Break out the toolbox! The great thing about owning your place is that you can put holes in the walls, reconfigure the cabinets, and totally customize every square inch to your needs — even if you don't actually have a lot of space to work with or a giant renovation budget.

Here are a few fun ways to create storage in a small kitchen you own.

1. Turn a sink panel into a sponge drawer.

Often in older homes (read: ones without apron-front sinks) there's a panel in front of the sink that's purely decorative. There's no drawer behind it because the sink takes up too much space back there. But it's just the right amount of space to fit a handy flip-out sponge drawer.

2. Install all the shelves.

Finally, you can put a ton of screws in the wall without having to worry about your security deposit! Adding shelves (and magnetic knife racks!) along empty walls will add more storage than you'll even imagine.

3. Build between the studs.

Ready to open up a wall? Those few inches between the studs could be just enough to get you a little extra pantry space. Julie, from Live from Julie's House, added hanging doors, which means she doesn't even need clearance space to swing them open!

4. Turn your toe kicks into drawers.

Did you know that the bottom few inches of your cabinets are totally empty? They're the perfect spot for linens, cookie sheets, or cutting boards. Or as blogger Joni Lay found, art supplies to keep little ones occupied while you make dinner.

5. Install an appliance garage.

Maybe you don't want to pull your coffee maker out of a cabinet every morning — but you also don't want to look at it all day every day? To cut down on countertop clutter, consider an appliance garage, like this one from Design Dazzle. It creates the perfect hiding spot for small electrics when you're not using them.

6. Add a pull-out chopping block.

Short on usable counter space? Install a cutting board underneath your counter (where a drawer would usually go) and you've got more room to work. You can get a builder to make you a custom option — like this one, featured on Houzz — or look for a kit (here's one!) at a hardware store.

7. Put cubbies anywhere you can.

If you happen to find yourself with a little bit of space between your fridge and your wall, steal this idea from Studio Dearborn and add little cubbies to hold wine bottles turned on their sides.

8. Invest in cabinet organizers.

While you might not want to spend the money on cabinet organizers for a rental, it's totally worth it on a place you own. You can find all sorts of options (for regular cabinets and corner cabinets) at places like Amazon or Wayfair. This one, featured on Joni Lay, is from Home Depot.

Do you own your home? How have you created storage in your kitchen in ways renters might not be able to?