Without some knowledge of how to organize kitchen countertops, they may turn into a permanent dumping ground (sorry storage area!) and that is not what you want for an efficient kitchen.
Countertops are your main working areas and they need to be cleaned frequently – clutter hinders both.
Completely bare countertops may look beautiful and sleek in home magazines full of kitchen organization ideas but they are a bit impractical.
The UP, IN and OUT way
To achieve kitchen counter organization, you need to think UP (what can you hang on the walls or ceiling), IN (what can be placed in drawers or cabinets) and OUT (what can be tossed or stored elsewhere).
So what should you store on them?
Items that are used on a DAILY basis (no, not your food processor) are ideal for countertops as storing such items in cabinets and having to get them out and return them every day can turn into a headache.
So essentials that are used daily are OK to be left topside unless they are easy to access from drawers or cabinets in the right kitchen zone. For example there is no need to use a utensil holder if you have a drawer right next to the stove. If you do not have easily accessible drawers look to attractive organizing products to help you out.
Pretty utensil holders and racks are available everywhere as are eye-catching canisters for coffee and sugar and beautiful bread boxes for your daily loaf.
Magnetic or mountable organizers are the best choice as they allow convenient access to your equipment without taking up value countertop space. Think magnetic knife strips, magnetic spice racks and paper towel or cookbook holders that can be mounted on the underside of cabinets.
This one from Organize.com pulls down when you’re cooking and folds flat when you’re not.
An appliance garage is an aesthetically pleasing option for items such as your coffee maker or toaster and consider narrow shelves to house small items such as kitchen timers near your splashback.
Watch how
I’d love to hear what you do to keep your kitchen countertop clutter free. Please leave me a comment.
You might also be interested in:
How To Organize Kitchen Cabinets In 4 Easy Steps
Learn the WHY, WHEN and HOW of kitchen cabinet organization in 4 easy steps. Take 10-15 minutes to get started. Not enough cabinets? Check out our tips.
Martha Stewart Kitchen Ideas & Organizing Tips
Learn how to organize your kitchen Martha Stewart style. Some of her kitchen ideas are well known, others are over the top: here are the best of the rest!
How To Organize Recipes To Avoid Recipe Chaos
Find out the best way to organize recipes in 4 easy steps. Get organized to avoid recipe chaos and to make menu planning a cinch.
Photo credit: avidtile.
I loved your video on keeping counters uncluttered. I had to laugh at the island demo. I am planning on selling my house and am trying to get it to look as nice as I can before I put it on the market. My coffee pot, microwave and small appliances are red and everyone seems to like the way it looks against the white bead-board backsplash and taupe walls. 🙂
I recently downsized to a tiny kitchen and a beautiful bowl too large for my cabinets has become a counter catch all. Driving me crazy. Any ideas for a covered catch all? My counter space is TINY! Another family member cannot be trained to NOT use the bowl without an option. Thank you