How to Declutter Your Kitchen Counters When Everything Feels Essential

Kitchen counters are the true workhorses of the kitchen. They’re food prep spots, hold small appliances, and of course, are a place to set mail, homework, cookbooks, and other catch-all items. This means countertops can easily become cluttered and feel crowded.

While it’s simple enough to clear off small items, it’s a bit trickier to know what to do with things that feel essential to your kitchen, like a stand mixer, toaster, or cookbooks. 

We spoke to Ashley la Fond, founder of Of Space and Mind, about how to declutter kitchen counters and the best way to curate items for an organized, tidy kitchen. 

4 Reasons Your Kitchen Countertops Are Always Cluttered

• Your stuff doesn’t have a true home. Kitchen counters are often a catch-all for items that don’t have a specific place in our home, which can lead to clutter compounding quickly.
• Your counters display your small appliance collection. While small appliances are handy and wonderful, chances are, you don’t use all of the appliances daily. What’s more, small appliances take up a lot of space on countertops and make your kitchen feel more crowded.
• You’re not regularly decluttering. Regardless of space or location, clutter will accumulate if the area isn’t regularly cleared off and cleaned. Even a small habit of a quick tidy every night can make your counters feel more organized.
• You have too much kitchen decor. While a few small touches can make your kitchen feel personal and cozy, too much decor takes up a lot of room on your counters and limits their functionality. 

Want more cleaning and organizing tips? Sign up for our free daily newsletter for the latest hacks, expert advice, and more!

How to Declutter Your Kitchen Counter

1. Clear everything from your counters. 
2. Wipe down counter surfaces and the backsplash if you have one. 
3. Decide what must stay out on the counters and what items can find a new home. Aim to leave out the essentials only and put away the rest. 
4. Place essential items on counters in a way that is streamlined and intentional. For example, placing all small appliances in one corner or setting out a tray to place mail and paper.

Tips for Keeping Your Kitchen Counters Clutter-Free

• Designate a different drop zone for catch-all items. Place a tray or basket in another location to collect those miscellaneous items. This might be in a laundry room, office, or mudroom. 
• Create an intentional drop zone in the kitchen. La Fond suggests clearing out a cabinet drawer or adding a basket or tray so there’s a single place for papers and items to go in the kitchen. “Having a basket or tray will make it feel intentional rather than cluttered,” she says. 
• Maximize your cabinet storage. Rearrange cabinets to make the most of your cabinet space to store small appliances and other items sitting on your counters. Consider getting risers to stack spices or organizers to store pots and pans. 
• Use vertical storage. Consider using vertical storage solutions to clear items off your counters if your cabinets have reached capacity. Hang shelves or hooks on the walls or ceiling to hold items you don’t mind displaying, such as pots and pans, glassware, or cutting boards. 
• Put dishes away after washing. While it’s tempting to let hand-washed dishes air dry, dry them right away and put them back in their homes. A rack of drying dishes creates a lot of visual clutter and makes your space feel more overwhelming.

Bottom Line

While things may pile up on your counters from time to time, the best way to stay on top of clutter is to tidy regularly and create solutions that fit your lifestyle. The solutions don’t have to be a complete overhaul of your habits! 

La Fond says small changes can help the clutter feel more contained and less overwhelming.

“Even just containing the clutter in a basket or tray can make a huge difference,” she says.