I think many of us dream of having a clutter-free kitchen, but the reality is that it’s a struggle for so many of us. However, there are some simple and easy strategies that we can implement into our homes to help our kitchen countertops stay clutter free!
Keeping my kitchen countertops clutter free has so many benefits for me as a mom, wife, and designated daily chef in my household!
When my kitchen countertops are kept free of clutter I:
- feel less stressed and overwhelmed.
- have more energy to prepare meals.
- stay more organized.
- keep the rest of my house cleaner.
- am more likely to do fun crafts with my kids.
But, y’all, the struggle is real?! I don’t know about your kitchen, but mine is at the center of my home and the space where we come in and set absolutely everything down! My counters can go from clean and prestine to completely cluttered in a matter of minutes! But there are some steps I’ve taken to help keep my kitchen counters clutter free as much as possible!
7 Realistic Ways to Keep Your Kitchen Countertops Clutter Free
#1 Don’t Store Appliances on the Counters.
Okay, so I break this rule! Yes, I keep my coffee pot on my kitchen counters because it is literally on ALL. THE. TIME! If it’s something you use multiple times each day, it may be okay to keep it out.
However, limit is to just one, maybe two items. When you store your appliances on the countertops, it instantly looks more cluttered. When your counters look cluttered, you are more likely to continue to set things down and clutter them up even more. Don’t! Keep the appliances to a minimum and store the rest away in your cabinets and cupboards.
#2 Only Keep the Absolute Necessities on the Counters.
My knife block must stay put. Yes, I know I could put them in a drawer, but I have a super over-curious toddler who digs in my drawers and I certainly don’t want him grabbing a steak knife! I keep a basket with dish towels by my sink because I don’t have any drawers nearby. My coffee is the only other item on my counters. By keep the majority of my kitchen items put away in cabinets and cupboards, I am able to keep my counters clutter-free.
#3 Put Dirty Dishes in the Dishwasher Immediately.
One of the easiest ways to make a clean kitchen look messy is to leave dirty dishes sitting on the counters. Do you know how I know this? Because we struggle with this one in our house! However, if you can follow through on your morning and evening routines, then you dishwasher should always be ready to be loaded with dirty dishes. Instead of stacking them on the counter or in the sink, rinse them off and put them directly in the dishwasher.
#4 Keep Decorations to a Minimum.
I will occasionally keep a tart burner on my counters and I have a plant that makes it’s way to the space beside the sink under the window. However, I try to keep decorations to a minimum. While I love pretty decor, I try to find other spots for it. If my countertops start to become full of stuff, I’m more likely to start to leave extra clutter lying around.
#5 Keep a Central Location for Papers and Mail.
We have wall file inside our pantry where we store papers that need to be accessed again in the near future. These include things like the lunch menu for son’s school or Kohl’s coupons. This wall file is stored on the wall in my pantry. It’s very easy to access, but it’s not visual clutter in the room. It also helps to keep those papers from stacking up on the countertops.
As far as mail is concerned, I know this can be a really big struggle for some. I encourage you to just sort through everything as soon as it comes in. Make sure you have designated spaces for anything that might come in.
Bills to be paid should have a spot, magazines need a home, and junk mail belongs in the recycling or trash. File away anything that needs to be kept and have a space for papers that need to be shredded. While sorting through the mail can take a minute or two each day, it’s a lot easier than trying to declutter a massive stack of papers that has sat on your counters for days.
#6 Create a Designated Spot for Regularly Used Items.
If you constantly have specific items out on your counters each day, make sure to create a designated home for them in your kitchen so they can be quickly put away if need be. This might be something like a planner or to-do list. I have a small space beside my cookbooks where my planner can slide right in. Creating a home for everything means it won’t become clutter!
#7 Start Fresh Each Night.
Follow through with your nightly routines and reset your kitchen for the next day each night before bed. Make sure everything is put back where it belongs and nothing is on the kitchen counters that doesn’t belong. By starting fresh each night, you set yourself up for success the next day.
Keeping a your kitchen countertops clutter free is a real struggle for so many of us. But by following these 7 simple steps, you will be on your way to a more organized kitchen in no time!
Looking for more cleaning inspiration? Check out these posts to get your home in order!
- 5 Things Brilliant Moms Do to Get More Done
- A Simple System to Keep Your Home Clean
- 2 Hours to a Clean Home
- How to Create a Cleaning Schedule for the Overwhelmed Mom
- 3 Cleaning Tips to Simplify Your Life
What is your best tip for keeping your kitchen countertops clutter-free?
Cleaning Schedule Printable
Get a FREE copy of the weekly cleaning schedule printables. Just enter your name and email and they will be delivered directly to your inbox!
April says
I enjoyed watching the blog critique!! The pictures look awesome. Fast work!
Kaitlin says
Thanks April! 🙂
Amy @ The Quiet Homemaker says
Wow, this is really great. I struggle with this, a lot. We do not have a lot of storage space. Our house is really old has no closets in the original house and no pantry! It is a struggle to make sure that everything has its place. Then there are those things that I leave out, like my supplements, b/c I will forget to take them if I put them where I can not see them. I do hope to be more like this though!
Kaitlin says
I used it live in a home built in the early 30s and I’m pretty sure my left boot was bigger than the kitchen so I can totally relate! I used to store a lot of my larger appliances (crock pot, blender, etc.) in the basement because there just wasn’t enough space. No amount of purging would do the trick! 🙂 Hang in there! It will come. After living in that house for 3 years, I finally felt like I had the organization down!
Also, just a quick tip about your supplements. If they do bother you on the counter, maybe try setting a daily timer on your phone each morning/night so you remember to take them rather than using them as your visual reminder. If they don’t bother you, then by all means leave them out! 🙂 Hope that helps!
Amy @ The Quiet Homemaker says
LOL, too funny! What is so strange is my kitchen is huge! The cabinets are large, but not very efficient. There is just a lot of open empty space. We probably should have put some sort of an island in, but working it in around the fridge was a little tricky.
Thanks for the tip! I have set my alarm on my UP3 band and now I can figure out how to store them in the cabinet where they will not be all mixed up with the others. I have quite a few, so getting them off of the counter will be great. I have a feeling it will also help me clean up the rest of the counter!
Alisha Hughes says
Great post. Your kitchen looks amazing! Being consistently organized is so hard for me. Waaaayyy back along time ago when my kids were itty bitties Crystal Paine suggested doing a before and after picture of an area of your home you wanted to get organized. I did my kitchen. My pictures will either make you laugh or cringe. Here is the post I shared back then. It still makes me laugh. 🙂 … http://www.mealplanningmommies.com/kitchen-makeover-updated/
Kaitlin says
Oh my goodness Alisha! It looks so awesome! 🙂 It’s amazing how much nicer a kitchen can look when it’s just decluttered! And I totally agree…consistency is hard! Thanks so much for sharing!