Easy Steps to an Organized Life in 31 Days: Kitchen Counters (Day 4)
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email, and we'll send it to your inbox. Plus, you'll get delicious new recipes from us every Friday!
Today we’ll begin in one of my favorite rooms in the house — the kitchen!
Often penned in vintage cookbooks, you’ll find this little prayer:
Kitchens have been said to be the heart of every home. A cozy room filled with warmth and fun and community… and tantalizing aromas. A room that nourishes both the body and the soul.
A gathering room for todays’ families, kitchens bring the concept of multi-task to whole new levels. Everything from food prep and storage to homework and meals, entertaining to family meetings happen very often in this room.
Another motivating factor to keeping your kitchen functioning well is that they are a key component of your home’s value.
Trulia says that there are two rooms that sell every home — a well-appointed kitchen and the master bath. “A well-appointed kitchen will dramatically increase the value of your home, so it’s worth spicing up yours to grab buyer attention.” We’ll get to the master later this month. But we’ll begin tackling the kitchen today!
Read Overview: Easy Steps to an Organized Life in 31 Days or Less!
Day 4: Kitchen Counters and Utensils Drawers
Kitchens have a way of becoming unruly — quickly. It may be the most used room in your home, it certainly is in mine.
For that reason, we are splitting the kitchen area into 4 days — 5 if you count the junk drawer.
Day 4: Kitchen Counters and Utensils Drawers
Day 5: Cupboards and Drawers
Day 6: Pantry
Day 7: Refrigerator
Day 8: A Junk Drawer
Kitchens are a magnet for clutter. Between the have-to-have gadgets we buy ourselves and the gifts we receive from loving friends and family who know we like to cook, it can become overwhelming to keep it clutter free. It’s easy to rationalize the clutter because after all, kitchen gadgets can be expensive. And the broken ones sometimes aren’t really that broken. They might come in handy one day. I’m smiling! I’ve heard that same voice in my head too!
Utensils
Today we’ll take a hard look at our utensils.
To successfully manage, declutter and organize our kitchen spaces, we probably have items we need to be eliminated. Here’s the criteria: discard any utensil or gadget that is broken, never used nor truthfully likely to be, or that we have multiples of or exact replicas.
Kitchen Counters
Whether you have ample counter space in your kitchen or not, those flat surfaces seem to attract a lot of clutter. Keeping them neat and organized is a challenge.
Removing everything that doesn’t get daily use is one trick to keep counters tidy and neatly organized. Another is to always corral items, especially small things, in a container. And finally, when finished using the item, put it back where it belongs– quickly!
Take a hard look at the appliances you have sitting on your countertops and determine how often you use them.
Daily use appliances that remain on my counters are;
• the coffee pot
• the electric mixer (it’s too heavy to move and it gets regular use)
• a toaster
• a teapot
• a silver tray with salt, peppercorns, and olive oil
• my knife block.
I try to keep everything else hidden when not in use. (Keep reading for some inspirational kitchen countertops and storage ideas).
Checklist
31Daily – Easy Steps to an Organized Life – Kitchen Counters (Day 4)
• Remove all the utensils from their drawers and put them on the counter.
• Clean and discard as appropriate.
• Wipe out the drawer and flatware/knife holders and return the remaining utensils.
• Good job! You’ve just jumpstarted tomorrow’s challenge by taking care of these drawers!
• Find new homes for non-daily or irregularly used appliances if possible. Discard any that aren’t working.
• Group appliances with like items and functions.
• Thoroughly wipe down countertops, corners and under remaining appliances.
• Items to be tossed or donated, remove to a box — out of sight!
Tomorrow
Kitchen cupboards and drawers
GET THE BOOK:
Easy Steps to an Organized Life in 31 Days or Less (Amazon.com)
Organized Kitchen Countertop Inspirations