Aside from food preparation, our kitchen counters run the risk of becoming a home base for junk mail, excess decorations, barely used appliances, and recipe books. Before you know it, all this extra activity can lead to clutter, and make time spent in the kitchen less enjoyable.

Minimalism might be the answer to clutter-free kitchen counters. Essentially, the less you have out, the better. You may have heard that you should only keep the out good-looking gadgets out. However, that can also contribute to clutter as all your gadgets may be deemed as good-looking.

A general rule to follow is to keep your frequently used items out. So, things like your electric kettle or your coffee machine could be left out on the counter. Everything else can be stored away.

Ensuring that every item has a home is the key to avoiding clutter or decluttering your space. You could start by auditing what items tend to accumulate on your counters and think about other ways you could store them.

Here are some tips to declutter your kitchen counters and enjoy faster meal preparation and easier cleanup.

Clear your ‘landing zones’

In general terms, a kitchen landing zone or landing area is a countertop space that allows you to place items from the sink, refrigerator, cooking surface, and oven service areas. The countertop is usually adjacent to these areas

Try standing in front of your stove, sink, and refrigerator. You should have at least one clear spot available at all times for a pan to cool, dishes awaiting washing, or a grocery bag to unpack. Consistently shift utensils and spices into drawers and cabinets. For additional space saving, you could also consider to replace a traditional countertop dish drainer with an in-sink version or a drying mat.

Put things away after use

Admittedly, we can easily fall into the habit of leaving things out long after we have used them. To break that habit, try the ‘one touch’ tidying rule. The mantra is simple, instead of putting things down, put them away, immediately. Doing that can make a great difference.

Hang your utensils

A great way to save on space is to hang your utensils. If you don’t already have them, you should consider wall mounted hangers for large utensils. It will help a great deal.

Wash dirty plates, utensils, pots as soon as possible

No one likes to do the dishes, but getting it done straight away is one of the best things you can do to keep counters clear. When you practice leaving dirty dishes on the counter, more will accumulate over the course of the day. Do something that your future self will thank you for and wash the dirty items as soon as possible. Wash them, dry them, and put them away.

Follow these tips and you might just see a little more countertop space in your kitchen.

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