Kitchen counters are often a magnet for clutter. Many times, a kitchen counter or kitchen island is the first flat surface you see after you walk into a house, making it easy to be a dumping ground for a variety of things. Since the kitchen is a high traffic area and a gathering space, non-kitchen items also tend to land on kitchen counters.
How to Reduce Kitchen Counter Clutter
Assess what is landing on the counter
Gather up everything on the counter and separate into 2 categories: non-kitchen items and kitchen items.
Look at the non-kitchen items and ask yourself, “Does this item have a home in another room?” If it does, move it to that room. Cutter often arises because things do not have a permanent home.
Create other homes for non-kitchen items
Create a storage space for paper such as mail, coupons, school papers, magazines and newspapers. This could be in another area of the kitchen or in another room. Creating a drop zone for these types of items helps to reduce clutter. Use desktop file boxes, magazine boxes, baskets, hanging wall organizers or wall pockets to contain paper.
Other types of non-kitchen items found on counters may be pens, keys, wallets, sunglasses, phones, cords and other digital devices. Continue to create homes for these items using a key hook, a pen cup, a charging station, and place these on a small table, tray or shelf in the kitchen or another room near the most used doorway.
Declutter kitchen cabinets, drawers and pantry
Once non-kitchen items have been removed from the counter, it is time to declutter all cabinets, drawers and the pantry to create more storage space. Remove items you no longer use or need, and then make homes for any kitchen related items that have cluttered the counter.
Find a home for most of your kitchen items inside cabinets or pantries. For appliances that aren’t used daily, make space in a cabinet, shelf, pantry or even a closet or another room to store those items. I’ve seen lesser used kitchen appliances stored in laundry rooms, mud rooms, garages and hall closets.
Use space saving kitchen storage items
- Trays
- Cake stands
- Tiered baskets
- Under cabinet baskets
- Hanging baskets inside cabinet doors
- Hooks inside cabinet doors
Keep on top of regular chores in the kitchen
Put away all groceries as as soon as you return from shopping. If a regularly used grocery item doesn’t have a home, make one.
Wash dishes and load and unload the dishwasher on a regular basis to prevent dirty dishes from piling up and adding to the clutter.
Regularly clear and wipe down counters after preparing meals.
Get into the habit of spending 10 to 15 minutes at the end of each night putting everything away and cleaning up the kitchen to prepare for tomorrow.
If you need assistance in decluttering and organizing your kitchen, please contact On Task Organizing at nancy@ontaskorganizing.com or 919-561-0885 to schedule a free phone consultation to discuss your needs. On Task Organizing offers hands-on organizing and do-it-yourself consultations in the Raleigh, North Carolina area, and virtual organizing services via Skype or Facetime to all areas.
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