Japanese apartments can be small, and kitchens in Japanese apartments can be much smaller than what you are used to at home. Here are some inexpensive ideas for organizing a small Japanese kitchen.
Go Vertical
Make more space by storing your plates vertically. Plastic file boxes and catch-all bins from the ¥100 shop can dramatically increase your kitchen storage space.
Make Your Own Racks
If you live in a rental, your lease will almost always say that you are not allowed to put nails, screws, or glue in and on your walls. At the same time, Japanese kitchens almost never come with even a single metal bar or rack on which you can hang a dish towel or a pot. You can get around this making a simple rack using supplies that you can find from a ¥100 shop.
Your Friend: The Hook
You can buy a wide-variety of useful hooks at ¥100 shops for organizing your apartment. One of the most versatile is the suction-cup hook which works well on tile and metal surfaces (like your fridge).
S-Hooks are also very versatile.
Don’t Forget to Use the Inside of Your Cabinet Door(s)
This next tip does require you to use sticky hooks, but you actually can use a gentle soap and water solution to clean up any marks when you move out.
Increase Your Counter Space
You may have noticed that Japanese kitchens (especially in studio apartments) do not come with a lot of counter space. You can increase your counter space a lot by buying a cutting board that fits over sink. Over-the-sink drying racks will also help you create more space. Both are available from places like Amazon.co.jp and Rakuten.
Ruthlessly Compartmentalize
In a well-organized kitchen, everything has a place. One way to do this is to give everything its own compartment, of course.
Do you have any creative ideas for organizing a small japanese kitchen? Please share them below!
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5 thoughts on "How to Organize a Small Japanese Kitchen"
Fantastic ideas!