Clear the clutter with simple kitchen counter organization tips and creative kitchen sink organization ideas! There’s no need to hide your kitchen tools, style them!
The key to keeping your kitchen counters and sink area clutter free is to implement a system that works for you!
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by “stuff”, the first thing to do is to clear your countertop! It immediately makes the kitchen feel clean and calm.
The kitchen is the hardest working room in the house – and requires plenty of workspace. The counter top is valuable real estate! Maximize space in the kitchen, on your countertops and your sink area, with a few of these simple tips.
Kitchen Counter Organization
The easiest way to eliminate kitchen counter top clutter is to organize inside your cabinets. If everything has a place, it won’t get misplaced on your counter. You can learn more about organizing inside your cabinets and see all my Kitchen Organization ideas here.
As a minimalist, I’m passionate about blending design and function – especially with kitchen counter storage. We like to identify problem areas and find solutions to prevent them.
To maintain clutter free kitchen countertops, we store small appliances like a mini food processor, waffle maker and can opener in a cabinet where they’re easy to grab. Of course, this can be difficult if you’re limited on space – get 20 of my best ideas for Small Kitchen Storage here!
We also added a Microwave Drawer in our kitchen island in St. Louis, and it made such a difference.
A few well-selected items can add a lot of function to your kitchen counters and sink area without adding clutter. They’ll easily integrate into your overall home decor.
In our kitchen, larger items include the coffee maker and KitchenAid mixer. I know many people have mixed feelings on a mixer being on the countertop.
Our working countertop space is limited, but our mixer is used 3+ times a week whether it’s to make homemade pasta, juice or baked goods.
General Guidelines
- Frequency – How often do you use it? If it is used daily, it is a convenience to make it accessible on the counter.
- Convenience – Larger or cumbersome items (like kitchen appliances) used 3 or more times a week should be placed on the countertop, when possible.
- Multi-Tasking – Dish soap that doubles as hand soap, or a blender that doubles as a food processor, can save valuable space.
Kitchen Counter Organizers
These are my favorite ways blend function and decor!
Utensil Holders
Make frequently used cooking tools easily accessible placing them in a crock or utensil holder next to your range. Grouping items together feels tidy and reduces the space it consumes.
Canisters
Depending on how often you use flours and sugars, kitchen canisters can offer a lot of countertop convenience. Clear canisters allow you to quickly identify what you need.
Knife Blocks
A knife block is a convenient way to keep knives easily accessible on the counter, safely. A light colored set doesn’t distract from the other elements of the space.
In our galley kitchen, we used a magnetic knife strip adhered to the backsplash to save space. If you prefer to stow them away, use a drawer organizer.
Spoon Rests
Spoonrests add a lot of function and charm. They help keep a kitchen tidy – and protect your countertops (especially marble countertops!)
Large Kitchen Appliances
If you use a coffee maker or stand mixer frequently, you may consider having them easily accessible. In our case, we love our mixer – another utilitarian, yet decorative object that we use often. A cord wrap keeps it tidy and streamlined.
If you have the space, tuck appliances into cabinets, a pantry, or even an appliance garage. However, sometimes they need their place in the sun for practicality!
At the lake house, I tucked a white single serve coffee maker into a corner and coffee pods in the drawer directly below, so it blends into our kitchen.
Paper Towel Holders
This one may surprise you, but if you use paper towels frequently, there’s no shame in keeping them on the kitchen counter. We had looked into having one installed below our kitchen cabinets but it would have consumed valuable interior space and made them less accessible. Design your kitchen to function for you.
Kitchen Sink Organization
Kitchen counter organization needs to extend to your sink, too! It’s so much more pleasant to do the dishes when the space feels fresh, clean and pretty.
Seek items that multi-task when possible. We often use dish soap in a hand soap dispenser! Since a dish scrubber is used frequently, it’s also a perfect contender for the counter.
I used to hide these under the sink, but I found it’s just not that practical. Displaying next to the sink provides easy access to the most frequently used items in your kitchen. A pretty tray is easy to clean and keeps them tidy, but convenient.
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I look forward to reading your blog and love all your organization ideas incorporating many in my own home! Wonder if one may consider using a cloth to serve the same purposes as paper towels. I try hard to reuse in my daily living. I do keep paper towels under the sink for those certain times when they are necessary.
I try to do the same, but sometimes, I just can’t help myself. We are plastic free, compost, reuse and recycle when at all possible though.
I tried keeping a pretty dish rack on my counter and removing the paper towels and spray bottle. Than I saw your site. I’m in love. I got hooked in to the farmhouse style and it’s over-whelming me. I love your clean and practical yet charming home. I’ve released the dish rack and am waiting for the products you have on your shop Amazon to arrive. So I have a teapot on my cooktop, a ugly water bottle currently and a roll of white paper towels, and a Nantucket Basket in the corner of my counter with supplements in it with a little blue and white cover out of fabric that I made. I don’t like it there. Fabric to me is fussy and dirty. I’m going to try and make room for my supplements else where.
Julie, thank you for sharing your ideas. I appreciate it so much. I have organization fever right now, from looking. 🙂
If you have time and can remember, can you mention where you found the white tray/dish your soap and counter spray sit on? The lip on it is so nice. But please don’t worry about it if you’re busy.
Thanks, Suzanne! It’s from Restoration Hardware – I ordered it online.
We have a big island, there I’ve placed a large tray with two big apothecary jars full of candy. On the same tray is a smaller tray for keys, sunglasses, etc. The refrigerator is between two small areas where I keep the coffee maker and a 20” tv. On the counter where the stove is we have an espresso machine and a cookie jar on one side and three antique scales on the other side with some cutting boards. Lots of stuff I could probably do without on a daily basis but we have high ceilings and an open concept living area so I like to make it cozier.
If it brings you joy, go for it! I always say do what works for you.
The only thing on my countertop is my Kerurig. My paper towels, toaster and knife block are out of sight but easily accessible in the appliance garage. I love just the sheen of the countertops!
I’m loving your good taps and lanterns. I might have to tweak mine. ?
I love an appliance garage! It sounds like you, too appreciate the calm of open countertop space! Thank you, Joanna!