How to Declutter Your Kitchen Countertops and Keep Them That Way

So much stuff invades our homes daily and unless we manage it when it comes in, chances are it’s getting dumped where everything else does. Sometimes, you don’t want to deal with it at the moment, so it’s best to just dump it and deal with it later. Sound familiar?

But the problem is, when is later? Is it too late for that utility bill or that field trip that your child had the opportunity to go on with their classmates?

Where does all this paperwork and nonsense go when we don’t know where to put it? In my house, it’s the kitchen. The main hub of the home. What room of your home is the culprit?

 

 

 

Constant Struggle

In my kitchen, my countertops are constantly getting cluttered with papers, kid’s toys, mail, magazines, books, and other odds and ends.

It’s frustrating. I clean it up one day and by the next day, it’s cluttered again. And in my family, we’re all guilty. It’s a constant struggle to keep it clutter free.

But kitchens are where we prepare meals so even though it’s usually the most convenient place to dump stuff, most times, it’s not the best place.

And I don’t know about you, but when my kitchen countertops are cluttered with stuff, my home doesn’t feel clean even if the rest of my house is. When countertops are a mess, meal prep is a disaster, looking for things is frustrating, and your home just doesn’t feel calm.

On the other hand, when kitchens are kept clutter-free, it’s like a breath of fresh air every time you walk into your kitchen even if the rest of your home could use a little TLC.

 

 

How Do You Do It?

So, how do you tackle the constant mess on your kitchen countertops?

I have fought myself and my family for a long time to keep my kitchen countertops clear of clutter. So, here are my strategies to how I’ve been able to do that.

Keep this in mind before you start: Your countertops probably didn’t get messy in one day, so don’t expect them to get clean and organized in a day either. Give yourself grace as your work to clear the clutter.

 

Getting Started

First, clean all the dishes that you can see in and around your sink. Put away any clean dishes that are out too. Start this project with a clean sink.

Next, work in sections. Start in a corner of your kitchen and work clockwise. Break up your kitchen countertops into sections and work each section one at a time. Breaking tasks up into chunks is always better than taking on everything at once. I don’t want you getting overwhelmed before you even start.

As you work each section, decide what doesn’t stay in the kitchen and remove it. Be ruthless with this. Kitchen’s hold way too much stuff in our homes. Next, put any dirty dishes that you come across, in the sink. If there is any food left out, put that back where it belongs. As you are going through each section, put things back where they belong in your kitchen.

Related: 7 Tips to Always Having a Clean Home

 

Keep Going

Now, try to get as much off your countertops as you can. Unless you use something daily or close to it, you should think of storing it off your countertops. The more clear your countertops are, the more room you’ll have to prepare meals, the bigger your kitchen will feel, and the calmer you’ll feel overall.

All that’s left should be things that belong in your kitchen but need a new home. Dedicate a temporary spot in your home that you won’t need in the near future (an area of your dining room or anywhere else that will work for this). As you work each section, when you are left with what is supposed to stay in the kitchen but doesn’t have a home yet, place these things in this spot.

When you’re finished going around your whole kitchen (and remember, this may take you more than a day, or a week, and that’s okay), then start working that spot where you’ve put your things that belong in the kitchen but don’t have a place yet. Try and find a place for these things in your kitchen cabinets. Create a new “home” for your belongings. Again, take your time with this. Don’t overwhelm yourself by trying to do too much.

Once you’re finished with this step, take a look at your kitchen and see how you feel about it. Do you feel happy with your results? Is everything put away where it belongs? Is the clutter gone?

If it’s not, figure out what still needs to happen for you to feel satisfied with your work.

 

 

How to Keep it Up

Now, how do you keep your kitchen clutter free? The trick is managing anything that comes into your kitchen every day. Take 5 or so minutes and get things where they belong. Use this list on how I battle all of it:

Mail – sort it immediately

Kid’s toys – make it a policy that no toys are allowed in the kitchen.

Odd and Ends (because they always happen) – every day, move it out, put it back where it belongs, have no excuses (because we are all great at those)

Papers – get a paper organizer. Read this post for how I organize the daily papers that come into my home. Strive to manage paper clutter every day because let’s be honest, it comes into our homes daily.

And I understand, dealing with the clutter in my kitchen is a daily, constant struggle. Some days, I don’t want to do it. I think I’ll just do it tomorrow. But, the reality is, the more it’s put off, the more work it creates later to clean up. What was once a 5-minute job, could now take 20 minutes or longer.

In my home, our motto is everything has a home. With this motto, there’s no guessing where something belongs and it allows me to keep my kitchen clutter free. By instilling this in your home, you’ll always know where everything belongs and it will make cleaning up much quicker and easier.

Related: 6 Habits That Will Make You Stay Organized

 

You Can Do This

Let’s review. When tackling your kitchen for the first time, give yourself grace that this job may take some time. Start with a clean sink. Work in sections. Remove what doesn’t belong. Put things back where they belong. Create a temporary spot for your undecided things. Remove everything from your countertops that aren’t used daily. As you finish, start organizing the items in your temporary spot. Tackle the daily clutter in your kitchen every day.

Now, it’s time to get started. Following these steps will lead you to a kitchen you love. Feeling calmer in the morning because your kitchen isn’t cluttered anymore. No more frustration over cooking dinner because you can actually see and use most of your countertop space. Time isn’t wasted looking for things because everything is in its place.

Imagine your kitchen clean and clutter free and how you’d feel as you welcome each day! Reward yourself with that kitchen!

What brings you the most stress in your home? Leave a comment below, I’d love to hear from you!