Create More Space in a Small Indian Kitchen: 6 Practical Hacks
Solving the small, everyday storage problems in a kitchen is what makes a small Indian kitchen feel spacious and a homemaker’s work genuinely easier.
These hacks focus on hanging storage, reusing what you already own, and keeping daily-use items within reach — without damaging your walls or spending much money.
How do I store multiple hand towels in a small kitchen?
Most kitchens run at least three cloths at once: one for wiping utensils, one for hands, and a spare for when the utensil towel gets too wet. Hunting for a dry cloth mid-cooking wastes time, so keep them all hanging in one place, in front of you.
A self-adhesive towel organizer solves this. It holds four to five towels, sticks to tiles or walls, and needs no drilling or nails — so your wall stays undamaged and you can mount it anywhere. Towels hung this way catch the air and dry within the day.
How do I install a no-drill towel organizer correctly?
The common mistake is sticking the adhesive to the wall first and then attaching the holder, which shifts everything out of line. Do it in this order instead:
- Attach the two adhesive stickers to the holder first, so the holder sits completely straight and not crooked.
- Press the sticky holder firmly onto your wall or tiles, wherever you want it.
- Fix the small rods that come with it — these are where the towels hang.
The holders can face left or right to suit your kitchen, and if you’re hanging non-towel items you can open a holder in the opposite direction to keep them separate. Beyond towels, hang any small kitchen item that’s otherwise lying around with no fixed spot. This organizer costs between ₹200 and ₹250.
How can I use cabinet doors and shelves for extra storage?
When there’s no counter or shelf space left for daily-use items, use your doors. Door organizers hang on the inside or outside of cabinet doors and barely take up any space. The same organizer can also be fixed under an open shelf as an under-shelf organizer.
They’re sturdy enough that nothing falls out, and a set of two costs ₹199 with two colour options — black and white — so you can match your kitchen. They work in other rooms too.
Why should I avoid keeping duplicate items?
Because a small kitchen has little space, avoid keeping duplicate items. If you already own something, there’s no need to buy the same thing again. Skipping duplicates saves space and stops unnecessary things from accumulating.
How do I make a masala box at home without buying one?
Washing your spice box raises an awkward question: where do the spices go while it dries, since you can’t refill it immediately? The fix is a DIY masaledani you can assemble from things you already have.
Take any normal plastic box — or a steel container, since most of us have plenty — and stand small use-and-throw cups or glasses inside it, one per spice. Add a wooden spoon and your spice box is ready. When the paper cups look worn after a few months, throw them away and replace them. This works whether you’re covering for a drying spice box or simply don’t own one.
How do I reuse handwash and shampoo bottles as storage?
We buy many containers to store liquid handwash, but the printed sticker labels stop them from looking clean. Removing them is easy:
- Wet the sticker thoroughly.
- Lift a little of it from the side.
- Peel slowly while pouring water over it — it comes off completely and cleanly, with no stickiness left behind.
Once the label is gone, the transparent bottle looks store-bought and can hold dishwashing liquid, handwash, or any liquid you want. Shampoo and liquid-soap bottles work the same way.
One more habit: every time you use a pump or squeeze bottle, wipe the nozzle with one finger. This clears the leftover product so it doesn’t dry and harden, keeps the bottle looking neat, and makes it easy to dispense next time.
Where should I keep important documents and keys?
Important papers — passport-size photos, passport, bank cheque books, passbooks — are often needed suddenly, and that’s exactly when they go missing. Store them together in a narrow, slightly flat box that fits easily in your wardrobe. Even though the box is transparent, add a tag on top labelling the contents so you can grab the right one without wasting time.
Keys deserve the same logic. Keeping every key on a single chain means fetching the whole bunch from another room just to open one lock. Instead, mount a small adhesive hook behind each door — a balcony door, for example — and hang that door’s key there. The key stays where you need it, and you never run to another room.
📺 About this video. This post draws on Jasmine Choudhari’s YouTube video CREATE MORE SPACE IN SMALL INDIAN KITCHEN. Watch the full video for visual demonstrations of every tip.
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Frequently asked questions
How can I store hand towels in a small Indian kitchen without drilling holes?
Use a self-adhesive towel organizer that sticks to tiles or walls with no drilling or nails, so your wall stays undamaged. It can hold four to five towels, and the adhesive holder is strong enough to bear the weight of hand towels and small dusting cloths. Stick the adhesive holder first so it sits perfectly straight, press it firmly onto the tile, then fix the small rods for hanging.
Why should I avoid keeping duplicate items in a small kitchen?
Duplicate items waste the limited space a small kitchen has and let unnecessary things pile up. If you already own something, there is no need to buy the same item again, since keeping only what you use frees up shelf and cabinet space and stops clutter from accumulating.
How do I make a DIY masala box at home without buying one?
Take any plastic or steel container you already have, place use-and-throw cups or small glasses inside it for each spice, and add a wooden spoon. Your homemade masala box is ready. This is also handy on days you wash your regular spice box, since you can transfer the spices into it while the original dries.
How can I use cabinet doors for extra kitchen storage?
Hang a door organizer on the inside or outside of your cabinet doors to store daily-use items without taking up shelf space. These organizers are sturdy so nothing falls out, and the same type can be fixed under an open shelf as an under-shelf organizer. A set of two costs around ₹199 and comes in black and white.
How do I remove sticker labels from handwash and shampoo bottles to reuse them?
Wet the sticker thoroughly, lift a little from the side, then peel it slowly while pouring water over it so it comes off cleanly with no stickiness. Once the label is gone, the transparent container looks store-bought and can hold dishwashing liquid, handwash, or any liquid you like.
Where should I keep keys so I don't have to fetch the whole bunch every time?
Hang each door's key on a small adhesive hook behind that door instead of keeping every key on one chain. That way a balcony or bedroom door key is right where you need it, and you never have to run to another room to bring the entire bunch.
How should I store important documents like the passport and passbook?
Keep passport-size photos, passport, bank cheque books, and passbooks together in a narrow, flat box that fits easily in your wardrobe. Add a tag on top labelling what's inside, even though the box is transparent, so these suddenly-needed documents are always organized and quick to find.
How do I keep shampoo and handwash bottles from getting sticky and dry?
Every time you use a pump or squeeze bottle, wipe the nozzle with one finger to clear the leftover soap or shampoo. This stops the residue from drying and hardening, keeps the bottle looking clean, and makes the product easy to dispense next time.
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, Facebook and Pinterest. For collaborations: collab@jasminechoudhari.com.