The kitchen is one of the most used rooms in the house and having enough countertop space is crucial for cooking, preparing food, and entertaining guests. However, not all of us are blessed with large kitchens, and for many of us, some extra counter space can make all the difference.

If you’re struggling with limited counter space, don’t worry. There are several ways to create extra countertop space in your kitchen, regardless of its size.

Let’s get into it!

Prefer watching videos? Check out mine below👇

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A spacious and uncluttered counter doesn’t just elevate the functionality; it also enhances the overall aesthetic appeal of the kitchen.

A kitchen that is free from clutter and has well-organized counter space looks more inviting and harmonious.

This sense of order and open space contributes to a more pleasant and visually satisfying environment, reflecting a sense of style and attention to detail.

Practical Ways To Create Extra Counter Space

I’ve put together a variety of ways to save that valuable countertop space. Some of these suggestions are easier and more cost-effective than others, catering to a range of needs and budgets.

Hopefully, within this list of ideas, you’ll find a strategy you can implement to optimize your kitchen’s space and aesthetics.

Declutter

Be honest with yourself how much of that stuff do you actually use? 

Before diving into rearrangements and additions, it’s crucial to have a clear understanding of what is genuinely essential to have on the counter. Start by evaluating your daily cooking routine and identifying the tools and appliances you frequently use.

Sell, donate give away items you don’t use or need anymore and try to be real with yourself!

Getting a new kitchen is the perfect time to go through and sort everything out and have a good clean out!

So what can you remove from your countertop (and kitchen in general) immediately?

Plan Sufficient storage 

You know how much stuff you have and how much storage you need. Make sure you have planned an adequate amount and the correct type of storage that you need. 

You may love the no-upper cabinet minimalist look but if it means you’re then cluttering your countertop because you don’t have enough storage elsewhere, it’s not only less functional to work in, but it also kind of defeats the purpose and concept behind the style anyway.

So think carefully before sacrificing storage for style. 

Draining Board

Certainly not for everyone this one, especially if you don’t have a dishwasher, but do you need to have a draining board or drainer grooves cut into your countertop? 

This is a fixed feature that takes up counter space even when you don’t have items on it draining, that’s a section of the countertop that can’t really be used for anything else. 

So, if you have a dishwasher do you need a whole area dedicated for a draining area for your washing up?

If you do wash up occasionally could you just use a removable draining board and put it away under the sink when it’s not needed, (or simply just put a tea towel down) to make the most of your countertop at other times?

Another option, not as commonplace here in the UK but I know they are a bit more in mainland Europe, could you install a dish-draining wall cabinet? 

Ideally above your sink if you don’t have a window, or at least near the sink maybe right next to it if you do have a window above your sink. Just somewhere convenient to place your washing up to drain and dry as you’re doing it.

Again, it just means you’re keeping that counter space clear so it’s more flexible and functional for a variety of tasks and not just fixed and used up by a draining area. 

Workstation sink

You’ve probably already seen these, often referred to as the Swiss army knife of sinks, a workstation sink basically comes with a bunch of accessories to help make the sink area more flexible and functional. 

Arguably the best accessory in this case are chopping boards that fit perfectly and rest over the sink to create extra counter space and a really convenient chopping and prep area, literally right at the sink. 

Boiling water tap (+sparkling Water tap)

Not the cheapest option and I know some people worry about their safety, although they all come with some form of child safety operation. 

However, installing a boiling water tap will mean you no longer need to have your kettle out and on the countertop. Freeing up more space!

They’re also a time saver and honestly, every customer I’ve had that’s ever had one (which is a lot) always loves them! They’re just an investment. 😬

And if you really want to splash some cash you could take it a step further with the addition of a sparkling water attachment.

So if you’ve had a soda stream kind of small appliance sat on the countertop, that’s another thing we can remove to free up more counter space.

Induction hob/cooktop

Going for an induction hob or cooktop means you get a smooth flat surface, practically in line with your countertop. No bits sticking up and in the way. 

You can kind of spread out over it and place a chopping board on top of it and work there while you’re not cooking.

Even if you do have a pot cooking away, you can still use the other half of the hob as prep space as it doesn’t get hot and there’s no flame to worry about. 

And for those that have a gas hob/cooktop, you could get a cooktop cover. 

These come in various sizes and materials, so just check your cooktop size and what will work for you.

But you can buy a cooktop cover, which is essentially a chopping board on legs to put over your gas top to create a flat, stable area for prep. 

So pop it on if you need that extra prep space, then put it away when you start cooking. 👍

Kitchen island cart

If you don’t quite have room for a full fixed kitchen island but do have a little bit of space, then you might benefit from a kitchen island cart or moveable storage trolley.

It can be kept out the way to one side against the wall when it’s not needed, also providing some additional storage usually, but then you can move it closer, into the kitchen area if you need it for some extra counter space or prep space when you’re cooking.

These can come in a whole range of shapes sizes and styles, so you can usually find one that suits your needs.

It can be a good option to add a little bit of extra countertop and storage without installing a full kitchen island. Usually a lot cheaper too! 😃

Pull out countertop

These can be a neat little accessory that you typically install in the top drawer of a base cabinet.

They can either pull straight out giving you some extra countertop slightly lower than your main countertop, which can be very handy for anyone a little bit shorter, as it may be more comfortable to work out, or you can get ones that pull out and light up slightly to then be in line with your main countertop and just give you more area to work at. 

You could also have a ‘lift-up countertop’. Most commonly used to store a stand mixer on it. It lives inside a base cabinet when not used and then easily pulls out and up when you need it. Keeping that countertop clear the rest of the time but still making it quite accessible. 

I’ve also seen people keep their toasters or little toaster ovens on these as well. It does use up a chunk of cabinet space, but it’s another option, it could work for you. 

If you want to take it one step further you could go for a slide-out countertop extension. 

This is where you have a sliding mechanism underneath a section of the countertop, and it can be pulled out to extend the countertop in one direction, revealing another countertop underneath. 

These are great for creating seating areas on an island or peninsula when you need them but then you can slide it back to give you a bit more space in the room when you don’t need it. 

These a quite popular if you want to go for that hidden kitchen design concept, especially on an island.

Wall space

Don’t forget to use your walls, and I’m not talking about upper cabinets here but smaller accessories you can install on your walls that can help remove things living on your countertop. 

A magnetic knife strip gets rid of that knife block or a paper towel holder installed on the underside of a wall cabinet or mounted on the wall frees up more counter space.

As well, you could install a utensil rail to hang your spatulas and spoons instead of having them in a pot on the countertop.

You can even get whole clip and attachment systems with all kinds of storage accessories you can add and move to configure exactly how you want. 

Multi appliances

Probably the most popular multi-appliance is a combination oven and microwave. As the name suggests, it’s an oven, a microwave and you can cook with a combination of the two. 

So not only does it open up some new cooking options, but more importantly for this video, it means we can remove our countertop microwave and free up more space. 

And for my North American audience, you have the OTR (or over-the-range microwave) 

There are even built-in ovens with air fryer settings to help get that crispy texture!

Now it’s not quite the same as the smaller countertop ones, and you will use more energy as you’re heating up the whole oven, but if you don’t use your air fryer that often this might be a good compromise to get rid of that bulky appliance on your countertop. 

And not technically a multi-appliance but you could also consider a (built-in microwave) these are slightly smaller than the combi microwaves, and designed to fit into the standard wall cabinet depth.

Another option, depending on where you are in the world, might be a microwave drawer, if that works for you, I know they’re not for everyone. 

But again, with these options it’s just removing it off the countertop, to give us that extra space for enhanced functionality and aesthetic appeal! 😃

Final Thoughts…

There you have it! Creating extra counter space in your kitchen is possible with a little creativity and some strategic planning.

Remember to consider the size of your kitchen, the amount of storage you need, and the style you prefer when making your choices.

With these tips and tricks, you can create the kitchen of your dreams with plenty of extra kitchen counter space to work with!

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