The kitchen tends to be one of the most cluttered spaces in a home. In the South, the kitchen is the heart of the home. It’s where we spend most of our time, so it’s bound to get a little messy. To make prepping and cleaning up after meals a little easier, let’s clear a few items off of your kitchen counters.
Mail and school papers tend to pile up on the kitchen counters. Create a home to place mail and school papers to keep them from cluttering up your kitchen. I use simple magazine holders to sort mail. To avoid a pile up, immediately toss out junk mail or any school papers that do not need to be kept. I sort my mail into two groups: “needs attention” and “to be filed.” I deal with my “needs attention” papers weekly and file once a month. It keeps the counters clear and papers in check.
Cooking tools
If the drawers near your stove are so full that cooking utensils are on the counter, it may be time to do some purging. Pull out all of your cooking tools and group them into categories. Do you have any duplicates? Old utensils that have seen better days? Try to purge enough so that all of your cooking tools can be stored nicely in a drawer and off of the kitchen counters.
Condiments and spices
Make sure you have a designated spot to put away spices, cooking oils, and condiments. Whether you store these items in a cabinet near the stove, or in the pantry, make sure to put them away after each use. If you can’t quite fit everything in the cabinets, try using a lazy susan next to the stove to keep those frequently used items near the stove. I keep salt, pepper, and olive oil near mine for easy access.
Snacks
If snacks have overtaken your kitchen, it may be time for a pantry clean out. Take some time to clean out your pantry and designate a shelf or drawer for snacks. If you’re tight on space, consider some baskets on the floor of your pantry to add extra storage. If they still aren’t fitting, consider buying less to accommodate your space.
Need more tips to help organize your pantry? Check out my blog posts 5 Steps to Organizing Your Pantry and 8 Tips to Organize Your Pantry
That small appliance you don’t use anymore
Do you have a giant juicer on your counter that you haven’t used in a while? Is your smoothie kick over and your blender is still sitting out on the counter? Take inventory of the small appliances out on the counter and consider putting away the ones that aren’t used daily. Make sure to store where you can easily access them and put them away.
Cookbooks
I use my cookbooks weekly but don’t store them on my countertops. Consider moving cookbooks into your pantry or even with the rest of your books to clear out space on your counters. A simple cookbook stand gives a designated home for the cookbooks you’re currently using.
Decor
If your kitchen is small, try not to clutter the countertops with decor. Any decorative items should serve a storage purpose if necessary. Clear canisters are a great way to decorate the kitchen while also storing necessities.
Clear countertops make food prep and cooking so much smoother plus makes for an easy cleanup! Need help clearing those kitchen countertops? Schedule a free consultation call with us to get started.