Dish Racks Don't Have To Hog Your Counter. These Space-Saving Options Keep Things Neat

A small kitchen doesn't have to be cramped, especially with the right kitchen organization techniques. If your counter space is limited, for instance, the last thing you want is a dish rack hogging a prep area that you could use for chopping veggies. Luckily, we have several space-saving options to keep the area next to your sink neat and available when you need it. Try upgrading your traditional countertop disk rack and opt for a hanging, wall-mounted drying rack instead.

If you look at expert decluttering tips, like Martha Stewart's ideal way to organize a kitchen, you'll find that optimizing this room requires a balance of flow, space, and accessibility. Storing your dish rack on the counter right next to the sink is convenient but bulky. It can take up a lot of valuable counter space, disrupt the clean visual flow of kitchen surfaces, and may become unsanitary if lots of water accumulates on the counter under the wet dishes. On the other hand, hanging a dish-draining rack just above eye level over the sink is a space-efficient solution that's still easy to reach. Overhead draining racks reduce eye-level clutter and keep your counters neat. Plus, wet plates and bowls can breathe, drain, and dry easily above the sink where they're not fighting for counter space.

Some of the best small kitchen upgrades involve adding shelving and hanging storage where possible. While over-the-sink draining racks are widely available online and in stores like Bed Bath & Beyond, you don't necessarily have to buy a new drying rack specifically designed for hanging. If you already have a minimalist wire rack or bamboo drying tray, you can make use of idle wall space above or beside your sink by securing it to the wall. Alternatively, free up the counter by making use of knobbed storage racks in the kitchen to hang lightweight dish racks when you're not using them.

If your current dish rack is too bulky for hanging, home retailers sell organizational wall racks or taller, tiered drying racks that can preserve counter space by elevating storage. When selecting a hanging rack to drain your dishes, just make sure the material is waterproof, sturdy enough to hold your mugs and plates, and has adequate drainage capacity. Also, these space-saving kitchen adjustments don't mean you have to throw out your current dish rack. You can get the most out of an old dish rack by using it as a storage solution elsewhere, like as a cabinet or desk organizer.