specific, but I found it worth mentioning! I hard boil a lot of eggs for salads and snacks, and I love how this lets me keep all the eggs straight in the fridge. Only hard boiled eggs go here.
Mine’s from Anthropologie, but this one* is kinda similar.
Next on my list: these ceramic baskets for fresh berries.
9. Marble rolling pin
“That’s not for organizing!” you say. And how very wrong you are. In addition to keeping pie crust cold-as-can-be when I’m rolling it out, this weighty guy* keeps all my cookie sheets and cutting boards from toppling over in the cabinet under the sink. Yay for makeshift bookends! (Pan-ends?)
Still on the hunt for…
Glass food storage containers.
Right now I have a set of plastic containers that works just fine, but I’m realizing I should have gone with glass from the get-go. (Tomato sauce has etched the heck out of these plastic ones, ha.) I plan on getting as much use as possible out of these containers before I switch (since I do love the sizes they come in); but once I switch, I’ll add the ones I went with here!
At the moment, I’ve got my eye on these ones*.
Spice jars.
I have so many opinions about spice jars it’s ridiculous. They need to have pretty labels I can write on myself. The tops need to have scoop-out and sprinkle options. Oh, and the the tops need to fit extra tightly so ground spices don’t seep into the screw part. And no inner lids you have to pry off with your fingernails. I still haven’t met the perfect spice jar set, so if you know it, please introduce us!
Fact: I fashioned this spice rack myself using a rack from Walmart, some chalkboard labels, a white paint pen, and some lids I bought from a wholesale packaging company. Oh, and a hairdryer to get the old labels off.
What are your kitchen organization must-haves? I’d love to hear!
