Swap shelves for deep drawers
A deep drawer brings the back of the cabinet to you; a shelf hides it. Two deep drawers under the hob hold the pans a base shelf would bury, and they open without moving everything in front. In the example, drawers carry the main storage load while shelf units fill only the widths drawers cannot use.
Use the narrow gaps on purpose
The 20–30 cm leftovers beside a hob or fridge fit a spice pull-out or waste sorting unit instead of a dead filler. They only earn their place with an unobstructed opening path, so check the swing of the neighbouring fridge door before committing. One well-placed pull-out beats a run of shallow shelves you cannot reach into.
Go tall before you go wide
A single tall unit or pull-out pantry stores more per floor centimetre than any base cabinet, and one wall cabinet over the sink run adds a shelf without crowding the worktop. Keep the heaviest items between knee and shoulder height, and check the elevation so wall units clear both the worktop and the person standing at it.
Questions before you start
What is the single best storage upgrade?
For most small kitchens, replacing one shelved base cabinet with deep drawers. It changes daily access more than adding another small unit.
Should I add more wall cabinets?
Only where they do not block light or headroom. One run over the sink is usually enough; compare an open shelf in the editor if the room feels closed in.
