Small Indian Kitchen Organization: Complete Makeover Tour
A small, messy Indian kitchen can be fully reorganized using only transparent lidded boxes, measured baskets and items already at home — no new purchases and no drilling required.
This post walks through a complete kitchen makeover: what was moved out, what was added back in, and how every counter, cabinet and rack was reset to free up working space for daily cooking.
How do I free up counter space in a small kitchen?
The single biggest gain came from moving the OTG out of the kitchen. With cake orders paused, the OTG was barely being used, so it was shifted to a spare space outside the kitchen. That freed a full counter, which was then reset with:
- A small organizer holding biscuit boxes and the atta dabba
- Chopping boards tucked into the corner
- The microwave on a stand, with a couple of small organizers around it
- An air fryer on a wall-attached shelf that was fitted when the kitchen was originally built
The rule: a counter exists for cooking, not for parking appliances you rarely use.
What is the right way to declutter a kitchen rack?
The wooden rack was emptied completely before any reorganizing. This step matters — clutter rebuilds when you rearrange without auditing.
- Pull every single item off the rack.
- Wipe down the rack itself; open wood racks collect dust even with regular dusting.
- Sort items into three piles: keep, wash, throw.
- Check expiry dates on anything edible — small jars of stale snacks and old packets tend to hide at the back.
- Wash containers that need it; wipe lids of the rest.
- Repack only what you actually use, grouped by purpose.
With the rack reset, daily-use tiffin boxes went on the top shelf so they’re easy to grab once school reopens.
Why are transparent lidded boxes the best storage for an Indian kitchen?
Transparent boxes with proper lids do three things at once:
- Keep contents visible — no need to open every box to find a mixer attachment or a spare bottle.
- Block dust completely — stored items stay clean for years.
- Stay clean themselves — only the outer lid needs a wipe during dusting.
In this kitchen, transparent boxes were used to store kitchen towels, empty bottles that tend to pile up, small appliances and mixer-jar attachments. Nothing inside spoils, and nothing outside collects grease.
How do I pick baskets that actually fit?
Measure first. Every time.
The wooden rack baskets in this kitchen cost ₹50 each from a local shop and fit the rack perfectly because the rack measurements were taken before purchase. Inside the baskets: bottles of dry fruits and small snacking items like biscuits, kept at a height a child can reach independently.
Organizers bought without measurement almost always end up unused — too tall to fit under a shelf, too wide for the cabinet, or so small they leave dead space. A two-minute measurement saves the cost of the whole organizer.
How do I organize a cabinet that keeps overflowing?
The heavy cabinet that once collapsed was moved out of the kitchen entirely and placed near the fridge in the adjacent space. Inside, the reset used:
- Tiered racks that double the usable height of each shelf.
- Baskets to group similar items so nothing gets lost at the back.
- Transparent boxes for empty bottles and spare containers that were earlier scattered loose.
Utilizing both the upper and lower air-space inside a cabinet — not just the shelf surface — is what makes a small cabinet hold a surprising amount.
How can I decorate a kitchen wall without painting?
After removing a broken shelf, the wall was left with holes and no paint on hand. The fix: existing decorative items already at home were stuck over the damaged patches. The holes are hidden, the kitchen gets a small visual lift, and zero rupees were spent.
A spare wooden tray that didn’t have a clear use yet was placed on top of the rack as temporary storage until a permanent spot is decided. Not everything needs to be solved on day one.
How is the rest of the kitchen laid out?
- Right of the entrance: counter with microwave on a stand, small organizers, and the air fryer on its wall shelf above.
- Left of the entrance: wall-fixed cabinet for grocery items — only cleaned, not rearranged, since the existing layout already worked.
- Main cooking counter: one extra organizer added (brought in from outside the kitchen), and the older organizer shifted to the side wall to hold masala jars.
- Spice wall: narrow racks holding all masala containers within arm’s reach of the stove.
- Sink area: a small overhead shelf with a box for extra dish soap and brushes.
Everything used was already in the house. The makeover was a redistribution, not a shopping trip.
What’s the one habit that keeps a small kitchen organized?
Leave empty space on the cooking counter. Cooking needs room — for a parat, for a hot kadhai, for ingredients lined up before a tadka. If the counter is full of decor and appliances, every cooking session starts with five minutes of clearing. Keep the counter intentionally light and the kitchen feels twice its actual size.
📺 About this video. This post draws on Jasmine Choudhari’s YouTube video Extreme Kitchen Organization | Kitchen Tour | How I Organized My Small MESSY Kitchen. Watch the full video for visual demonstrations of every tip.
Watch the video
Frequently asked questions
How can I create more counter space in a small Indian kitchen?
Move large rarely-used appliances like the OTG, microwave or extra cabinets out of the kitchen if you have space elsewhere in the home. In this makeover, shifting the OTG outside the kitchen freed an entire counter, which was then re-used for a small organizer holding biscuit boxes, the *atta* *dabba* and chopping boards in the corner. The principle is simple: a counter is for cooking, not for storing appliances you barely use.
Why should I store kitchen items in transparent boxes with lids?
Transparent boxes with lids keep contents visible while protecting them from dust, so stored items don't spoil and the boxes themselves stay clean for years. You only have to wipe the lid during regular dusting. They are ideal for spare bottles, empty containers, mixer-jar attachments and small kitchen appliances that you don't use daily but want to keep accessible.
How do I choose baskets and organizers that actually fit my kitchen?
Always measure the rack or cabinet space before buying any basket or organizer. In this kitchen, baskets bought from a local shop for ₹50 each fit the wooden rack perfectly because the rack was measured first. Organizers bought without measurement usually go to waste — they're either too tall, too wide, or leave awkward gaps that defeat the purpose.
What should I keep on the top rack of a kitchen shelf?
Keep items that are used daily but need to stay clean and out of the way, like *tiffin* boxes once school reopens. Daily-use items at the top mean you reach for them without digging, while heavier or rarely-used items go lower. Group similar items together — all tiffins in one zone, all dry-fruit jars in baskets in another zone.
Can I organize my kitchen without buying anything new?
Yes — this entire makeover used only items already at home. An organizer that was sitting unused outside the kitchen was brought in for the main counter, decorative items already owned were stuck on the wall to hide damaged spots, and existing transparent boxes were redeployed for new uses. Shop your own home before shopping the market.
How do I hide holes or damaged patches on a kitchen wall without painting?
Stick small decorative items over the damaged area so the wall looks intentional, not patched. After removing a broken shelf, the leftover holes were covered using decor pieces already at home — this hid the damage and added a small visual lift to the kitchen at zero cost. It's a quick fix when paint or repair work isn't immediately possible.
Why is it important to fully empty a rack before reorganizing it?
Emptying the rack completely lets you spot expired items, duplicates and things you've stopped using — clutter you'd otherwise reorganize without questioning. Wipe each container, throw out what's expired, wash what needs washing, and only then put things back. This converts a routine cleaning into a real declutter and stops the same mess from rebuilding within weeks.
How often should I clean an open wooden kitchen rack?
Wipe open wooden racks during regular dusting so dust doesn't accumulate, and do a full empty-and-clean session every few months. Open racks collect more dust than closed cabinets, so light maintenance between deep cleans is essential. Storing items inside lidded transparent boxes on the rack also reduces how often the contents themselves need cleaning.
About Jasmine Choudhari
Jasmine Choudhari shares practical, no-frills ideas for organising small Indian kitchens and homes. Follow her on YouTube (600K+ subscribers · Silver Play Button), Instagram and Facebook. For collaborations: collab@jasminechoudhari.com.