How to Declutter a Small Kitchen — 10 Tips for Clearing Out You Need to Make Every Inch of Space Count

If you're a small-space dweller with a compact cooking space, here's what you need to know about making it look clutter-free

A small kitchen with a tiled backsplash, a head of lettuce on a chopping board and in-built shelving
Cull the chaos in your small kitchen with these expert tips.
(Image credit: Clinton Weaver. Design: Together Design Studio. Styling: Atelier Lab)

As someone with a small kitchen and a love for cooking most of my meals at home, I'm always looking for ways to keep my culinary space as clutter-free as possible. I need a clear space void of crowded counters and jam-packed drawers.

And while I know the basics of how to declutter a kitchen, there are some key differences to properly paring back a smaller space. For one, you have to be a little more strict with what you keep and what you forego. But there's plenty more to learn, too.

So if you're a small-space dweller with a dream of a totally tidy, clutter-free kitchen, here's everything you need to know to realize your wish.

1. Outline Your Priority Appliances by Frequency of Use

A kitchen with a green tiled backsplash a set of three stools by a tiled and terrazzo island and a fridge

Being honest about your need for appliances is the first step.

(Image credit: Luke Butterly. Design: Thitchener Consulting)

Courtney Cummings, founder of The Stylish Organizer, tells me that the best way to declutter a small kitchen is to start by decluttering your kitchen cabinets. She recommends determining what you use the most and making it easily accessible.

"If crockpots and air fryers are your means of survival, then keep those small appliances within reach. Create a cooking zone in your space with all of your essentials — favorite appliance, utensils, hot pads, etc," she says.

"Not a fan of extra appliances, or simply don’t use them much? Store them away in your pantry or in a lower cabinet. Outlining your priorities with clarity will help you use your kitchen safely and most effectively."

Courtney Cummings

Courtney Cummings is the founder and owner of The Stylish Organizer, a professional organizing business based in Dayton, Ohio. A native Ohioan, this classically-trained singer served in the non-profit sector as an event planner, program manager, and communications director for 16 years before making the transition to professional organizing. Whether working on her own home or helping her clients discover the same calm and beauty in theirs, she crafts every detail with an eye for design and function. As a busy working mom and wife, she understands the need for efficiency in a household and business environment. She takes great pride leaving behind a transformed space to be enjoyed and used by everyone in the family.

2. Find a New Home for Your Mail

A small kitchen with doors, a large white island and a tile backsplash

There should be no place for mail in your kitchen.

(Image credit: Damien Furey. Design: Fabric Architecture Studio. Build: Hudson Lane)

"Today's mail is probably sitting on the kitchen counter, right? Maybe even yesterday's mail, too? Paper clutter in the kitchen is one of the things I see most often as a professional organizer," says Courtney.

"If your space is already on the smaller side, don’t let bills and junk mail take over precious counter space. Instead, hang a basket or two on a nearby wall and use that as your mail inbox. Your counters will thank me (and you will too)."

Safe to say I felt called out when Courtney (rightly) predicted the stack of mail sitting by my counter. And if this is true for you, now's your chance to get rid of paper clutter in your kitchen.

3. Seriously Streamline Your Culinary Accessories

A small kitchen with windows and open shelving

Ruthless decluttering is the key to a tidy small kitchen.

(Image credit: Kate Bowman Photography. Design: North Edge Studio)

It feels like every time I visit my family home, I come back with a new knife specialized for chopping, dicing, or even buttering. And so I'm now left with one knife too many.

And Courtney tells me that this is a common problem that needs to be resolved when decluttering a small kitchen. And it applies to every piece of cookware you've come to collect. From lemon juicers to dessert spoons and beyond.

"It's essential to evaluate what you actually use on a regular basis for meal prep. Chances are that you have some unused gadgets taking up valuable space and in turn, committing a popular kitchen drawer storage mistake," she notes. "And those seven wooden spoons? I think you can live with your favorite two." She's not wrong.

4. Go for Opaque Storage for Reduced Visual Clutter

A small kitchen with checkerboard floors, a black oven and stove unit, a small island and a stool

Unpopular opinion, opaque storage in a small kitchen is preferred.

(Image credit: Anson Smart. Design: Marylou Sobel Interior Design)

According to Courtney, opaque storage equals less visual clutter. "If all of your spices are lined up near the stove, that’s great for function. But the visual may be overwhelming to your brain, especially in a small space," she notes.

"When our brains receive too much visual information at once, it can be draining. If this happens every day, it can feel incredibly taxing. Keep your spices within reach, but use an opaque bin or box to keep them contained and reduce the visual noise."

And she tells me that this same kitchen storage strategy goes for other items on your counters. But it's especially true for culinary accessories that are more functional than fashionable.

5. Cherry-Pick Your Decor for Minimal Clutter

A kitchen with textured glass windows, light pastel green drawers, a stone backsplash and a scalloped exhaust

Keep your decor simple and your space clean.

(Image credit: Colleen O'Brien. Design: Davide Casaroli Design)

Decluttering your small kitchen isn't all about streamlining cookware and retiring old appliances. It has to do with the accessories dotted around your culinary space, too.

"The more you have, the more you have to keep track of. That's why, in a small kitchen, it's ideal to aim for minimal decor and use what you have to beautify your counters and shelves," Courtney adds.

"Jars with dried herbs and bowls of fresh fruit are great ways to increase the gorgeous factor in a small kitchen. Lose the tchotchkes and knick-knacks. They will just collect dust (and potentially cooking grease)."

6. Maximize Your Cabinet Space for Less Open Clutter

A small kitchen with yellow cabinets, white countertops, gas stoves, and wooden shelves

Reduce clutter by maximizing cabinet space.

(Image credit: Enric Badrinas. Design: COLAPSO STUDIO. Styling: Susana Piquer)

When peeking into any kitchen, Courtney tells me that she often finds some amount of unused space in a cabinet. "Certain products like shelf risers can help use those vertical inches, but I also like to remind clients that you can adjust the shelves to fit your items," she advises.

"If you have shorter glasses, adjust the shelf above them down a notch or two and give your taller glasses above some more breathing room. Another option is to purchase additional shelves for your cabinets."

However, she recommends measuring your kitchen cabinets and shelves beforehand, so you know what size will fit. And then you can use these extra shelves to optimize your cabinet space and make a more organized room.

7. Designate a Home for Absolutely Everything and Rethink What's Left

A small kitchen with a tiled backsplash, a head of lettuce on a chopping board and in-built shelving

Anything that doesn't have a spot must go.

(Image credit: Clinton Weaver. Design: Together Design Studio. Styling: Atelier Lab)

Courtney tells me that one of the best ways to ensure a clear and uncluttered kitchen is to have a home for each and every item. And especially when it comes to decluttering a small kitchen, this is one tip I definitely stand by.

"When you don’t know where something goes, it often gets tossed randomly into a drawer or is left on the counter. Over time, this creates kitchen countertop clutter and makes it difficult to find what you are looking for," she explains.

"Think about what you use in your kitchen and where you use it. Make a space for each item in a logical place and maybe label that area so everyone is accountable." And as for any appliances and items that don't have a space and barely come into culinary contact, it might be a sign to rethink those items. Consider recycling, rehoming, or donating, too.

8. Lift Your Cookbooks Off the Kitchen Counter and Onto a Shelf

A kitchen with open wooden shelving, a panelled backsplash and wooden cabinetry

Leave your cookbook collection outside the immediate space.

(Image credit: Casey Dunn. Design: Matt Garcia Design)

When it comes to cheffing up new dishes, I'm a recipe follower through and through. And while this almost always ends up in immaculate plates, it does cause for a bit of a trafficked small kitchen.

As much as I enjoy having my cookbooks at arm's reach, professional home organizer Barbara Brock tells me that this is one of the biggest kitchen clutter mistakes out there. But that doesn't mean you need to put more than a room's space between you and your cooking library.

"Instead, I recommend organizing your cookbooks on a dedicated cookbook shelf on a wall," she says. "Or, you can even consider removing them from your kitchen and organizing them away in a pantry closet."

Barbara Brock

Barbara is a successful home-staging owner, entrepreneur (she negotiated a lucrative deal for an executive 'daily/monthly planner’ pre the Palm Pilot years) and past President of NAPO®-NY (National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals™, New York Chapter). Barbara is also the Founder & CEO of Barbara Brock Inc., a professional organizing and staging company, and Beauty & The Box, a company dedicated to fusing beauty with organization for the traveling woman and at home.

9. Keep All Counter Space Culinary Appliance-Free

A small kitchen with doors, wooden cabinetry, and a colored stone backsplash

If there's one thing you remove from your counters, make it your appliances.

(Image credit: Yevhenii Avramenko. Design: Yana Molodykh)

There are plenty of habit switch-ups to adopt for clear kitchen countertops. But if you must pick one when decluttering a small kitchen, let it be an appliance-free countertop. Trust me, this rule will make a world of a difference.

I made the mistake of keeping my toaster, smoothie blender, and rice cooker on my kitchen countertop year-round. And since I tend to run meal prep fairly regularly, this practice makes no sense.

So I've since found a space for all my cooking appliances, and I'm no longer bumping into my toaster or having to wipe off my kettle at the end of every day. Sure, it might mean reaching into a cabinet to retrieve your appliances, but I'll take the fresh look of a tidy, small kitchen over an appliance-busy space any day.

10. Banish Countertop Clutter With Aid from Vertical Storage

A small kitchen with floor-length windows and a curtain

Lift your items off the counters and up on a shelf.

(Image credit: Anson Smart. Design: Marylou Sobel Interior Design)

"Clear, clean kitchen counters are visually more pleasing and far more efficient than a counter packed with cooking items. Which is why I swear by using a magnetic knife block attached to a wall in place of a bulky knife block," says Barbara.

Going back to my collection of cooking knives, which I have since pared back, this is a genius way of removing them from the counter and freeing up precious kitchen real estate. Especially since knives are one of the worst things to keep on your counter.

However, the beauty of this tip is that it does not involve popping your knives in a far-away drawer or in a cabinet somewhere. Instead, it utilizes blank vertical wall space and gives off the impression of a pro-cook.

On that note, I also recommend bringing in DIY-able hanging rods for pans and mini floating shelves for mugs and more. Not to forget hanging kitchen baskets for fruit displays that look effortlessly cool.


FAQs

How Often Should You Declutter a Small Kitchen?

"Small resets of your small kitchen can happen on a daily basis, but I recommend doing a more in-depth assessment each quarter. Take the time to go through your spices and check expiration dates," says Courtney. "Ask yourself what utensils, appliances, and gadgets you are using regularly. Donate ones you are not using. Doing the work of decluttering will help free your mind to focus on the important things in life."



Small kitchens do not have to look unkempt at all. A touch of serious decluttering and proper organization can take your compact kitchen from cluttered to curated in no time. So once you're done paring back the space, take on the task of organizing your kitchen next.

Amiya Baratan
Home Wellness Writer

Amiya is a Home Wellness Writer at Livingetc. She recently graduated with a Masters Degree in Magazine Journalism from City, University of London, and has lent her words to beauty, fashion, and health sections of lifestyle publications including Harper’s Bazaar and Women’s Health. Her experience as a research analyst has equipped her with an eye for emerging trends. When she’s off the clock, she can be found reading, listening to music, or overanalyzing her latest Co-Star update.