Decluttering kitchen countertops is tricky. Given how easy it is for the kitchen counters to accumulate clutter, it’s hard to motivate yourself to keep decluttering it all day. And if you’re someone like me, you just won’t be able to bring yourself to cook anything on those messy countertops. There was a time when I had totally stopped decluttering my kitchen counters because of how impossible the task appeared to be. But I knew that it couldn’t go on forever. Kitchen counters need to be cleaned if you want food to be on the table.
Did you know that a cluttered kitchen often prompts you to eat out rather than cooking at home?
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Kitchen countertops are more prone to clutter than the other flat surfaces because it’s the one area that gets used the most. You need counters to cook food and to prepare anything that keeps you and your family properly fed.
Kitchen counters in my house often end up taking the brunt of all sorts of clutter – physical mail, papers and many other random items. In simple terms, the first place that gets hit by random items as soon as someone enters the house is the kitchen. But over time, I have learned to manage clutter in a way that I’m able to keep my countertops clean without any need to declutter it again and again.
Considering that you’re here reading this, I’m sure you’re looking for some tips to instantly declutter your kitchen countertops. Here are some tips that have worked for me and I’m pretty sure will do for you as well:
1. Put Shelves Up On The Walls
Kitchen counters end up becoming a clutter pain-point when there isn’t enough space in the kitchen to store stuff. I have gradually learned to utilize the vertical spaces on the walls of my kitchen so that I don’t end up cluttering the counters.
I recently installed a rolling pin holder on the wall along with a wall mounting spice rack. Moving the spice jars up on the spice rack alone has helped free up a lot of space on the counters. I use the shelf storage on my paper towel holder to keep small jars of condiments and snacks. In the recent years, I have slowly moved from my old plastic containers to the ones that are stackable. This has helped a lot in utilizing the vertical space in my kitchen shelves.
2. Have A Junk Drawer
Make sure that your kitchen has a big drawer to toss in random items like labels, marker, scissors, torch/flashlight, matchbox, lighter, stationery, etc. These little things are more likely to be left on the counter after being used but end up being a source of clutter in no time. Having a junk drawer can help in keeping these random items off counter, but make sure that you don’t end up cluttering this junk drawer too. Keep it clean and curated because it will be storing items that you’re going to need very often.
3. Put The Dirty Dishes Into the Sink
Dirty plates, mugs, glasses and bowls are more likely to cause counter clutter than any other item in the kitchen. In order to combat this problem, make it a habit to keep the dirty dishes into the kitchen sink immediately after you’ve eaten. Also, try and do the dishes after every meal or it will soon multiply to make way for further kitchen clutter. If doing the dishes after every meal is not an option, load them in the dishwasher to be washed later.
4. Hang The Kitchen Utensils
Cooking utensils like knife, ladle, spoons and whisker end up becoming the source of clutter on my kitchen countertops. Given how frequently these items are needed, I have never liked going through the hassle of putting them in a utensil drawer after every use. So a year ago, I bought this beautiful utensil hanger for my kitchen wall that can take the weight of small items like knife & ladles and large items like pots and pans.
5. Clean Up As You Cook
I had recently moved to my old place as my main house was being renovated. The kitchen at my old place was really small leaving me with no option but to clean the counters as I cooked. I gradually formed a habit of using the few minutes of downtime for clearing the kitchen counters and doing the dishes. As hard as it seemed in the beginning, this habit made me realize how easy it is to declutter the kitchen counters if you just learned to clean as you go.
6. Keep Décor To The Minimum
I’ve never had a decorative item in my kitchen because I find it extremely hard to cook around them. I remember buying a beautiful fruit bowl for my kitchen countertop that I ended up shifting to the dining table. If you’re someone who likes having decorative items in your kitchen, make sure you don’t end up having too many of them. Kitchen décor can make the counters look cluttered and can create distractions when you’re cooking. I have a few kitchen plants at the window and that is as far as I’d get to having kitchen décor at my home.
7. Put The Appliances Back After Using Them
How often do you leave your mixer grinder on the counter after using it? Or the electric chopper? Or the toaster? Kitchen appliances, when left on the counters after being used, can make your kitchen look more cluttered than it actually is. Try and designate a specific cupboard to your appliances where you can keep them immediately after use.
Now that you know the actual process of decluttering the kitchen countertops, it’s time to get going and rid your kitchen counters of everything that’s killing the entire vibe of your kitchen.
If you want to share any other tips for decluttering kitchen countertops that can benefit others, please feel free to drop it in the comments below. Or write me at hello@theaestheticabode.com. I love hearing from you!