We know a small kitchen can be a struggle, especially when it’s an unfamiliar vacation rental kitchen. Having space for not only items we provide you but also your menu items assures you have a pleasant stay at Abalone Bay. While our recent home remodeling focus was on adding viewing and play space with our new windows and game room, we also wanted to to maximize space available in our kitchen.

Tight Space Dilemmas Resolved

Where we once had a sliding glass door into the principal bedroom, we now have added wall space for more storage. While that quirky doorway from bedroom to kitchen was handy for quick access to that first cup of coffee, we now appreciate the added space it created. Our next remodeling goal is to completely update our kitchen.

In the meantime, below are some ways we have resolved some of our other tight space dilemmas, with the goal of making our kitchen usable by you.

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1. Small Kitchen Open Shelving

Open shelving is the ultimate answer to the perennial vacation rental guest question, “Where do I find the _[fill in the blank]_?”

Strong and Sturdy

The two large stainless steel open shelves we added during our recent remodel are sturdy and durable enough to hold up to 300 pounds! So we are sure they’ll manage our small appliances. We especially like them not only for the added storage space, but also as an open display for ease of locating the perfect tool for your perfect meal.

If you opt for these shelves in your small space you’ll find them an excellent option for storing items not only in the kitchen but also in the bathroom, bedroom, living room, kitchen, laundry room, office, and more.

Open Shelves Add a Modular Look

Our coffee cup open storage solution also adds a modular look inspired by iconic ’50s and ’60s furniture silhouettes. It will be something we keep in mind as we look to build modular shelving with the ability for design customization, coordination with our over all future kitchen redesign.

2. Open Shelf Racks

While staying at a vacation rental for just a couple of days food storage may not be a problem. However, for the cook in the vacation rental party, having a place to store food items is critical for good meal planning and preparation. For that reason we provide two options for storage.

The first is our stainless rack of shelves. Its three shelves were easy to put together, even for me with my arthritic fingers and bifocals. I especially like the adjustable feet that allows it to be leveled on our floor of uneven tiles.

Our second option is the 3 tier rolling kitchen cart with its stainless steel top and two drawers. It helps keeps food items, kitchenware, and barware handy and neat. While we no longer use if as a wheeled kitchen cart, its four caster wheels (two with brakes) offer smooth rolling.

Now we use its spacious countertop for extra elbow room for our microwave and Ninja Foodi Air Fryer Oven. In the drawers below are our barbecue tools and pie making mats. Food items and wine store easily on the shelves below.

Baskets Keep Food Items Together

Our collection of baskets are put to good use as vegetable and fruit keepers, napkin holders and bread basket, especially given the slated bottom shelves. We find natural wicker the perfect storage solution for our small kitchen space. We like it for its strength and durability. It also reflects The Sea Ranch ethos of living lightly on the land. We also include a wooden wine rack with that can grow or shrink by simply removing some bars and pegs.

3. Pullout Storage

Kitchen pots and pans along with their lids are found in the two pullout storage shelves next to the Jenn Air range. These deep drawers under the countertop easily accommodate bulky pots and pans. Our vacation rental guests love that they can easily view the various cookware we provide them.

Our current two-tiered design seen here includes a separate rack for lid storage—genius! It will definitely be included in our kitchen re-do.

Read on as we dive deeper into drawer and cabinet divider racks in the next two sections below.

4. Drawer Dividers

Kitchen drawer dividers give every kitchen item a home. The drawer dividers with a good ratio of long and short storage compartments are helpful. Each section should provide a resting place for each specific category of food preparation tool. Or at least that’s the goal. Sometimes though, in a guest’s unfamiliarity with the kitchen or not having the same understanding of a kitchen tool’s use it can become scrambled.

5. Cabinet Dividers

Cabinet dividers help make the most of a small space. Not only do they keep items in order, they can also help prevent items from falling over or getting lost in the back of our cabinets. We especially appreciate our bakeware rack that keeps sheet pans from getting jammed together haphazardly in the tight cupboard space.

6. Wall Storage for Knives

Knife block sets we discovered were a big no-no. Not only did it take up so much counter space, repeatedly inserting and extracting our cutlery from a wooden knife block actually dulled the blades.

Magnetic wall storage for knife blades now keep our knives safely out of danger and securely in place. To free your knife from the strip, we recommend you slide it vertically downward rather than pulling it straight toward you. This will keep the blade from incurring too much torque and eventual wear over time.

7. Lazy Susans

Lazy Susans are great for organizing and providing easy access to items in a pantry. They are especially helpful resolving corner storage dilemmas. We like that ours have a straight edge that lines up with the cupboard’s opening face. It also has a rubber liner to prevent bottles from knocking over. With a quick twist of the wrist you gain easy access to items that often get lost or forgotten in the back recesses of your cabinets. We use them for our spices and other food flavorings. We love how they improve kitchen efficiency with quick and easy access to food items or kitchen tools.

8. Hang Up Kitchen Items

Hanging up items is a quick and easy way to store items so they are are at hand’s reach. And when they are favorite bundt pans, such as our octopus budnt pan, they add a bit of whimsy as well.

Other vacation rental owners utilize peg board kitchen storage with clips to hang up pots and pans to keep kitchens neat, tidy, and organized.

9. Collapsible Kitchen Items

Space saving kitchen gadget that collapse or fold into themselves has got to be the best invention ever finding extra space in the kitchen. Just check out how much space we saved with our collapsible grater!

Collapsible grater in a closet of other kitchen prep tool

Another favorite kitchen gadget is our collapsible colander seen neatly tucked away in the cabinet behind the pitcher.

Plastic collapsible strainer is folded and stored next to a plastic pitcher

10. Narrow Space Ideas

Our last recommendation for save space in a vacation rental or your own home is to look for narrow items that fill the crack and crannies within your tiny space. We have two such items.

Our first is a narrow trash can with spaces for both trash and recyclables. This particular model is by Simple Human. The best thing about it (besides its lack of girth) is the foot pedal that opens it is on the end, not the side. This way while tucked away it can still easily be opened.

Our second is our Ultralight Ladder. The lightweight aluminum ladder gives you the added reach you need for all those items tucked away in the upper cabinets.

Your Suggestions to Maximum Space

We welcome your suggestions on ways you’ve managed to maximum space in a small kitchen. Add them in the comments below. Who knows you may see them put to good use in our future kitchen remodel.