Kitchens can become chaotic with too many appliances and cooking utensils. These items can begin to overcrowd counter spaces, especially if your kitchen cabinets and drawers are already brimming with items. This, in turn, can make preparing foods and cooking difficult, and no one wants this added stress when making meals can already be tough.

With this in mind, you might be thinking of rearranging or even updating your kitchen completely. This is a big task, but you don’t need to go through all of that effort if you just require additional space. If you want to free up space on your kitchen countertops, there are easier methods to do so, as explained in the points below.

Use Shelf Risers

Although these items are usually used within kitchen cabinets, and this can also help to save some space, you can use shelf risers on your countertops, too. Shelf risers, also known as shelf dividers to some, can help you to create custom storage for your small kitchen items by separating the space into multiple levels. Thinner shelf risers are ideal for storing condiments, jars of herbs and spices, and utensils, while larger ones could be used to organize plates and bowls.

Risers can also be fitted with a slightly lip, which is a useful aspect if your kitchen shelves are tilted. The shelf risers that have been fitted with a lip will keep items from falling of these shelves, although these are often better used within cabinets to avoid taking away from your kitchen’s aesthetics. 

Purchase a Cart or Portable Kitchen Island

Carts and portable kitchen islands are brilliant options when you have limited counter space in a small kitchen, although they will require adequate floorspace. These kitchen islands come in all styles, with some offering ample storage that will be incredibly useful if you are struggling for space. They can be fitted with shelves or drawers, allowing you to store items away from sight as well as use the top counter for preparing foods.

One of the biggest benefits of adding a cart or portable kitchen island to your kitchen is it will be mobile. With wheels, these islands can be moved around the kitchen as and when needed, enabling you to work from any location within the room and can be stored away if you need an open floor. 

Add Storage Above and Below Cabinets

Cabinets are great for storage, but they usually cause empty spaces to appear on the walls. These gaps can be found above the cabinets or below, and utilizing this space could free-up a lot of space on the kitchen countertops. Firstly, you should look at the space that is available at the top of the cabinets. This gap, depending on the size, could be perfect for storage baskets or additional shelves. Alternatively, you might even install a custom-made wine rack there, too.

For the area below your kitchen cabinets, you might consider hooks for handing coffee mugs or utensils. This could free up more than counter space, like in drawers and cupboards. If you have waist-height cabinets with space just above the floor, you could fit plinth drawers for extra storage and freeing up your countertops. 

By using the three methods mentioned in this post, you will create a lot more storage space in your kitchen, while emptying some of the countertops. This will ensure cooking and food preparations are a lot easier than fighting through the chaos that can build-up on kitchen workspaces over time.