The first step is to make sure that everything in your kitchen is necessary and useful. Start by getting rid of anything you don't really need or use. Take EVERYTHING out of the cabinets/shelves/drawers and assess their function. Only put back items that you REALLY need.

Second, consider a hanging pot rack for your pots and pans, either an overhead one or one that attaches to the wall. That will free up drawer space.

Third, check out the Container Store. They have brick and mortar stores as well as a terrific online presence. For $16.99 I purchased a clear acrylic organizer for spices that works great.

https://www.containerstore.com/s/3-tier-acrylic-cabinet-spice-organizer/d?productId=10016112&q=spice%20racks They have storage for just about anything you can think of and a large selection for kitchens.

If you have room, purchase a free-standing "island" for larger items that don't fit into your cabinets.

You can also store rarely used items (large mixer, lobster pots, etc.) in a closet in another room.

Good luck and let us know how you're doing!

Following

Need a diagram, picture, something.

I have a narrow drying rack that suspends from the edges of the sink, down into the sink. It's perfect, and isn't so visible, and leaves the countertop open. (Best quarter I ever spent at a rummage sale.)

My son has a one-wall kitchen, too. We found a shallow bookcase to tuck into a corner, perfect depth for CDs, but he uses it for spices, cans, dry goods, small appliances. And, he is looking for a kind of narrow island, with a shelf or cabinets at the bottom and drawers under the top, for storage. I can't part with mine, that also has a towel bar on one side, a knife block on the other, and a flip-up breakfast bar on the back. I got that at a garage sale so I can't source it for you (or him lol)

Finding alternative storage for the small things, lets him use the kitchen drawers and cabinets for the cookware.

Open the cabinet doors and take some photos. You may be able to add pull out shelves to the bottom cabinets. They are especially useful for pots and pans, large mixing bowls, and small appliances.

Count the number of spice bottles you have. There are lots of spice racks on the market that will hold various numbers of bottles. Many can be wall-mounted.

Consider using a drying rack that sits in or on one half of your sink. Or stow the current one under the sink after drying the dishes.

I prefer to not have stuff sitting on my counters, but sometimes there's no choice.

Do you have a dishwasher? My Mom does, but since she lives alone, she generally hand washes the few dishes she uses. But instead of a dish rack on the counter, she uses the DW as a drying rack.

I agree with Diana that the first step is to get rid of things you don't need, and move things you don't use often (a large pot used once a month can live in a hall closet). And once you have taken everything out of the kitchen, don't put things back in the same place, just because that's where it was before. Carefully consider what you use most often (that gets "prime real estate"), where you use each item, and how you can store most efficiently. Sometimes moving things around can help a lot.

Does your range have a bottom drawer? I keep a lot of pots in mine.

In upper cabinets, space the shelves so that you have minimal "white space" between your things and the shelf above - for example, I have coffee mugs together on a short shelf, and water glasses on a taller one. If you're lucky, you'll have enough space to add a shelf, which will increase your usable storage space.

I added pullouts to my Mom's base cabinets - they have made it much easier for her to get to pots and pans, and added storage space, since the shelf in her bottom cabinets was only half the depth of the cabinet.

I have a similar kitchen - if you have a stove with a bottom drawer that is a good spot for pots/pans - if you have a fridge (door or side) that works with magnets you can get bag clips with magnets and leave the unused ones on the fridge - there are also hooks with magnets that you can hang small lightweight items from if they have open handles like measuring cups/spoons, a strainer, cooking utensils, etc. If you have space above your fridge or on top of your cabinets you can store items in lidded baskets. I have also found a console table (table height) with a flip top - I use it for additional counter space & when you open up the top it becomes a table that seats 4. Adding pull-out drawers to lower cabinets makes everything more accessible. If you do not have adjustable shelves, shelving units, usually metal, some are adjustable, might be helpful. Over the cabinet door organizers might also work - hang on the inside of the door but they sometimes will take up some of your cabinet space. My pot holders are on over the cabinet door hooks on the inside of the lower cabinet closest to my stove. I still periodically purge & reorganize. It's an ongoing process.

Edit, edit, edit everything in your small space and allocate only to those things that you really use. That is really the only thing that you CAN do. You can't make the space bigger, but you can reduce the number of things in the space.

Even the wall space to put hanging fixtures is still limited.

If you have kitchen thngs that you really don't want to part with, such as a turkey roaster and that glass cake plate, you would be advised to find some other closet to keep them in.

Most people don't really use all of those spices that they keep. Decide what you really do use and get rid of the rest. Many keep these things until they are way past using. I have found the dozen or so that I use on a regular basis. If something special is needed it is best to buy it a small amount at the co op and never by the bucket size of it at the dollar store.

One thing that I have found to be extremely useful is a magnetic strip from Ikea that holds knifes, measuring spoons, microplanes, and scissors. Alongside is another fixture from Ikea that is a bar with hooks where I keep steel measuring cups, carrots peelers, etc. These things are used on a very frequent basis and I have gone to the expense to purchase ones that I consider to be attractive enough to want to see on a regular basis. Some might consider this to be too much stuff to keep out. It gets used very often, it is all attractive enough, and it is extremely handy. Other than that, I do keep the countertops clear and clean.

Ikea has some good solutions to things.

It all comes down to the fact that you can only put so much stuff in any one place. What you don't want to do is to have things that are so stacked on top of each other that you disturb the pile when you want to use them. Sure, they all fit in there if stacked like that. But, what happens when you try to use them or put them away after using? You have to rearrange it everytime. That is not efficient and is not a good solution. You have not offered any real specifics about your situation other than the small space. There are limitations

I put items where they make sense to me, and I do not have anything in my kitchen that I don’t use. Everything else has been put elsewhere! Over-crowding makes it so hard to keep things tidy!

Pantry: pasta goes with sauce, crackers are together, soups and beans, breakfast foods.

You may be surprised at how many drawer dividers and things you can buy from the dollar store!

Wal-Mart has great prices on storage and clear trays.

Everything I can put into containers or trays I do and it makes it so much easier!

I have seen people put their spices in magnetized small containers and they put them on the fridge.

I have a utensil holder on counter next to stove.

I bought elevating wire racks at the dollar store so my small plates are on bottom and bowls on top, same for pantry and other misc items.

All spices are on tiered shelf, with most used up front.

All sauce packets (gravy, dip, etc) are in clear trays together.

All drinks (powdered lemonade, tea, etc.) are in a clear bin/tray.

Kuerig on buffet unit with k-cups in a glass jar next to it and coffee cups on a pretty tray.

All foil, storage bags etc. are together.

At one time I didn’t have room for my crock pot and other big items I rarely use so I put them in a bin with a lid in my closet.

My plastic storage containers; they are all stacked inside of each other and the lids are in a bin next to the containers - they stay neat this way.

All dish towels are together.

Pots and pans: they fit mostly inside of each other and I have a “lid holder” plastic container.

I only have one junk drawer and it has dividing trays. I used to have 3!

When I purged my kitchen, I laid out everything I had and realized that I did not need 6 spatulas and glassware that I never used. Same with other items.

I hope that helps with some ideas. Good luck!

pictures please

Oh my pics got all smooshed. Those are befores and kind of afters (I have continued to improve and organize and purge.

Junk drawer organization
Before and after

Label makers are awesome!

What njmomma did. Use boxes/bins on upper shelves to corral the floppy and small stuff. You won't need a stepstool to get to the back of the shelf and things won't get lost. I can catch the lip of ones high over my head and get them down safely - so long as the contents aren't fragile and/or heavy. This one is huge for me. It doubled the number of shelves I could reach without a step stool and you can pack tighter in a bin/box than on the shelf.

Hang stuff on the inside of the cabinet doors. Spice jars, measuring spoon and keys are really handy there and doesn't add to the clutter. I'm thinking about adding a paper towel holder but trying it in a box for now as I rarely need them. You'll come up with more things that can hang. Might be a good spot for a strong magnetic strip for kitchen utensils. Not sure I'd be brave enough to store knives on it though.

Store less used things elsewhere. You might even decide they can go, I got rid of nearly all my small electric appliances. Some of your pots and pans probably aren't used daily or weekly. That stack of mixing bowls, maybe you only need 2 or 3 most weeks. Baking sheets for sure. The one trashed jelly roll pan is used constantly to roast veggies but the others are seldom in use.

Get rid of the drying rack. Use a dish towel on the counter and change every couple days. More sanitary and when not in use takes up next to no room.

I thought of another tip:

We bought a shelving unit to put inside our coat closet for all of our paper goods that we buy in bulk, extra canned goods that I keep 2 or so in the kitchen and then I go to the “pantry” closet to restock, extra water bottles, extra soda, etc.

I only keep in my kitchen things that I use often...

If you do have a dishwasher, I personally would consider using it to STORE the dishes, in addition to washing them.

Even if it's only cups, plates and silverware. Put clean ones on one side, and as you dirty them, move them to the other side. Then when it's time to run the machine, just wash the clean along with the dirty.

Move them all back over, and start again.

I would also consider getting rid of the drying rack. Put a towel down, and let stuff drip onto it for only a little bit, then dry and put away (or put some stuff away damp).

That will give you visual room as well as prep room--and maybe you can have one appliance out.

for spices, I'm a fan of back-of-door spice racks.

OR, as I have them, of putting the spices in a box on the shelf that you take off. (I write the name on the side and the top of lid, since that's the part I see.)
Spices I use a lot (mustard, chili powder, etc.) go in the front row of the spices, so most days I don't have to take the whole box out.

These spice organizers work better than anything I've tried, and I've tried many for my little kitchen. They're especially good for the small Tone's spice containers (that hold about 1/2 oz) because you can fit 18 spices per individual drawer in the stacker.

YouCopia SpiceStack Drawers

Not a Pro.

Another thought....do you have space for a bench with storage somewhere? That is where you can store pots, small appliances, etc. Most likely you only use the same two pots most of the time.

Have you made any progress?

My current kitchen has less storage space than I used to have (I am also now an empty nester) so I reduced getting rid of a large blender and opting for a bullet, have one collapsible strainer, etc I also have just about eliminated processed foods from my diet which means I do not have to store allot in my cabinets, and I shop when my cabinets/fridge is bare vs as a habit - so shifting food habits can also help w storage issues.

I used to use my dish towels to set dripping dishes onto, now I use a folding drying mat. It snaps closed, and I keep it under the sink when not in use. Here’s an idea similar to one suggested above:

Roll up drying rack

This is under my sink, just for you. I bought a strong tension rod at Target, mounted it so that I can access my frequently used items: winded, gloves, etc. The bottles hang by the squeezer part. Pretty damn handy, I love it.

The best advice with organizing is to group items together according to use or however you use them most frequently. My whisks are in one of my baking drawers as are my bowls:

I have an insane number of spices but one of my areas uses a tiered spice rack:

I use rectangular bins to corral smaller item and make them easier to retrieve:

And yes, label makers are the best!

I lived in a home with minimal storage for 20 years.

You cannot keep things that you do not use

You have to separate the things you use daily/weekly from occasional use items.

You have to utilize every space well.

Many spice racks and organizers are not space efficient - they actually eat space. (Tiered spice racks leave increasingly large amounts of empty space.

I love stackable storage bins. Put all of your baking spices and small ingredients (Baking soda, powder, gelatin, colored sugars, extracts) together. When it is time to bake you can get that bin off the top shelf - use the things you need and put it back when you are done.

I use them in my pantry, in my spice cabinet, in my freezer and refrigerator.

You can list all the spices and things you have on the front of the bin so you know what is in each bin before pulling it out of the cabinet.

My niece uses a lot more spices than I do and likes to keep her spices more visible

She uses both a door rack and a magnetic rack for things she uses every day.

I stack my pots or used the drawer under the range for pots. I store pans and lids vertically.

I recently saw this Joseph Joseph organizer for flatware! I love the idea of stacking - gives you 2/3rds of a drawer back for other items.

An over the stove shelf can give you a few more inches of storage space for often used items

Under the sink is often not used efficiently either - I had one of these in my last house. It has been passed down to 3 of my nieces and nephews as they move out on their own and are trying to find storage space. The shelves adjust so the pipes can fit between the shelves.

When I go to organize a space I will buy 3 or 4 times the number of bins/organizers that I need. Then as I am organizing I test different stuff in different size bins and figure out the most efficient use of space. Then I haul the unused items back to the store.

I didn't address the drying rack, but am not sure what size/type sink you have.

There are collapsible racks and racks that fit in your sink and drying mats.

It is great to be told - just dry your dishes and put them away, but some nights after working a 14 hour day, I am struggling to eat dinner and struggling more to clean up the dishes. Just isn't going to always happen.

Do you best to hide drying dishes or my one nephew decided to go bold - never really got his dishes put away, so there were always some out on the counter.

He got this - stores his plates and bowls over the sink. Washes them and puts them away to dry.

They drip right into his sink.

Not a Pro.

I could not live with the above dish rack, but that is genius for small spaces.

with the "just dry them"--you can leave them on the dishrag.

But if most nights you can just put them away, then having the dishrack always is a little awkward. (there are folding dishracks)

I do what Jennifer Hogan does - purchase multiple packs of different organizing bins/systems from a store with a liberal return policy - works really well for any drawers anywhere in your home. Also, if the side of your fridge is available you can purchase magnets with hooks on them & hang up measuring spoons & cups, strainers, etc. For the larger items you will need hooks with bigger/ stronger magnets. For other smaller items that can't be hung there are small metal mesh bins with magnets on the back - I keep take-out menus in one & silicone container lids in another. Bag clips with magnets can also reside on your fridge - I put them on the fridge door (stainless steel but magnetic) & use them to make funny faces for the grand kids. I periodically purge & reorganize - seems to be an on-going process!

These are are handy for inside cabinets.