There's really nothing I can do is there?

This is my kitchen. I need space. I'm sick of barely having any room to do anything. 

I'll concede the deep fryer isn't always on the counter, but there isn't anywhere I can even add storage is there?

I've already replaced the dishwasher with shelves, I'm thinking maybe a small shelf announce the stove? There is 12"from top of the stove to the light/vent, and currently the back burners don't work, but that should be rectified sometime in the next year. 

I keep consolidating the cabinets but I can't really throw anything else away for from there. All my knives are already on magnets over the sink plus the hanging hooks across the top. 

I suspect the answer is "No" but figured I'd ask, you are a creative bunch after all. 

Island with storage?

Pretty much the only option would be to take the cabinets on either side of the room and rotate them into an island parallel to the existing main bank of cabinets in front of it. That would cost you some uppers, and you might have to move the cabinets around to put the fridge in the far left.  You then might be able to put in a second set of lowers back to back and go with a 4' wide island, or stick with the single row but add a 36" countertop and bar stools so maybe you can add a hutch or something where your table is now. 

If you are replacing the stove anyway,  and used to not having all the burners, maybe you can get a narrow one and gain a little space that way? Narrow stove plus the dishwasher gap is enough room in the lowers for the fridge on that back wall if you move stuff around,  and laminate countertops are pretty reasonable for that small a space.

What about a celleing rack system?

In reply to Indy-Barely Functional-Guy :

Thought about it, but there's a problem of width. The cabinets in the bottom left and right of the picture are 52"from the sink.

Between the door and the cabinet in bottom left is the fridge, the cabinets on the bottom right have an upper section, and the microwave, and are pretty full of pots and pans. 

I briefly thought of a smaller stove, but I cook to much with 2 adults and a 3 year old to be able to sacrifice anymore. The lack of functional burners is a big problem already, just haven't had the extra $500 for a new stove. 

Done broke it: I've got 7 foot ceilings and I'm 5'10". I'd kill for a ceiling rack for pots and pans, but can't have it without major house surgery. 

Ditch the hood over the stove for a microwave/hood combo to free up the current microwave's spot. Replacing the shelving with an actual actual cabinet should get you more usable space. Find space outside of the kitchen (ie: laundry area) to store the less often used items like the stand mixer.

If you have room in a storage room, garage, or basement get some stacking containers fill them with tools, utensils, cookware ect that are used least frequently. Label for the containers well so you know exactly which ones to bring to the kitchen when needed, or even better get a tool roll go into the storage area get the things you need wrap them in the roll and bring just the things you need into the kitchen. Make sure the containers are sealed it will save time not having to wash off dust before use.

More storage space or less stuff are the only options.  Can you get by with less stuff?

An island was proposed but you responded that there's not much space for one.  How about something that's on casters, so it can be moved around as required?

Yeah less stuff!

Suggest emptying out all the cabinets, put all the duplicates or items you do not need to cook a few standard meals in boxes/totes.  In 6 months when the totes have a solid 1/2" of dust on them since you sensibly got rid of all your dupes and single use tools, take the totes to Goodwill and appreciate your new skills and cleaner kitchen.  

For example, I don't even have a toaster let alone a toaster oven.  A cast iron griddle on the stovetop does just fine, is much smaller, no moving parts, cheaper, and saves valuable counter space.  

I don’t think you’ve defined the problem very well.

You said:

“This is my kitchen. I need space. I'm sick of barely having any room to do anything”. 

I would interpret that to mean what you want more than anything is counter space. 

But then you described all the crap you’ve got in the cabinets. That would mean storage space. 

I think you need to think harder about what your real needs and priorities are. Once you do, the problem will begin fixing itself. 

For example, if storage is your real need, you could tear out 3’ worth of counter space and put in a nice pantry cabinet.

More coming...

Do you need that toaster oven thing on the counter to the right if you've got a full sized oven right next to it?

Is installing a dishwasher an option? That would allow you to get rid of the dish drying rack on the counter, and you could still use it for storage when not in use.

You sir, need less stuff.

Good ideas already in this thread. Here’s a few observations (based on what you’ve said, my own opinion, and 40 years of designing and seeing what works and what does not). 

Observations:

1- I think your primary need is counter space

2- Your kitchen is not small. Most people have much less than you. 

3- You are not well organized. 

4- You have a lot of stuff. 

5- Some of it you do not need (although you think you do)

General:

1- The worst used space in almost everyone’s kitchen is the lower cabinets. There is a huge volume there, which is hard to reach. The only people I’ve ever seen who filled their lower cabinets are people who piled them high with junk they didn’t need (like 400 Tupperware containers, every small appliance ever sold on the home shopping club, or 3 complete  sets of Christmas dinnerware).  

Solution:

- Reduce

- Install slide out shelves. This will actually reduce your overall volume, but increase your usable volume, and make it very accessible and efficient.

2- Counter space.  Get the microwave off the counter. Either above the stove, or in an adjacent room (not as bad as it sounds)

3- More counter space: you've  already sacrificed your dishwasher.  If you are happy with this decision, rip out those shelves and build a more efficient work space. I would suggest a 4’ or 5’ rolling island that “parked” in the existing dishwasher hole. In the parked position, it would stick out 2 or 3 feet. This would give you more space all the time, allow you to use it as a free standing island (prep area near stove when necessary, seating space when necessary). It would also force you to clean most of it every time you parked it. 

4- More storage. Can you do a pantry closet in an adjacent space?

stuart in mn said:

More storage space or less stuff are the only options.  Can you get by with less stuff?

Less stuff may be your answer.

Temporary covers over the stove and/or sink would give you more counter work space, and force you to clean up as you go. RVs do this

In reply to SVreX :

I am essentially after counter space. Using the dining room table helps but not much. But overall my house is lacking in storage space.

It seems no matter how much E36 M3 I throw away every 6 months when I get fed up and toss everything that hasn't been used, I never gain any actual room. There really isn't anything left that isn't used on a fairly regular basis. 

This was supposed to be a 5 year house when my parents bought it 31 years ago, clearly that didn't work out, and with a growing now third generation it's not getting any better. Especially considering it was built in the 50s as a hunting cabin. 

I'll be honest, I'm mostly sleep deprived and stressed out at this point. Just kinda got mad at the kitchen last night trying to cook dinner and needing to do everything 3 times because I don't have the room to cook one big meal at the same time. 

Giving up the dishwasher cost you the counter space to the left of the sink. 

Toaster oven takes more space than a toaster. My wife gave up on both, and uses the oven. 

Why on earth would you remove the dishwasher?  A dishwasher is just a cabinet that happens to automatically clean the dirty stuff you put in it.

I suggest ditching the countertop microwave for a combined hood / MW unit.  You'll lose that little upper cabinet, but it's probably not very useful as is.

You're only showing us one wall.  I see what looks like a patio door to the left and probably a garage door to the right.  I know it's a long shot, but is there any opportunity to relocate one of those to less mission-critical real estate?

Is there a breakfast nook you could repurpose into kitchen space?  That's what I had to do.  Many houses have space for a little dining table in / near the kitchen, PLUS a separate dining area.  The nook in my case was pretty redundant, or at least less useful than extra workspace is.  We just eat all our meals in the dining area.

Did I miss something, or am I the first to suggest the VERY obvious:  Buy a bigger house.

So, gaining counter space means having a home for every single thing that is currently on the counters. 

For example, oil bottles (assuming they are used regularly) could be in a rack on the RH wall, or the backs of the cabinet doors.

Fryer and accessories all need a home- this could be in the back of a rolling island that parked in the DW space. Pull it out, and everything is ready to use. 

Paper towels don’t belong on the window sill.  Rack on the back of a door. 

Drying dishes should not overflow the dish drain. This is an operator habit change. 

Etc, etc. 

The toaster oven gets used more than the oven in the summer, because it doesn't heat up the house nearly as much. It's also a convection oven, so considerably faster. 

The dishwasher was dead space, never worked, that's why it's now shelves. To the left of the sink is an over the sink cutting board, usually lives in the sink when the sink isn't full of dishes. 

6x12 isn't a large kitchen. I've had apartments with bigger kitchens and more counter space. 

The kitchen appliances, other than the mixer, microwave, and convection oven all live in a bizarrely shaped storage nook in the dining room when not in use. With the vacuum sealer, pressure cookers, pressure canner, and Tupperware/mason jars. 

My thought for the oils was a small shelf above the stove, but they're too tall according to my tape measure. 

It’s ok to not be well organized. Own it, and design for it.

So, you can have some areas that force you to put stuff away, but also have perhaps a prep work space in a less mission critical area (other side of room?) which you allow to become less organized simply because you function well that way. 

But ONLY that space. When it’s full, clean it up. 

In reply to RevRico :

I understand, but it’s consuming your precious counter. 

Choose. 

Personally, I’d buy a dishwasher. 

In our house we call it the “dirty dish storage box”. 

Get rid of the dish drain, and instantly gain 3’ of counter.