When you have a small kitchen, there never seems to be enough space. When you remodel a small kitchen, you want to maximize every bit of usable space possible. We have a few space-saving ideas for your small kitchen remodel to help you along.

1. Undermount Small Single-Bowl Sink – First, choosing a small, single-bowl sink instead of a double, in general, can possibly net you a full foot or more of usable counter space. To really get the most space though, choose a small, single-bowl undermount sink. The space you save by having the edges of the sink below the counter instead of on top will give you a few more precious inches where it counts.

2. Raise the Cabinets to the Ceiling – Have you ever looked at the space between the top of the cabinets and the ceiling and wondered how much space is wasted there? When you have a small kitchen, every bit of space matters. Don’t waste that space! Choose cabinets that go all the way up to the ceiling. Store items you use less frequently on the higher shelves and keep your everyday items on the reachable shelves.

3. Grab onto Minimalism – Bulky drawer and door pulls and knobs can take up a surprising amount of space in your kitchen. The farther your door and drawer hardware sticks out, the farther away from the counter or sink you have to stand (or risk lots of bruises). Choose minimal, low-profile, slim-style hardware and pulls for your doors and drawers to streamline the space along the counters. You’ll save visual space and literal clearance space along the cabinets.

4. Keep the Best and Toss the Rest – While embracing your inner minimalist, take a moment to review the contents of your kitchen. If you’re like nearly everyone else in America, you probably have too much stuff. Three nutcrackers, two cheese graters, five zesters, two sets of glassware… Does that sound familiar? If you have a small kitchen, the more unnecessary extra stuff you have, the less space you have. So, keep the best set of glassware, the cheese grater that doesn’t have rust on it and the zester that works the best and toss (or donate) the rest. You’ll create more space in your small kitchen and actually be able to fit your newly streamlined kitchen items into your remodeled kitchen. No one needs five zesters, we promise.

5. Use the Wall – Have an open wall in your small kitchen? Why not turn it into a vertical storage area for pots, pans and other hangable items? You’ll save your limited cabinet space for dishes and breakables and keep your pots and pans handy instead of lurking in the very back of that corner cabinet. More space and more efficient access to cookware makes for a good small kitchen upgrade.

Small kitchens can be tough to cook in and there never seems to be enough space. We hope these space-saving ideas for your small kitchen remodel help you make better use of the space you do have, no matter what size your kitchen is.