Thursday, March 15, 2012

Organizing The Kitchen Counter for Everyday Use

Many people consider a well-organized kitchen to be one of the secrets to household happiness. However, if you have a busy family that's constantly on the go, you might find that keeping your kitchen organized can be a difficult and even daunting task. If you'd like to transform your disorganized kitchen into a more efficient and pleasant living space, why not start with the kitchen counter? Here are some easy tips you can use to organize your kitchen counter for everyday use.

Eliminate Clutter

A cluttered and disorganized kitchen can be a very difficult place in which to work. If your countertops are filled with clutter, you naturally don't have as much useful space in which to work. Clutter also tends to make a room look too small and "busy." In fact, countertop clutter can make even a large kitchen seem too small.

Eliminating unnecessary clutter should be the first step towards organizing your kitchen counter space. Start by removing any paper clutter, such as notes, unopened mail, school papers, or the daily newspaper. You should also remove any items that simply do not belong in the kitchen. Once these unnecessary items have been removed, it will be easier to decide upon an organizational strategy for the items you do use every day.

Countertops versus Cabinets

When organizing your kitchen, it's important to make a determination as to which items are best stored on the counter and which ones are best stored in the cabinets. In the case of small kitchen appliances or items that are used quite frequently, the countertop is often the best choice. However, if you only use your bread machine or yogurt maker on an occasional basis, storing it in the cabinet can free up a lot of countertop space. Take the time to carefully assess each item that you're currently storing on your kitchen counters. By finding alternate storage areas for infrequently used items, you'll have more countertop space available for everyday use.

Once you've stored your infrequently used items in the cabinets or pantry, you might decide to add a few new items to your countertop area. For example, if you're currently storing your spices in a cabinet, you might find that you'd use them more frequently if they were stored in a convenient spice rack on the countertop.

Baskets, Bins and Boxes

Baskets, bins and boxes can be the perfect solution when it comes to organizing your kitchen counter. For example, although you probably wouldn't want pencils, pens and note pads cluttering your countertop, it's hard to argue with the fact that they are all useful items. Instead of dealing with the clutter, tuck a pad of paper and a couple of pens into a small bin or basket. You'll be able to keep the items close at hand while still keeping your countertops organized and neat. Baskets and other containers that don't have lids can be convenient for items you need to grab quickly. However, lidded boxes and bins can go a long way towards reducing visual clutter, making your entire kitchen look more organized.

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