As far as we're concerned, there can never be too many stories about storing stuff in the kitchen. Unlike whisks, we say the more stories the merrier! This year, we wrote about a bunch of smart hacks and tips for creating more storage space in any kitchen. Here are some of our best.

1. Use the sides of your cabinets.

With the clever installation of bars, hooks, racks, nails, and more, you can turn the sides of your cabinets into a good use of space.

Read more: The Hiding-in-Plain-Sight Storage Space You're Not Using

2. Turn your toe kicks into drawers.

To make this 225-square-foot New York City apartment more livable and homey, Courtney Duffey and her carpenter boyfriend DIY'd a bunch of smart storage options. This pull-out toe-kick drawer under the bottom cabinets is probably the most brilliant. That space is usually just wasted! And now it's a tucked-away spot for all sorts of cleaning supplies and odds and ends.

See more pics: Can You Spot the Ingenious Storage Space in This Kitchen?

3. Add storage around your doorways.

Check out that deep shelving on all three sides around the door in the photo above. The cubbies are just the right size for serving pieces, bowls, stacks of cutting boards, vases, and more. Because the doorway is part of a narrow pass-through that leads to another room, the homeowner doesn't really lose any space she'd be using otherwise, for furniture or counter space or whatever.

Read more: This Small Kitchen Features Storage in a Place You've Never Even Considered

4. Steal ideas from unexpected places.

Inspiration is all around us! You can find some great ideas from tiny houses, professional kitchens, airstreams, and more. Actually, you don't even have to because we did that work for you!

5. Use the space above your counters.

If your upper cabinets don't go all the way up to your ceiling, you can use that space — without making the room look junky.

Read more: 11 Smart Ways to Use the Space Above Your Cabinets

6. Hang what you can on your walls.

Look beyond your cabinets and shelves; any and all wall space is fair game. If you make smart use of your vertical space, you can easily squeeze everything you need in a small kitchen.

Read more: 7 Smart Ways to Get More Storage Out of Your Walls

7. Store stuff correctly.

If you store things incorrectly, you're wasting valuable space. Stop doing that.

Some major offenders: 5 Kitchen Items You're Storing the Wrong Way

8. Stash stuff next to the fridge.

Got a few inches between your fridge and your wall? You can put a step ladder there! Got more space? There are even better ideas to put it good use.

Read more: 5 Ways to Take Advantage of the Most Obvious Wasted Space in Your Kitchen

9. Fit in the stuff that you really want.

A dining table and an island are probably on your eventual wish list for your dream home, but if you get creative there's no reason you can't work either one into the small kitchen you have now.

Plus 85 Other Ideas