No Counter Space? Solutions for a Clean and Clutter-Free Kitchen Sink Zone

Kitchen sink zones come in all shapes and sizes. Unfortunately, the smaller the space, the harder it is to find extra room for storage. Throw in the fact that you’ve barely got any countertop space, and keeping things clean and organized around your sink can really start to get tricky.

Luckily, all it takes is some effort and imagination to transform a cramped kitchen area into a streamlined display. Never mind that you’ve got little more than a big sink and a couple of feet of countertops to work with, we promise there’s still plenty of storage potential. Read ahead for nine space-savvy ways to keep your kitchen sink zone stylish and organized.

Don’t stress if you’ve run out of room to store stuff on your counters horizontally, it just means it’s time to think vertically! Sturdy over-the-sink shelves are great for organizing all kinds of kitchen miscellany—think: spices, soaps, mugs, and even succulents—and can squeeze just about anywhere along your countertops (not just above your sink).

Forget that you barely have any countertop space, a kitchen sink utility rack helps create much-needed storage inside your sink. Not only are they expandable and removable, these sleek organizers can hold everything from dish cloths to dirty utensils—without taking up an inch of your countertops.

Who knew something as simple as a candlestick and a cake pan could turn into such a stylish (and storage-savvy) sink display? Clearly Jenna over at Rain on a Tin Roof, who not only built her own sink organizer for about three bucks, she spray painted it yellow to match her curtains.

Seems that even if you’ve run out of cabinet space to store your kitchen stuff, you can just as easily use the exteriors for storage. With not much more than a hanging rack and hooks, you can turn the sides of your cabinetry into tons of extra storage room.

Another way to stay clutter-free around your sink is to organize your trusty dish cleaning supplies. Rubber sink caddies (like this $10 on Amazon) free up loads of sink space since they hold everything from hand soap to scrubbers. Plus, your sponges and brushes will likely last longer thanks to the organizer’s drain holes and easy-to-clean plastic material.

If your kitchen layout doesn’t allow for cabinet side storage, don’t forget that you can hang a storage organizer just about anywhere near your sink. For example, hanging plant holders come complete with storage bins (with drain holes, no less) for sorting cooking and cleaning accessories, and don’t take up any countertop space. Or try out IKEA’s FINTORP hanging storage, like the photo above, to corral by-the-sink necessities.

Who cares whether or not your cabinets are full? Take a tip from Command and stick a few heavy-duty adhesive hooks on the inside of your cabinet doors and voila: you’ve all sorts of storage room for hanging up kitchen accessories and cleaning supplies.

In-sink suction organizers are a great way to forge more storage room while keeping your daily cleaning supplies—i.e. scrubbers, sponges, and brushes—in check. Along with being easy to clean and move, they can stick just about anywhere around your sink.

Along with looking super stylish, wide (but shallow) decorative trays are awesome for holding random kitchen accessories and small storage containers (just check out how efficient it is in the photo above from Hi Sugarplum). Translation: you can maximize your countertop space and move the tray around your kitchen with ease.