One of the few drawbacks of living in the heart of the city is often compromising on living space. Manhattan is notorious for having some very tight apartments, which can make living comfortably a bit of a task. Fortunately, there are many tips and tricks to keep organized and make a smaller space seem much bigger!
Many New York City apartments do not have the largest of kitchens, so it is important to make the most of your space to fit all of your cooking essentials. Just moved to a new apartment? Then you may need some new kitchen appliances and tools before you worry about organizing them effectively.
For those of us on the Upper West Side, there are a number of great options when searching for the perfect additions to your kitchen.
Century 21 offers huge discounts on great products, including a wide selection of cookware, dinnerware, utensils, glassware, accessories, and more! With great savings, and the option to order online, it is definitely worth your time to check out Century 21’s website to find your latest kitchen needs.
Another great option is the infamous Zabar’s, located at 2245 Broadway (80th Street) which, apart from offering fantastic food, has many fantastic kitchen appliances on the second level. They carry all things kitchen, from cookware, to utensils, to Panini grills, teapots, and ice cream makers. Whatever fun new appliance you are looking for, Zabar’s has a great chance of carrying it! You can also find all of their kitchen products on their website.
Perhaps you are looking for the essentials and shopping on a tight budget? Well look no further than Housing Works. A fantastic local thrift shop, Housing Works has a good selection of cookware, plates, glass sets, mugs, utensils, coffee makers, and more, and for thrillingly low prices! Even better, Housing Works offers senior citizen discounts, and students get 20% off every Tuesday with a valid student ID!
Now that you have all of the necessities, and perhaps some fun new accessories, you can begin to find the perfect set up for your cooking space. Here are some tips and tricks to create as much space as possible in a smaller kitchen:
If your apartment has a spare wall, or perhaps a space above the counters, then a great storage option is to hang a pegboard, which you can easily order or paint in the color of your choice. This will keep pots, pans, and other various kitchen utensils out of the way, and free up what limited cabinet or drawer space you may have.
Another great trick to take advantage of all available space is to install another small shelf underneath your cabinets to store more plates, glasses, or kitchen tools. This keeps everything within reach, but off of countertops or in the back of higher cabinets.
Cutting boards, baking sheets, pans, and other cooking paraphernalia often take up a great amount of precious drawer or cabinet space. One way to solve this is to invest in a few tension rods. These are quite cheap, but can be used in a number of ways, for example lining them up to store these things vertically. You can also store them beneath the sink or in a lower cabinet, and hang cleaning supplies from the rods. Or, you could hang them horizontally and put a roll of garbage or recycling bags on it to keep them out of the way and unroll quickly.
The most important thing to find space for in your kitchen is of course food! Whatever doesn’t go into the refrigerator often takes up limited cabinet or counter space. Here is a simple trick to storing fruits, vegetables, or any other foods within reach. All you need is a pot rail, and a couple hanging baskets of your choice to instantly create an appealing and practical storage space.
Some Upper West Side kitchens do have generous vertical cabinets, which should be fully taken advantage of. One way to do this is to place a simple hanging basket or shelf below an installed shelf, which can serve as a great storage nook for glasses, small bowls, and more.
Those who cook regularly often have a wide array of spices that often end up overtaking a cabinet, sitting on top of the refrigerator, or even worse, taking up precious counter space. A very simple way to solve this is to put your spices in individual tins with magnetic backs, and install a magnetic strip to the side of your cabinets, on a spare wall, or on the inside door of a cabinet. You could even hang them on the front or side of the refrigerator.
Hopefully, with these simple tips, you will find yourself with more available space in your kitchen, leaving more room for cooking, entertaining, and creating a more aesthetically pleasing space.
Do any of you Upper West Siders have any tips or ticks that have worked for you when attempting to maximize your apartment kitchen space? Let us know in the comments below.
