As the house’s most high-traffic space, it’s no shock that our kitchens are sometimes enormous litter magnets—and that is very true of our counter tops.
Strive as we’d, they only at all times appear to finish up crowded with issues that will or might not even belong within the kitchen. However, what does belong on our kitchen counters?
We linked with just a few professionals to seek out out—and we had been shocked by the solutions. Because it seems, some issues we assumed had been effective to maintain on show ought to get stashed in our cabinets and cupboards.
Meet the Skilled
- Al Bruce is a kitchen designer and the founding father of Olive & Barr.
- Sarah Brady is an inside designer and the founder and artistic director of Salt Design Firm.
Small Home equipment
Olive & Barr
Sarah Brady, inside designer and founding father of Salt Design Firm, says she suggests tucking away any small home equipment that don’t match the kitchen’s general aesthetics. This contains issues like toasters, blenders, and extra countertop litter.
As a substitute, use drawer organizers, pull-out pantry cabinets, and hidden equipment garages to maintain issues accessible however out of sight.
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Your Apron Assortment
Should you at the moment preserve your aprons folded up in your counter, Al Bruce, skilled kitchen designer and founding father of Olive & Barr, says it’s time to hold these up.
Should you don’t have a door, then ornate wall hooks will do. Even in a smaller house, this will look nice, and Bruce suggests pondering of them as textured wall artwork.
Junk Mail and Schoolwork
Salt Design Firm
This one might be extremely relatable. Brady notes that paperwork is a significant offender relating to kitchen litter, and this covers every part from unsolicited mail to schoolwork.
“To chop these dangerous habits, designate a selected place for every merchandise,” she says.
As a substitute of on the counter, type papers right into a devoted drawer or a wall organizer. Should you spot gadgets tossed on the counters, spend a couple of minutes day by day shifting them into their appropriate house.
“This may assist preserve issues so as and keep a relaxed, practical house,” Brady says.
Cookware
Olive & Barr
Generally, folks get pleasure from leaving out their lovely cookware in order that it’s on show as a pop of coloration within the kitchen, however Bruce advises towards this. Ultimately, it’s solely taking on beneficial prep house, and may as an alternative create a cluttered visible impact.
Reasonably than sitting in your counters, Bruce calls hooks a artistic and charming storage answer.
“The flexibility of hooks permits you to grasp them anyplace, remodeling on a regular basis gadgets into visually interesting options,” he says.
Cooking Utensils
Should you use hooks to your cookware, Bruce says this will double as a spot to your cooking utensils, too—which is one other merchandise you attempt to preserve off your counters.
Whereas many individuals retailer their cooking utensils in drawers, simply as many preserve a crock out and inside attain of the range. Bruce says a close-by rack might be simply as useful.
“Should you want to maintain utensils out, think about choosing a pot rack suspended over a peninsula or island,” he says.
Paper Towel Roll
Salt Design Firm
This one may come as a shocker, however Brady says she believes paper towel rolls don’t belong on kitchen counters.
“Whereas it’s a necessity, paper towel rolls typically add pointless litter,” says Brady.
As a substitute, she suggests a built-in paper towel dispenser beneath your cupboards or inside a drawer. This may preserve them accessible and on-hand, however preserve your counter free and clear.
Spices
Whereas there are a variety of visually pleasing spice racks accessible available on the market lately, Bruce nonetheless advises conserving these saved away—or no less than off the counters.
“Storage baskets and further shelving will additional assist to arrange, permitting for simple entry to gadgets when within the throes of cooking,” Bruce says.
Nothing At All On Prep Stations
Olive & Barr
Should you’re working with a small kitchen, this may be arduous to listen to, however Bruce says your greatest guess for a streamlined and functioning kitchen is to maintain your prep areas utterly away from any gadgets.
“This enables for simple entry to gadgets when within the throes of cooking,” says Bruce.
As a substitute, take advantage of artistic organizational methods in your cupboards, drawers, and pantries, or look into putting in extra open shelving.
