The kitchen is the heart of the home. It’s where you make meals filled with delicious ingredients and with love. Modern appliances help you spend less time in the kitchen while following the latest cooking trends on YouTube. A modern kitchen space also represents a wonderful feature that makes apartment living easier.
But having the perfect kitchen setup is more than just making use of the appliances. Read our guide on how to make the best use of your kitchen space for top results, whether you favor luxury living in Joplin or upscale family living in Webb City.
Cabinets
Cabinets allow you to organize your kitchen space effectively and efficiently. Once you organize the space in a way that makes sense to your needs, following some tips can help create a well-run kitchen for your apartment in Joplin.
Go through your cabinets and remove items you rarely use or duplicates of the same tool. You can put these in a closet, give them away to family members, or have a garage sale.
Group similar items together, such as plates, bowls, and cups, to make them easier to access. That way, you know what cabinet contains various items without having to guess what is where.
Consider using adjustable shelving to customize the height of each shelf based on your needs, ensuring that there’s no wasted vertical space. Adjustable shelving usually entails the placement of specialized pegs along the sideboards that have perfectly sized holes in them. The shelving sits on the pegs to provide a flat, even surface to store items.
Another way to optimize kitchen space is to use the inside of cabinet doors. Install hooks or slim shelves to store smaller items such as measuring spoons, pot lids, or spice jars. A magnetic strip on the inside of the cabinet door can hold knives or metal tools, freeing up valuable drawer space. Utilizing vertical space, especially in smaller kitchens, can free up drawer space. Store taller items at the back of the cabinet and shorter ones in front, creating a layered storage system that makes everything visible for your apartment in Webb City.
Pull-out organizers or lazy Susans can make it easier to find items stored deep inside cabinets. You won’t have to fumble around to see what’s behind your spice containers or chip bags! A pull-out shelf allows you to use the full depth of the cabinet without things getting lost in the back. Lazy Susans are great for corner cabinets and can help with items like condiments or spices. Just take it for a spin, and you can easily see what’s there.
Additional Tips:
- Use risers to create additional levels inside cabinets.
- Store pots and pans vertically to save space.
- Use transparent bins to group similar items together.
- Label containers to easily identify contents.
- Hang mugs or utensils under cabinets to save space.
- Use drawer dividers to organize smaller items like cutlery or gadgets.
Counter Tops
Items like toasters, blenders, or coffee makers can easily clutter up your kitchen counters. Only leave out appliances you use daily. Consider storing the rest in your cabinets or a dedicated pantry shelf. Consider a “one in, one out” rule: for every new appliance or tool you place on the counter, put another one away. This can help free up more space for food prep, depending on your needs. You might need more food prep space when entertaining versus making daily meals.
Vertical storage can also play a big role in maximizing counter space. Use wall-mounted shelves or racks to hold frequently used spices, utensils, and produce. Think about hanging baskets underneath your cabinets to store fruits, vegetables, or kitchen towels for your apartment in Joplin.
Invest in a cutting board that fits over your sink or stovetop to create extra workspace when needed. Some cutting boards even come with storage compartments for catching chopped ingredients so they don’t make a mess in your sink or disposal. Invest in appliances that serve multiple functions, such as an air fryer that also works as a toaster oven, so that you only need one device to serve multiple tasks.
Additional Tips:
- Use corner shelves to utilize awkward counter areas.
- Install under-cabinet lighting to brighten up counters and make them feel more spacious.
- Store larger items, like bread or cutting boards, vertically against the backsplash.
- Use stackable containers for frequently used ingredients like sugar, flour, or coffee.
- Utilize a small rolling cart to extend counter space when needed.
- Keep counters clear by doing a quick tidy-up after every meal preparation.
Sink
The kitchen sink is more than just for washing dishes. You also wash hands, rinse food, and add water to recipes. As such, try to keep the sink area clean and free of clutter.
Avoid leaving soap bottles, sponges, or dirty dishes to pile up on the counter. Instead, use sink caddies or over-the-sink organizers to keep cleaning supplies neatly contained. A sink caddy can attach to the inside of the sink, holding items like sponges, scrubbers, and soap while freeing up space around the sink.
Utilize the space under the sink for additional storage, if available. Install pull-out bins or sliding organizers to store cleaning supplies, trash bags, and other items you frequently use in the kitchen. That way, you can easily find items without having to reach into the space.
Consider using stackable bins or baskets to maximize vertical space under the sink. This helps keep things organized while ensuring that everything has its designated spot, reducing clutter and making it easy to find what you need. Hanging organizers on the inside of the cabinet door are perfect for smaller items like sponges or dish gloves.
Use over-the-sink tools to maximize the space. Invest in a roll-up drying rack that can be placed over the sink when needed and rolled up and stored away when not in use.
Additional Tips:
- Install a small shelf above the sink for dish soap and hand soap.
- Keep a designated bin for dirty sponges or dishcloths to keep them out of sight.
- Store dishwasher pods or soap in a container under the sink to avoid clutter on top.
- Add a tension rod under the sink to hang spray bottles and cleaning supplies.
Stovetop
The stovetop cooks your food when you need to boil water or heat things up. You can also optimize the space on top and around it to make food prep easier in your apartment in Webb City.
First, keep the area around the stovetop clear to ensure safety and efficiency while cooking. Avoid placing utensils, oils, or other cooking supplies directly on the stove or too close to the heat. Instead, use a nearby countertop, a small cart, or wall-mounted racks for essential tools like spatulas, ladles, and tongs.
Use the backsplash area behind the stove to keep tools close. Install a magnetic knife strip or a rail with hooks to hang cooking utensils, pots, or pans. You can also mount a small shelf or spice rack above the stove to store frequently used spices and oils. This makes it easy to grab what you need while cooking without taking up valuable counter space.
Stackable pots and pans are great for saving space in storage, and using cookware that can go from stovetop to oven can reduce the number of items you need to keep out. When you’re keeping items warm, put those on burners toward the back while your primary cooking surface is toward the front.
Additional Tips:
- Store lids in a wall-mounted rack or on the cabinet door.
- Use heat-resistant silicone mats on the stovetop to protect surfaces and reduce clutter.
- Keep a small container of salt or oil near the stove to avoid multiple trips across the kitchen.
Kitchen Bar
The bar for the kitchen is a place to sit or stand to enjoy food and have conversations. Your kids can sit on a stool and talk to you while you make dinner. Party guests can relax while you work magic. When people aren’t sitting there to eat food, you can store essential items for your kitchen, such as a small fruit bowl or a stylish centerpiece. The kitchen bar is great for decorating!
Consider stackable bins to go on the kitchen counter for your apartment in Webb City. Put the heaviest one on the bottom and the lightest one on top. Label them so you know what items are in which tub. All it takes is easily moving them off the top to get to the tub you need and then restacking them once you’re done.
Bar stools with built-in storage compartments or stackable designs are great options for smaller kitchens or spaces where flexibility is key. Opt for stools that can easily be tucked under the bar to keep the floor space clear when they’re not in use.
Additional Tips:
- Install a charging station at the bar to make it a versatile workspace.
- Consider stackable shelving or modular bins for extra storage on the bar.
- On the side of the bar that faces out to the living room or dining room, use that space for decorating!
Food Prep
When prepping food, it’s important to keep things organized so you can easily find things as you get ready for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Start by keeping the most frequently used items within reach and on the countertop, such as cooking oil, utensils, and dry goods. Countertop organizers can keep serving and cooking utensils close by. Stackable containers save space.
Preparing nutritious meals can be easier when you organize the food prep areas. Have cutting boards next to the stove to easily slide the food into a saucepan, whether you’re making a hearty sauce, soup, stew, or pasta. Setting up food containers on counter space within reach ahead of time can make food prep easier when measuring and adding ingredients one at a time.
Additional Tips:
- Small appliances, like a blender or food processor, can cut down on food prep times.
- Keep cutting utensils sharp so that they work properly.
- Have serving spoons, spatulas, and other large utensils nearby in a dedicated holder.
Walls
Storing items on your kitchen walls can increase your kitchen’s functionality without taking up valuable counter or cabinet space. Wall-mounted shelving is great for storing commonly used items like spices, utensils, or small kitchen tools. Floating shelves or racks can organize things within easy reach while keeping them off the counters. Invest in shallow shelves to avoid overcrowding the space and make sure that everything remains easily accessible. There are plenty of decorative options out there, so choose kitchen tools that fit your style.
Hooks, rails, and pegboards provide other options in tight spaces. Installing a pegboard on your kitchen wall provides a flexible storage solution where you can hang pots, pans, or cooking utensils. Hooks and rails can be added to hang items like mugs, ladles, or kitchen towels. A magnetic knife strip mounted on the wall is another excellent way to store knives safely and free up drawer space. These hanging solutions keep your most frequently used tools within arm’s reach and give your kitchen an organized, professional look.
A tall, narrow shelving unit can be placed against a wall or in a corner for storing pantry items or kitchen gadgets, especially in smaller kitchens where cabinet space is limited. You can also install narrow racks or shelves behind the door to store less frequently used items or bulkier kitchen supplies like cutting boards or baking sheets.
Additional Tips:
- Hang a chalkboard or whiteboard on the wall to jot down grocery lists or meal plans.
- Install a fold-down table on the wall for additional prep or dining space when needed.
- Use wall-mounted spice racks to organize and display your spices.
- Hang pot lids on the wall with adhesive hooks or specialized racks.
- Store cutting boards vertically against the wall using a small shelf or stand.
- Mount a paper towel holder on the wall to keep counters clear.
Rent an Apartment in Joplin or Webb City
Interested in renting an upscale apartment in Joplin? How about a great apartment in Webb City, MO? Your new home will have modern appliances, an open floor plan, and plenty of space for your needs. Find a property here, look over available rentals, and contact us to take a tour.
