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How to declutter your kitchen: 10 space-saving buys under £50 used by Which? experts
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Spring is the perfect time to declutter, streamline and refresh your kitchen.
If you’re battling cramped counters or overflowing cupboards, there are plenty of kitchen storage ideas and solutions to help you maximise space and fit more in.
But it's not all about making big changes – these are the small space-saving buys that the Which? team use to keep their kitchens neat and tidy. Plus, they all cost less than £50, so you don’t need to spend a fortune.
Floating shelves
Installing a couple of shelves, similar to these, has helped make use of the wall space we had between the kitchen bench and the cupboards. Now I've got room to store jars, coffee pods and lots of other things that would otherwise just be crammed into cupboards or sitting on the bench.
We like: Creates extra storage space
Watch out for: Matching the shelves to your kitchen decor
If you have a plain wall in your kitchen, you can both jazz it up and create more storage space by mounting some floating shelves. Use them to store everything from cookbooks to plates and bowls.
You can buy affordable shelves from the likes of Homebase and Ikea, or go to Etsy to find some nice handmade options.
Hooks
I've got a metal bar above my range cooker, so I bought a load of hooks. I wasn't able to hang pots and pans from them, but I could attach all my wooden spoons, spatulas and other cooking utensils. This freed up drawer space and it means everything is close to hand when cooking.
We like: Storage for cooking utensils, pots and pans
Watch out for: Getting the right size for what you want to hang
Organise your utensils, pots and pans by hanging them on hooks in your kitchen. It becomes both a stylish feature and a practical storage solution.
You’ll need to make sure each hook is the right size and can handle the weight of whatever you intend to hang.
Undershelf organiser
This is a great way of keeping foil, cling film, baking paper, bin bags and many other things handy, rather than floating around in a drawer. It sits neatly under a shelf so it takes up the otherwise empty space that you're not using and makes it usable.
We like: Make use of more cupboard space
Watch out for: Doesn’t look particularly stylish
If you’re unsure where to store your foil, bin bags or cling film, this undershelf organiser might be the perfect solution.
It clips onto the underside of your cupboard shelves and is the right size to hold a few rolls.
Collapsible colander
Investing in a collapsible colander has freed up a lot of extra space in my kitchen cupboard. It folds flat to the size of a plate, giving me enough room for my bulky saucepans and frying pans.
We like: Easy to store
Watch out for: Not as sturdy as standard colanders
Colanders usually hog a lot of room because they're large and rigid, don't stack well and take up a lot of space in the cupboard.
A collapsible colander is a space-saving hack that will give you more room for other kitchen accessories and gadgets.
Cupboard shelf inserts
These shelf inserts are a great way to add extra storage to tall cupboards.
We like: Maximise storage in tall cupboards
Watch out for: Ensure your current shelves are tall enough
For tall cupboards, these inserts are a simple way to increase shelf capacity by adding an extra layer between existing ones.
Simply place it on your current shelf to extend storage space.
Curver baskets
My kitchen has limited cupboard space, so I use these to store similar items like jars. It's much easier to make full use of the space and reduces the risk of things tumbling from high cupboards. Plus, they're robust and available in various sizes.
We like: Practical for organising small items
Watch out for: Choosing the right size for your space
Keep your kitchen free of clutter with a set of durable plastic baskets.
Ideal for organising under-sink cupboards, they could hold dishwasher tablets, bin bags and cleaning sprays. You could even use one in the fridge for condiments or keep one in the cupboard for storing cooking essentials such as flour and sugar.
Joseph Joseph Triscale
These digital scales are practical for kitchens with limited counter space as they fold into a compact shape that fits easily into a utensil drawer. They have touch-sensitive controls and a clear display, so are really easy to use for measuring both liquid and solid ingredients.
We like: Space-efficient scale
We don’t like: Hinges could make it harder to clean
This Joseph Joseph kitchen scale folds up to fit in small spaces, like a cramped cutlery drawer.
Despite being so compact, it still features an LCD with add and weigh functions to measure multiple ingredients simultaneously. It can measure grams, pounds, ounces, US fluid ounces and millilitres.
See more of the best kitchen scales and find out how the Joseph Joseph Triscale fared in our tests.
Spice racks
These tin/spice racks are great for organising your kitchen cupboards. They also make everything clearly visible, so you don't forget about lost items at the very back!
We like: See all your spices at once
Watch out for: Ensure it fits your cupboard width
Tired of rummaging through your cupboards for spices? A spice rack can organise and display them in a staggered layout for quick and easy access.
This one fits inside your cupboard with a non-slip coating to keep them in place, or you could choose a wooden rack that showcases your spices as a kitchen feature, like this one from Dunelm.
Kilner jars
Use Kilner jars to store coffee, or keep them as back-ups for filling with impromptu gifts, such as homemade cookies or brownies.
We like: Stylish storage
Watch out for: Consider recycling tomato cans instead
Kilner jars can be used in all sorts of ways around the kitchen because they’re sturdy and stylish with an airtight seal.
Here are a few ways to elevate your kitchen organisation with them:
- Keep dry goods like rice, lentils, and flour fresh
- Swap out plastic for glass when prepping layered salads or overnight oats for the next morning
- Use them to keep wooden spoons and spatulas for a rustic look.
If you’re looking to mix up your aesthetic, recycled San Marzano tomato cans from Amazon add a vibrant, Italian-inspired pop of colour to your dining table for storing cutlery.
Magnetic knife rack
I recently got rid of my tired old kitchen knife block and replaced it with this black magnetic knife rack. Because my kitchen wall is also black, it makes my knives look like an edgy art installation. And it frees up counter space for more small appliances - hooray!
We like: Store and display knives
Watch out for: Choose between self-adhesive tape or screw mounting
A magnetic knife rack offers several advantages over traditional storage methods.
By mounting your collection directly to the wall, you free up precious counter space that would otherwise be occupied by a bulky knife block. And unlike drawers where blades clatter together and become dull, a magnetic strip will keep each edge isolated and sharp.
It will be more practical too, streamlining your cooking by keeping every knife visible and within easy reach.
One of the best knife sharpeners will help you keep your knives as good as new.
