could you cope with a tiny kitchen - one so small that you have to keep your freezer in the shed?

[missscarlett]

We have to move because our landlord has decided to increase our rent. We currently live in a nice 3-bed semi which is quite big, decorated in a modern way and has a nice big kitchen with a dishwasher. We've decided to downsize to try and save some money up to put towards eventually buying our own house. Rents are pretty high where we live but we want to keep the children in the school they're at.
On our budget, we're mainly looking at two bedroom flats, usually in blocks and without gardens. I've been holding out for a ground floor one with a little garden, but most round here are entry-phone-system yuppie type flats with no outside space.
Last week we were shown a two bedroom house which was within our budget - actually about £100 per month cheaper than any other place we've seen. The only drawbacks are it's decorated in a very green carpet swirly wallpaper kind of way (not a problem really), there's not a lot of parking space and the kitchen is really tiny - three cupboards and not enough room for the freezer - you can stand still and touch every wall.
We have to let the agents know by tomorrow. Would you go for the house, a yuppie type flat or hold out for something else to come along?

My kitchen is 5 single units long by three single units wide, its do-able, in fact I love it. (this is just how wide it is, not how many units I have. I have a double unit on one side with the sink in the top, and the dishwasher beside it and then a door to the back porch; on the other side, I have a single unit, my oven a double unit and then the fridge)
I keep my freezer and microwave in the shed, so I have plenty of work top space, actually the only thing on my work top is the kettle. We are a family of four, my kids are 10 and 14.

already do. like some have already said,it's easy if you have to.

I just cooked a full roast dinner in it, I was dishing up the veg, I normally put the plates on the cooker top whilst I am dishing up, as dh is left handed and he cuts up the meat - so its only then we have problems as we can elbow each other.

Oh, (sorry I keep adding) before we had a new kitchen, we had a pantry and fridge freezer in the kitchen, so while I had a pantry to store food in, the only work top space was a single space above the washing machine (which is also now in the shed)
For 5 years dh said our kitchen was fine, then, I had pneumonia really badly and was in hospital for 2 weeks, so he had to cook in our one single work topped kitchen, strangely he insisited we saved for a new kitchen after that

My kitchen dimensions are 3 units by 3 units.
Only 1 person can fit in at a time which is not ideal. We have a microwave, washing machine and a freezer in another room and a storage cupboard in an adjoining room.

It is not ideal and entertaining is a problem - the good thing is it is quick and easy to clean - the floor is only 3ft square so you can wipe it by hand!

On a day to day basis it is fine but it is limiting if you often cook for large numbers.

The bad parking would bother me far more than the kitchen size - and I expect that your "small" kitchen is probably twice the floor area of mine!

Will you spend the £100 a month saving in Ikea though ?
I'd go for 6 months of pain especially if it'll be summer and take the cheapest option.
Or have you thought about telling your landlord you are not accepting the rent increase, I'm sure with rental voids eating a hole in his pocket he'd want to keep good tenants happy ?

With a tiny kitchen you never buy kitchen gadgets as there is nowhere to store them so IKEA shopping for the kitchen will be impossible!

We have a small kitchen - and a family of 4 like you. We have a small fridge and tiny freezer compartment. When we initially moved in I found it hard but we won't be moving and it does not bother me now. You just pare down what to keep in it. Hardest bit is finding places to 'dish up' safely when tiny work surface is covered in hot pans etc and you are trying to sort out plates at the same time. Christmas always hard but then is it ever easy for anyone?(except Nigella and her huge mansion basement kitchen)

We have tiny kitchen; same as frecklyspeckly is all fine until trying to dish up roasts etc that have lots of different bits. So cook mainly one/two pot meals most nights! Have sideboard in backroom as keeping surface if nec'y, also holds the microwave and overflow food cupboard. Fridge/freezer in this room, w/machine in bathroom. Learn to be v tidy but v quick to clean as well.

Our Freezer only works in the summer months in the garage

I lived in a house for over 10 years with a kitchen that was about 1.5 metres long by 90cm wide and you could touch the ceiling. We had a long worksurface that was 40cm deep and hung everything on the walls - pans, cheese graters, a shelf for herbs and spices. We had no cupboards to speak of just cubby holes under the worksurface for storing dry foods and tins and stacks of bowls and a cutlery tray. The plates and glasses were kept in their drying rack on the wall over the sink. There was a tiny 2 ring gas cooker and a sink. The fridge was on the landing right next to the kitchen, which had no door anyway so you could lean out and get things out the fridge failry easily.
We cooked a lot in that kitchen. The key was to keep the worksurface clear and the washing up done.

No no no and no. I had a tiny 30 year old galley kitchen in this house for nearly 2 years and it was absolutely impossible to work in. It nearly drove me demented. It would be the deal breaker for me I am afraid.

I would go for the house and save like mad for a desposit to buy. I am surprised that rents have gone up in our area, when in most parts of the country rents have tumbled.