Today we’re wrapping up with our final 5 on our list of Top 15 Things Every Small Kitchen Must Have.

*sniff*

Okay, I’m done…

You’ve waited long enough, so let’s get right to ’em!

10.  Your most-used items all within arms’ reach.  This includes your spices, oils, and go-to utensils that you find yourself using all the time.  ‘Cause, let’s face it, you don’t want to be digging through a cluttered drawer in the middle of flipping pancakes.

11.  A cook that cleans and “puts away” as they go.  Almost as huge as Tyler Florence‘s clean counter space concept (see Part II).  When Niko and I were real little, my mom would put on an Ernie and Bert album so we could “pick it up and put it away, put it away, put it away”.

Don’t make your small kitchen seem smaller, ’cause it will with all those used bowls, spoons, and ingredients lying around.  When you’re done with it, do like Ernie and Bert — pick it up and put it away.

12.  A few sharp cooking knives.  I fantasize about being able to afford a few, great cooking knives.  But ’til then, I make sure that the inexpensive ones I’ve got are sharp, sharp, sharp.  You can tell a lot about a cook by how sharp their knives are — i.e. the sharper the knife, the more legit the cook behind it.

Most importantly, keep ’em sharp and you’ll not only diminish the possibility of accidentally chopping your fingers off by, like, a million percent, but will be a whole lot happier in return.  And in-kitchen happiness is where it’s at!

13.  Good cookware.  ‘Cause next to your knives and stove, your cookware helps you make it all happen.  It’s okay if you can only afford what you can afford now, but start saving for the good stuff, buy them one piece at a time — and just like a great cutting board — they’ll help you rock it in the kitchen for a lifetime.

14.  An adventurous cook willing to go for it, experiment, and not be afraid to make mistakes.  The late, very great Julia Child  — whose 100th birthday would have been today (Happy Birthday, Julia!) — couldn’t have put it any better:

…try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless, and above all have fun!

If you’re still not convinced, Ms. J also said:

Always remember: If you’re alone in the kitchen and you drop the lamb, you can always just pick it up.  Who’s going to know?

Laughing yet?  Good!  ‘Cause Julia knew a thing or two about cooking.  So do like Julia, and you’ll find yourself not only becoming a better cook, but a much happier one indeed.

15.  Acceptance and learning to love the small space and stuff you’ve got.  This can be a hard one, especially when you’re having to perch mixing bowls on top of cookbooks stacked on top of microwaves. Or wishing you had that Wusthof chef’s knife but can only afford that cheap one from Target.

But only when you can accept and love what you’ve got is when the real cooking — and living — can begin.

And if you implement these 15 must-have tips I’ve shared with you, being able to do so will be a whole lot easier.

What are your small kitchen must haves?

Let’s share and discuss!

Related articles

• Top 15 Things Every Small Kitchen Must Have: Part I (smallkitchenchronicles.com)
• Top 15 Things Every Small Kitchen Must Have: Part II (smallkitchenchronicles.com)
• How to Tell If Your Knives Are Sharp Enough [Video] (lifehacker.com)