Organizing Small Kitchen Counters
If you struggle with space in your kitchen, then this guide on organizing small kitchen counters will help. We have some great tips that will help you to create more space even where there might be none.
Use them to help with your kitchen organization and streamline the most used room in your home.
If you’re like me, your kitchen counters are constantly cluttered with gadgets, appliances, and utensils. It’s hard to find a place to put anything down, never mind cooking a meal.
If this sounds like you, don’t worry – I’ve got some easy tips that will help organize your counters and free up some much-needed space.
Soon you’ll be able to cook in peace without worrying about all the clutter on your counters. Plus, keeping things neat will be a breeze, allowing you to love your kitchen all over again.
Organizing Small Kitchen Counters
Before we can start to organize you will first need to remove some of the unnecessary stuff.
Step #1. Declutter Your Counters
A common space hog in a kitchen tends to be random clutter—things in a room that are lying out and simply need to be put away. Use our easy approach to clearing things out.
- Gather up any trash and recyclables that you see.
- Next, look for any items that belong in another room. You can use these convenient laundry baskets to hold those things until you can put them where they belong later.
Once the clutter is gone, take a look at any appliances or gadgets that are out. Do you see items that you do not use regularly? If you’re not sure, ask yourself this question: when was the last time I used this?
If it’s been more than six months, chances are you can store it away giving you more space. If you are not sure where to store small appliances, here are a few ideas.
#1. In a cabinet that is near to the area where the appliance was. This is a great option for things you use 1-2 times a week.
- Can opener
- Mixer
- Smoothie maker
#2. On the floor in your pantry. This is a great option for items you only use once a month.
- Crock pot
- Instant Pot
#3. A lower shelf in a china cabinet or other piece of furniture in your kitchen. This is a great option for items you use seasonally.
- Good china
- Roaster
- Serving platters
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Step #2. Put away your spices.
Herbs and spices can take up quite a bit of counter space, especially if you have a large variety. Invest in a spice rack that hangs on the wall to help free up space.
If you have the room, storing spices in a cabinet using risers is a great way to keep them neat and out of the way.
Not sure what is the best option for organizing your spices? Get tips on how to organize spices for some great ideas.
Step #3. Keep frequently used items within reach.
Medium-sized appliances can take up quite a bit of space on kitchen counters. If you are still looking for more room consider putting items that you use on a daily basis, such as your coffee maker or toaster, on an easily accessible shelf or in a drawer close to the counter.
This way, you won’t have to search for them every time you need them.
If you love coffee you can set up a coffee area in your kitchen that is not on your counters. A baker’s rack is a great solution for this and will give you additional storage both above and below if you need it.
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Step #4. Utilize vertical space.
When looking to organize small kitchen counters and if your counter space is truly limited, make use of any vertical space for more storage. Look for space on your walls, the side of your cabinets, or the back of a door.
A few ideas are:
- Floating shelves for cookbooks or spices.
- Wall organizer for oils, potholders, and canisters.
- Metal door organizers for misc storage.
- Wall-mounted pot rack or hanging pot rack.
By thinking outside of the box for storage ideas you can free up some much-needed counter space.
AStep #5. Store away misc items.
Misc items can really monopolize much of the space we have in our kitchens. By finding ways to store these items away you will, in turn, free up a majority of the space.
A few ideas are:
- Bread – Keep in a drawer or a bread box on a shelf.
- Towels – Keep in a drawer or a door organizer.
- Food wrap – A cabinet door organizer is great for this.
- Vitamins – Use a pill organizer or dispenser.
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How do I keep my kitchen counters clutter free?
More often than not, the stuff we call clutter is simply things that need to be put away. If you are always conscious of that and do your best to put anything you use all the way away, your clutter struggles will be gone.
Here are a few more tips that will help you to keep your kitchen counters free of clutter.
Tip #1. Be sure everything has a home.
By having a designated spot for the things you use in the kitchen, putting them away is much easier. You can use baskets to hold similar items such as measuring cups or potholders. Being able to drop and go will make this clutter-free habit easier to keep up with.
Tip #2. Never ignore trash.
A huge clutter maker in any room is trash and recyclables. Whenever you see either of these things lying out, take a second to gather it up and toss it.
Tip #3. If you don’t use it daily, give it a home.
This is true for anything in your kitchen. Make a rule that only daily used items can earn a spot on your kitchen counters. Everything else must be kept in a drawer or cabinet.
Remember the more often you use it the easier you will want to keep it. That means your can opener that you use a few times a week should be kept in a drawer near the stove where as a mixer that you use once a month can go on a shelf in your pantry.
Tip #4. Room resets.
One of my biggest secrets to keeping my kitchen counters put away is ending each day with a room reset.
A room reset is when you reset a room back to start. This sounds like a lot of work, but it actually only takes 5-10 minutes.
How to Room Reset a Kitchen
- Empty out the sink.
- Put any food away.
- Wipe down counters.
- Prep coffee.
A clean and organized kitchen counter can make all the difference in your daily routine. By following the steps above, you can easily achieve a clutter-free space that will make meal prep and cleanup a breeze.
If you have time this weekend, organizing small kitchen counters is a great project that will have you loving the space in your kitchen once again.
