The kitchen is expected to hold plenty of items. From cookbooks to cutlery, everything needs its own special place. Even more inconveniently, you really need almost all of your kitchen items to be within easy grabbing distance instead of stuck right at the bottom of a drawer. Finding enough storage space can seem like an uphill battle in any kitchen, but it can be a real nightmare when you're dealing with a smaller kitchen.

Here are just five easy ways to make more storage space in a smaller kitchen.

1. Shelves within Shelves

If you want to quickly and cheaply create a little more storage space, start with the storage space you already have. Take a look at your shelves, both the exposed ones and those inside your cabinets. Is all of the space being utilized? If not, consider buying some organisers and putting them inside. This will provide shelves within your shelves, so you can stack more smaller items and use every last inch of vertical space.

2. Storage Along the Ceiling

Next, look up. Is there anywhere along the room where you could hang pots and pans from the ceiling? This won't work in every kitchen, but it might be that you have space above a central island or above a large cooker where you can hang such items. Try installing some simple racks so you can move the storage of those large but relatively light pieces of cookware from shelves and drawers up to the ceiling.

3. Storage with Magnets

Even wall space tends to be at a premium in smaller kitchens; most of it will usually be consumed by cabinets. However, you should be able to find some wall space big enough to at least take a smaller magnetic board. These can be used to store your knives when you're not using them, freeing up a little more space.

4. Customized Cabinets

If you're planning a more extensive kitchen remodel, there's never been a better time to invest in custom cabinets. Yes, they cost more than off-the-shelf cabinets, but going custom means that every bit of space in your kitchen will be utilized, and you can get personal by adding special nooks for your appliances.

5. Back of Door to Store

Even the doors to cabinets can be made a little more storage-friendly. If the cabinet doesn't contain any shelves, which is often the case in lower cabinets, fit some handy holders on the inside of each door. These can be great for slipping in cookbooks and other such items.