Anyone that does any amount of cooking and serving food for family and friends can use more storage space in the kitchen, especially when the kitchen is small or cabinet space is inadequate. I went from having an extra-large kitchen lined with cabinetry and drawers with sliding rail to a galley-style apartment kitchen that barely offered enough room for the basics. I now have an average kitchen but it still lacked storage space for the decades of kitchen gadgets I accumulated, pans, and even food. I ended up finding a number of cheap ways to add more storage space in the kitchen, and the following cheap and easy ideas can make a huge difference in the adequacy of what many consider the heart of the home.

Add Open Shelves with Baskets

A kitchen with plenty of wall space but not enough storage can be enhanced with the addition of open shelves. Shelving is perfect for storing items such as collectibles, decorative containers with lids, glassware, and cookbooks, but it is not an ideal way to store food or plastic items. To store items that are not decorative or appropriate for open shelving, use eye-catching lined baskets. Choose baskets that fit well on the shelves, and store everything from spice packets to kitchen towels. Shelves and baskets offer a great way to add more storage space to a kitchen. They are cheap compared to other ways to add storage space, and they can add beauty, color, and style to the room.

Buy a Freestanding Ready-Made Pantry

If you have been thinking about buying a ready-to-assemble pantry to add more storage space in the kitchen, think again. Check the cost of ready-to-assemble pantries and you will find out that they are not at all cheap – at least not in price. Instead of buying something that is not cheap in price that must be put together, visit a retailer that sells ready-made cabinets. I found a beautiful pantry with four roomy shelves, and it came really close to matching the existing cabinets. Best of all, this ready-made freestanding pantry was cheap compared to something of far lesser quality that required assembly.

Use Storage Space Above Cabinets

Upper kitchen cabinets can be attached to the ceiling or a soffit, but others offer open space above. This open area above kitchen cabinets provides a great way to add more storage space, and if it is not used it is wasted space. Use the area above kitchen cabinets to store items that are not often used. Holiday items and rarely used cooking gadgets and storage containers can be organized and hidden away in lined baskets with lids that will keep out the dust that tends to accumulate above cabinets. This cheap way to add more storage space is also one of the easiest.

Buy Wire Racks to Make the Most Use of Cabinets

In addition to using freestanding pantries, shelves, empty spaces, and baskets, add more storage space to the kitchen by reworking existing cabinets. Open upper and lower cabinet doors, and look for unused unorganized areas. Invest in coated wire shelving and storage solutions especially for cabinets. They are cheap compared to other options, and they can add a lot more space for storage.