If you struggle to keep your kitchen countertops clear, you are certainly not alone. Flat surfaces just beg you to leave stuff on them. And, the kitchen being the most frequently used room in the house means that clutter will build up there fast.
Using your kitchen for multiple purposes only adds to the possibility of clutter piling up. In your home, it may be the place to do homework, pay bills, make craft projects and more. If this room is near the main entrance, it will probably also be a dumping ground for school gear, paper clutter etc.
Having clutter-free kitchen counters is possible, though. You just need to follow these simple steps to declutter your countertops.
Types of Kitchen Counter Clutter
There are three types of clutter that you’ll probably find in your kitchen and they are:
1. Clutter that doesn’t belong in the kitchen
Remember when I said your kitchen might be a dumping ground for things you put there as you move through the house? This kind of clutter is usually pretty easy to spot. There will be things like tools from recent repair jobs, school books, sports gear, etc.
Simply grab an empty box or basket, gather these items and put them where they should be. Discard any trash while you’re at it.
2. Paper clutter
Ah, paper clutter. The evil nemesis for all who want a clutter-free home. No matter how hard you try, you just can’t seem to be fully rid of this particular villain. Bills, school documents, receipts, restaurant menus and coupons will be the major culprits here.
Use the same empty box or basket from the previous step and put all of your papers in there. Sort through the pile, file what you need to, shred and discard the rest.
3. Clutter that belongs in the kitchen but not on your counters
You should now be left with stuff that actually belongs in your kitchen. It just needs to be stored somewhere other than on your countertops. This may be small appliances, kitchen utensils and food items.
Now is the time to ask yourself a few questions:
- How often do you reach for those items?
- Where else can you store them? Do you prefer them in plain sight or tucked away in a drawer or cupboard?
- How easy would it be to access these items in the new locations you have in mind?
If you don’t mind a few items left out on your kitchen counters, figure out which ones you use daily or very frequently and find a place to store the rest. This will help you to decide what to put on the kitchen counters.
If you prefer more of a minimalist look for your countertops, try some of these clever kitchen storage solutions.
Declutter Kitchen Countertops & Keep Them Clear
Now, that your kitchen counters are clutter-free, it’s time to figure out how to keep them that way. This is where you need to analyze your habits and work on changing any bad ones.
How do you use the Kitchen?
Do you use your kitchen for multiple activities outside of cooking? Maybe it’s your bill paying center or the place you love to create craft projects. This means you’ll want to keep the supplies you need to complete these tasks in the room.
Create storage Space
Carve out storage space to keep the things you need for these additional activities. While you’re doing this, feel free to declutter the supplies as well. (No sense storing items you don’t actually use!)
Maybe, you can dedicate a cupboard or drawer to all of your craft supplies. Attach file organizers to the wall so you can sort paperwork and keep it off the counters.
It’s crucial that you have a home for everything. Otherwise, you’ll end throwing things everywhere. If you need tips to maximize space in a tiny kitchen, click here.
Clean Up After Yourself
After you complete any task, whether it is cooking-related or otherwise, clean up after yourself immediately. This goes a long way to maintaining an organized kitchen with ease.
At the end of the day, take a few minutes to declutter your kitchen counters. Get rid of any items that don’t belong in that room and put things back neatly.
Analyze Your Habits
Decluttering your kitchen countertops should give you a bit of insight about your habits. If you find a lot of items that you dropped there as you enter the house, then you’ll need to create a specific storage area near to the entrance for these things. A simple combination of a few hooks and a small cupboard may be just what you need to corral this clutter.
Does your family have a habit of bringing items that don’t belong in the kitchen and leaving them there? If the island is where most of the clutter builds up, temporarily put a small basket there. Instruct everyone to put their junk in the basket and once it’s full, pick up the basket and put the items where they belong.
Make sure everyone takes a turn emptying the basket. No-one likes chores so hopefully, the addition of this new one will discourage them from leaving stuff on the kitchen counter.
Clearing kitchen counter space can make a huge impact on the room’s functionality:
- It will be easier to find things you need which means you’ll save time and money
- You’ll have more space to work on while prepping food and cooking
- Cleaning the kitchen will go faster since you won’t have to move stuff out of the way first
- Plus, your kitchen will always look tidy.
So, go ahead and get started clearing your countertops. You won’t regret it.
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