Kitchen Space Saving on a Budget - Help Please??

climbintheladderouttadebt

I live in a rented flat with my 3 year old daughter, my second child is due end of August. My partner's in the Navy. My landlords won't let me put up shelves/knock holes in walls etc. so have real trouble with space, especially keeping things out the reach of kids!
My kitchen in particular is a nightmare! We have a cupboard in one corner but cannot fully access it as there is a boiler blocking the door from fully opening. The cupboard attracts mould like sugar attracts ants so it's a no-go for storing food. I keep plastic bags in there, along with boxed baby items that will be used when number 2 arrives.
Large appliances like the microwave, blender, breadmaker, coffee machine and grilling machine take up a huge amount of space. We have put up bathroom corner cabinets to store jars, pots etc. that don't need fixing to the wall. The cupboards are full. We cannot get rid of anything else we have. Cupboard tops are covered with squash bottles, a few recipe books and a biscuit tin.
I am determined that there must be some space saving ideas to help us, on a very limited budget, and was wondering if any other MSErs have any tips for us please?

Thank you!! :j

pavlovs_dog

it would probably be a good idea for you to post this again on the oldstyle forum.

They might have ideas for you about double duty items - one item that can perform more than one job, hence you have less to clutterup your kitchen.

is there anywehere else in the house that you can store lesser used items to free up space in the kitchen (eg garage, under the bed, bottom of the airing cupboard, on top of wardrobes etc).

you can buy stepped shelves that go inside your kitchen units to give you an extra layer of shelf space. lakeland have an example HERE but i'm sure i've seen cheaper versions in betterware and my local cheapie shop

Eenymeeny

Plastic baskets? I use them to store packets of sauce mix, pasta, rice etc Then another one for herbs, spices etc. It means that I can store them higher than is comfortable for everyday things and I just lift them down to pick what I want out of them. I also bought long thin plastic baskets (4 for £1 Home Bargains) to hold cutlery, can openers etc. Much easier for laying the table, emptying dishwasher, as they are portable too.
I actually have a cupboard with shelves full of them, holding light bulbs, shoe cleaning items, curtain fittings, candles etc., all of those little odds and ends! So handy, and cheap!:)
Oh! nearly forgot, use the back of your doors and sides of deep cupboards. I have little wire baskets on undersink cupboard to hold binbags etc?

climbintheladderouttadebt

pavlovs_dog wrote: »

it would probably be a good idea for you to post this again on the oldstyle forum.

which one is the oldstyle forum, please? It took me ages just to find this one! hehe

They might have ideas for you about double duty items - one item that can perform more than one job, hence you have less to clutterup your kitchen.

I'd love to be able to buy new items but cannot afford that amount of money

is there anywehere else in the house that you can store lesser used items to free up space in the kitchen (eg garage, under the bed, bottom of the airing cupboard, on top of wardrobes etc).

sadly the rest of the flat is also full - under the bed has bedding, towels and a few clothes I hope to fit back into once my baby's born, so nothing I can clear out. hallway cupboard has some tools, christmas decs and toys in as the kids room has a bed, cot, wardrobe (built-in and full of clothes) and changing unit in, along with 2 toyboxes. I have no garage either.

you can buy stepped shelves that go inside your kitchen units to give you an extra layer of shelf space. lakeland have an example HERE but i'm sure i've seen cheaper versions in betterware and my local cheapie shop

defo agree on the shelves thing, even for cups/mugs. in all honesty the kitchen is very poorly designed but my landlords won't pay out to change it, and I am very limited in the amount I am allowed to do anywhere

climbintheladderouttadebt

Eenymeeny wrote: »

Plastic baskets? I use them to store packets of sauce mix, pasta, rice etc Then another one for herbs, spices etc. It means that I can store them higher than is comfortable for everyday things and I just lift them down to pick what I want out of them. I also bought long thin plastic baskets (4 for £1 Home Bargains) to hold cutlery, can openers etc. Much easier for laying the table, emptying dishwasher, as they are portable too.
I actually have a cupboard with shelves full of them, holding light bulbs, shoe cleaning items, curtain fittings, candles etc., all of those little odds and ends! So handy, and cheap!:)
Oh! nearly forgot, use the back of your doors and sides of deep cupboards. I have little wire baskets on undersink cupboard to hold binbags etc?

I've got some plastic baskets in the drawer for extra utensils (pizza cutter, scissors etc)

I LOVE the idea of using the sides of cupboards (well I only have 2 sides to use but still, every little helps!). I have seen these twist-lock things in Argos, is there anything else similar around? I have a few cupboard fronts I could even use if necessary, though most of the drawers and cupboards open behaind the door/against the wall or against each other!

dander

If you haven't already got plates stored on a tiered plate stand in the cupboard, they are well worth it.

My favourite space-saver is little wire fold out shelves that you put inside your cupboards - just a few quid in Wilkinsons. They stand on little wire legs so they don't take any extra space but they give you a whole extra layer for tins, mugs or whatever.

Possibly for mugs you could get away with screwing some cup hooks to the underside of the kitchen cupboards? Depending on the style of the cupboards your landlord might not notice you've done it.;)