We’re not all blessed with a massive kitchen, and yet, everyone needs to eat. If you’re feeling pressed for space in the kitchen of your small home or apartment, what’s to be done? Though it might seem like an impossible task at first, there are quite a few ways to make cooking in a less-than-large kitchen easier. Here’s what to know about cooking in a small kitchen.

Create Some Extra Counter Space

When cooking in a small kitchen, one of the first obstacles you’ll need to overcome is the lamentable lack of counter space. Having tiny counters, or even no counters, does make it harder to prep meals. If you find yourself feeling a little cramped during meal prep, try adding some extra counter space. If you have the floor space, try adding a little rolling cart or table in the corner of the room. You can also place a cutting board over your burner or sink as a makeshift counter. If neither of these options suffices, try prepping food in another room, like the dining room.

Reuse Tools and Clean As You Go

As you cook, pots, pans, and other cooking utensils tend to pile up. But in a small kitchen, there’s no room for them to accumulate! To avoid the buildup of dirty dishes, reuse tools when possible—cut things with the same knife or use the same utensils to stir and serve the food. It’s also helpful to clean dishes as you go—that way, you’ll have more space in your sink as you clean each item, and you won’t have to deal with a teetering pile of dishes in your sink once you’ve finished your meal prep.

Use a Ductless Range Hood

In a tiny kitchen, you probably don’t have much room to add in an entire duct system. However, if you plan to use your stove at all, a range hood is a necessity. A ductless range hood is easy to install and won’t take up as much space as a ducted version—try installing one of these if your kitchen is lacking a range hood fan.

And there you have it—that's what to know about cooking in a small kitchen. These tips will be invaluable to you if you’re always longing for more cooking space, and they may even come in handy if you’re ever preparing a big meal in a larger kitchen.