I would add open shelves everywhere I could. For starters, on the wall with the cat food and under the cupboard high up on the wall by the dining table. Good luck with your project. I have had a kitchen that was too small, with inadequate storage. I know how frustrating it is to have things not look as tidy as you would like. You will sort this out in time.

Yeah perhaps shelving is the way to go in the corner by the table. Every house I've lived in the electric meters have been on the inside. Usually above the front door though so more out of the way than these ones. It's such an ugly cupboard sadly.

Thanks both. I'm going to look into shelving for sure x

Maybe turn the table the other way around.

Could you replace two chairs with a bench with storage?

Store stuff like cat food someplace other than the kitchen proper. Anything not utilized for food prep should find a place elsewhere. I did that with (for example) my baking stuff.

Can the cat dishes be relocated elsewhere because that floor space could be used with a shallow cabinet. I had a shallow pantry (maybe one or two cans deep) and it stored a lot of stuff and everything was more accessible than a deeper pantry would have been anyway.

In the corner where the garbage can is, what is on the wall that we can't see? Is that a door to a basement or an exterior door? Or could that corner be annexed for more kitchen storage?

First of all, get all the dirty dishes into the dishwasher

Second, hang the paper towels under the upper cabinet, near the sink.

Third, let the dogs/cats run free and find their own food.

Fourth, drink the wine; that will free up all those shelves.

Seriously, does all the animal food have to be right there, in the way? Put all but a week's worth in a closet.

Finally: Purge. Do you really need everything? Really? The electric kettle takes up space when there's a microwave there that will do the same task. The microwave is a multi-tasker; the kettle is a uni-tasker. Toss the kettle. We, in the US, get along perfectly well without electric kettles, and we use just as much hot water as you guys do.

Probably I would get something other than the wine rack...that's valuable real estate there that's being taken up by something that doesn't hold much. OR move the bottles to the fridge if there's room and use that rack for the cat food.

I'm not a fan of shelves in kitchens but needs must!! I like this idea for you...

I would put dishes there...

Your lovely wide window sill, I would get some pots and grow herbs. Greenery always looks good, everywhere.

I like the idea of the pot rack above the table...(also we used to store pots in the oven when we had our tiny place)

If you're thinking of covering the counters somehow? I would look at the Ikea butcher block counters instead. They're not much and, when treated properly hold up well around the sink (use the leftovers that you had to cut down for the narrow bit to make the shelf shown above).

Magnets!! Here's a link to magnetic hacks for Ikea stuff. Magnets are great for getting knives organized and in one place, and also for spices...

https://www.ikeahackers.net/2008/08/magnetic-hacks.html

I also think that turning your table so that everyone can sit is a good idea.

I love small spaces and having a space like your kitchen to organize would be fun for me...

Tatts--you do NEVER tell an English person to heat up their water in the microwave!! It's breaking a law!! :)

Tatts, obviously there is no British blood flowing through your veins or you would never suggest to throw out the kettle! lol

I am even more of a purist, no electric kettles and much prefer an old fashioned kettle heated on the stove. Good ones are hard to find these days!

I cannot abide microwaved hot water for tea. Ewww ....

Chispa, the Brits love their electric kettles. I am with you though. Love me a pretty tea kettle, so hard to find nice ones these days. Alessi Conico is my latest. Was sad to say bye to my Simplex. Sorry about going so far OT.

I had an even smaller kitchen than yours. To make room I stored all the unopened cans and jars in a nearby closet fitted with shelves. All items that I seldom used were stashed in the basement in plastic bins. I also kept appliances, gadgets, and pots to a minimum. I put cup hooks under all the upper cabinets and used these to store measuring spoons and cups as well as anything that could fit. To facilitate hanging I bought rings to put in those things had only a hole but not a handle. I also put rings on my towels so that they could hang on hooks on the end of the counter.

Molly, OP said that cabinet houses the meters.

I am Canadian, but first generation born into an English family and drink 6+ cups of tea a day - I am horrified at idea of giving up a kettle and *microwaving* hot water for tea. That is most certainly not “proper” and microwaved water is actually nothing like water brought to proper temperature for tea in a kettle. I can only imagine the look on my late mother’s face if someone ever suggested that to her!

OP - I would take others up on their suggestions to move most of pet food out of kitchen - do you have a closet somewhere you can steal some floor space from and put all the food in a big container, etc. Purge out all but dishware and utensils you actually use. If there is some you need to keep for special occasions, again, store somewhere else. I’d move the cookbooks out as well. And as others suggested, this may be a kitchen where open shelves are a necessity.

If you did open shelves, would mounting pretty and simple curtains over them be an option? Personally, I would prefer curtains over shades because the curtains I can toss into the washer to clean. Also, they would provide some buffer to dust and particulates that would inevitably make their way in. If you store dishes that are rarely used in the open, turning them upside down keeps the eating surface clean at least. Something like this?

https://goo.gl/images/UBgdbm

You really have an oddly configured kitchen! That area of very narrow cabinets seems out of place and the sink is offset from the window in a strange manner.

It looks as if it is an add on kitchen that was created after the fact.

I have only one suggestion that you might consider. My suggestion to improve this space would be to place a storage shelf along the wall, under that cabinet that holds the electric meters. That is just wasted space because that cabinet high on the wall prevents you from using the floor space underneath , thus reducing your square footage.

It looks like you run the risk of banging your head on the corner of that cabinet when standing up from the table. If you fill that floor space with a shelving unit, it eliminates that hazard and utilizes that part of your square footage that is otherwise wasted.

One wonders, by what logic would an electricity meter be inside the home. You say you have lived where they were above the front door? That seems even more odd.

I lived in England and never saw either of these. But, of course, your experience is much more vast than was my two years.

It also seems that that area of narrow cabinets is wasted space. It seems that you could benefit by having a floor to ceiling cupboard there, with doors on it.

As others have suggested, you may have to pare down or,otherwise, lower your expectations for just what can be achieved. Surely, an uncluttered space is always an asset for any kitchen.

I drink tea...Tetley...from rising until bed...brewed so strong "a mouse could sit on it". Trust me..."nuked" water tastes...just like water...but then again, I'm Irish.

Oh Lord, how DO you Brits function in kitchens like yours? Sweetie, there is NO saving that kitchen. The cabinets are vintage 1980 and the melamine is chipped and cracked. You would be throwing away your money (and time, and effort) painting them. I'm truly amazed that the hinges have held. Congrats on your new home...now start saving for a kitchen re-do. In the meantime search the ads and flea markets, estate sales etc. for an old (sturdy) what used to be called a "breakfront", drawers on the bottom and a china display cabinet on top. Or an old wardrobe, drawers on the bottom, doors above. Find one tall enough and deep enough to cover the meters. Big, sturdy, ugly is good (you can paint it). The drawers serve as storage, cut out the back of the upper part. Now the meters are in a new cabinet and you have more storage without losing floor space. Heck, you can use a chest of drawers with another "chest" on top; remove the back and drawers of the top chest, and hang a curtain. All animals need access to fresh water...that takes ONE bowl...somewhere. Feed them twice a day. Food goes down for 10 minutes, bowls are removed whether they have eaten or not. After 3 days they will "get with the program" and they will eat when the food is given. Yes, they will complain...loudly...steel yourself. Keep Calm and Carry On.

Looks like you are going to have to look elsewhere for storage, our kitchen is also small, and for this reason we store all food in a pantry, oil is just on the counter.

I'd empty the kitchen completely and bring back in categories that must be in there. My canned goods, cleaning supplies and small appliances used less than once a week live elsewhere for instance. I've found that using cardboard boxes cut to size make great containers for stuff that likes to flop around like bags of pasta and beans. My foil and other films that come in long boxes live in one as well. Decide where you do meal prep and keep that area empty. I'd move the microwave, toaster and kettle as between sink and stove is my prep area. Can any of them fit on the narrow shelf to right of the sink?

Not sure Rose will be back, but just in case she's reading, you've gotten some great ideas from lovely people who took time out of their busy days to answer you. I thank them on your behalf. :)

Thank you all so much for your advice. Just to clarify, the cat food was in the cupboard temporarily and a kettle is a MUST! Haha.

I am saving up for a new kitchen but I'm the meantime am going to go ahead with painting the cupboards and redoing the worktop so it hopefully looks a bit better. I'm also going to get shelves in the left corner above the table.

I'm on it guys! I'll update once finished x

How many people in the household? I ask, cause there are two in mine, and I got rid of the dishwasher. The microwave lives on the highest shelf I put in its place, and some bowls and my wok on the middle shelf, and a plastic dishpan on the bottom shelf. When the dishpan is full, or at the end of the day, which ever come first, we wash dishes, dry, and put away. I feel like I gained so much space that way.