10 Things You Should Take Off Your Countertops To Declutter Your Space For Good

Clutter Free Kitchen Countertops

Clutter can accumulate anywhere in our homes.  But one of the biggest clutter collecting rooms is the kitchen.  The kitchen just happens to be one room that everyone uses.  Plus it has a lot of flat space for people to lay things down.  So in order to help you keep the clutter in your kitchen to a minimum and reclaim that valuable real estate, here are 10 things you should take off your kitchen countertops to declutter the space.

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10 Things You Should Take Off Your Kitchen Countertops To Declutter Your Space Right Now

Finding a new home for any of the following items can make an immediate impact on how cluttered your kitchen feels. Start by moving what you can now, and then work to get all of these items taken off your kitchen countertops to declutter your space for good.

1// Mail

Instead of bringing the mail in and dumping it on the kitchen counter, set up a place to put your mail outside of the kitchen.  Or better yet, set up a system where you sort through your mail before you even put it down.  Recycle junk mail, set aside items that need action taken, and shred documents that have personal information.

2// Large electric items – toaster, mixer, etc.

Sometimes it is easier just to leave large items out, like the stand mixer and the toaster if you use them often.  But they can definitely cause your countertops to look more cluttered.  So, try to find space not on the kitchen countertops to store these large electric items.  And if you use them sparingly, then opt for storage in an out of the way space like the basement or attic until you need it.

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3// School Work

School work accumulates practically everyday as your kids bring home their artwork and graded papers.  Instead of continually adding to the pile of schoolwork on your countertops, get some bins that will fit the dimensions of the papers your kids are bringing home.  Then label them with their name and grade and after looking at the papers, place them in the appropriate bin.  Then at the end of the school year they are ready to store in another area like the basement or attic.

4// Vitamins

We all want to be healthy, so many of us take supplements to help make sure we are getting all we need.  But if you are keeping bottles of vitamins or other pills you take on the counter in the kitchen, then you are creating clutter.  Instead, find an empty drawer or cabinet in the kitchen or pantry where you can store them out of site.  If you feel like you need to see them to remember them, then just store one bottle on the counter to jog your memory to take them all.

5// Kitchen Utensil Holder

If you have the space, I recommend placing your spoons and spatulas in a drawer instead of on the kitchen countertops in a container.  You can still easily grab what you need if you organize the utensils neatly in a drawer close to where you use them most often.

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6// Documents that need to be filed

Many times where we file our important documents is in another room, like the office or an empty bedroom.  And many times instead of walking there, we start a stack of important documents that need to be filed…in the kitchen on our countertops.  Instead of creating that stack, place a small file box in a cabinet that you can use to file the papers as you get them without leaving the kitchen.  Then, when the box gets full, take the entire box into the office to file those important documents.

7// Salt and pepper shakers

Salt and pepper are used by all to help flavor our favorite dishes.  Instead of keeping them on the kitchen countertop where they can contribute to a cluttered kitchen, place them in a nearby cabinet and only get them out when you need to use them.

8// Cooking Oils

Cooking oils like avocado oil and olive oil are essential for cooking.  But keeping the bottles on the countertops in the kitchen can cause your kitchen to look cluttered.  Store them in a nearby cabinet so you can easily use them when you cook.

9// Pots and Pans

I love my enameled pots and pans.  Their beautiful colors make me want to display them.  But leaving them on the countertop takes away from valuable space to cook and prepare meals.  But more than that, leaving the pots and pans out, as pretty as they are, just makes my kitchen countertops look more cluttered.  So I recommend putting pots and pans away to help remove clutter from the kitchen.

10// Knife block

Keep the knives in a drawer with the rest of your eating utensils.  This will free up valuable counter space in the kitchen.  Using a bamboo utensil tray can keep sharp knives separate from regular silverware.  

4 More Items To Help You Declutter Your Kitchen Countertops

11// Cutting Boards

Since I chop pretty much every day, I like having my cutting boards in an easy to access location.  But I do not keep them on the countertops.  Instead, I store them in a nearby drawer.

12// Spices

Most spices are not used everyday and therefore can be placed in a drawer or cabinet until you use them.  Keeping them off the countertops keeps your kitchen countertops free of clutter.

13// Cook Books

Cookbooks, while useful, can be taken off kitchen countertops to declutter.  In the modern age of technology, you may even be able to get rid of your cookbooks all together.  I have taken pictures of my favorite cookbook recipes and stored them in Evernote so I still have them all in one place.  

14// Paper Towels

Invest in a paper towel holder that hangs under the cabinets or on the inside of a cabinet door in order to help you keep your countertops clutter free.

Things That Don’t Belong On Your Countertops

The kitchen becomes a dumping ground for most people, especially if you have kids.  Snacks get unwrapped and wrappers get left on the countertops.  Recycling gets piled up near the sink.  And items that should be stored in other rooms, get left by various members of the family.  

Keep these items to a minimum by setting up a way to take care of them immediately.  Stay on your kids about throwing garbage away until they get it.  Place a small bin near or under the sink for recycling.  Set up a routine where each evening all the family members take their items back to where they need to go.  This will help keep your kitchen countertops clutter free.

Happy Decluttering,

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