How Martha Stewart Adds More Counterspace To Tiny Kitchens

Space is always at a premium in the kitchen, especially for those lacking square footage. However, tiny kitchens don't have to be hopeless when it comes to counter space, at least not if Martha Stewart has anything to say about it.

According to Stewart, her trick for getting more counter space is to utilize shelving, not just your cabinets, to organize your kitchen and give yourself more room to work with. Not only will this give you a space to store things off your counter while proudly showing off your collection of uncommon spices, but it will also make what you need easily accessible without having to dig through a cabinet. Better still, you don't need to go out and hire a contractor to install shelves for you (unless you want to) because there are plenty of easy-to-install shelves online.

For example, Homeforia Farmhouse Floating Shelves come in several colors and sizes and can be staggered on a wall or set up under cabinets. Similarly, there are options like Richer House's Rustic Wood Shelves that come in smaller sizes but can be good for things like spices, different types of salt, and oils. Shelves like these can keep what you need within arm's reach, all without taking up precious counter space.

Along with using shelves, there are a few other key ways you can maximize space in a tiny kitchen by taking advantage of vertical storage, something Martha Stewart is all about. For instance, if you don't have a dishwasher, a dish-drying rack can take up a ton of counter space when doing dishes by hand. To get around this, an over-the-sink dish rack is a godsend for tiny kitchens, and it frees up a ton of space by letting you store wet dishes overhead.

Similarly, if cookware takes up a lot of space and can't be easily stored in a cabinet, you might want to consider pot racks. Many different styles are available, but all are designed to hang pots and pans in an easily accessible spot, for example, over your stove. The same premise can be applied to bulky knife blocks, which can also be surprisingly dirty. Instead of allowing them to take up counter space, consider switching to a magnetic wall-mounted knife holder.

Another way to gain more space is by using shelf risers, which can give you space to store things on top of and below them. These can be great if you don't want to commit to shelves or can't because you're renting. Risers can also be a great addition to cabinets, giving you more surfaces to store things off your counter.