If you cook regularly, then your kitchen stays busier than some of the other rooms in your home. Many homes around the world have small kitchen and dining areas, making maneuvering a creative venture. You learn how to make the space work when cooking or eating.

As a home chef, it can be especially challenging when you need to do several things at once. When you need to chop, boil, bake, and melt, then counter space is at a premium. You’re a master at fancy microwave fare and fresh food alike, so multitasking is a must. Doing things one at a time just won’t cut it.

For those of you who have smaller spaces to work with and wish you had an island or extra counter space, you can rig it up yourself. This video from One Pot Chef includes a couple of ideas for expanding your prep and cook space in the kitchen. Make it work!

To create a makeshift counter, pull out a kitchen drawer. Place a chopping board on top of it to use for lightweight cutting and chopping. The board can also serve as a tiny countertop in itself, allowing you to mix and stir small batches of food. In addition to cutting boards, you can also place baking sheets on top of drawers when you are baking cookies or need to throw some fries and nuggets into the oven.

Some folks choose to convert one of their kitchen drawers into pull-out counters, allowing extra space for a work area. Others purchase a long wooden cutting board that can fit across their sinks. Get inspired!

If you have a busy family, you know what it’s like to have to fix more than one lunch or plate of food, especially for the kiddos. Who really likes to wait their turn? When it comes to heating up dishes of food in the microwave, there’s often only enough room for one. One Pot Chef’s trick? It’s absolutely genius, and utterly easy to do. Be sure to watch the video below to see what it is; it’s one of those tricks that’s better explained in actions than in words!

Even if you’re not the owner of a tiny home, you still might have a tiny kitchen with unique space issues. Ideally you want to be able to prepare and cook whatever you want, including large meals. If you’re not in a position to renovate, it’s necessary to use hacks like these to adjust your space.

Do you have any special tricks that you use in a kitchen with limited counter or storage space? How do you make the famous kitchen “work triangle” work for you? Share in the comments!