On your kitchen counter

[syn_ack89]

I have a hard time keeping my kitchen counters clean...so I'm wondering if I have too many appliances. So what do you keep on your counter?

Also, what systems do you have in place to keep other "junk" from accumulating?

[ecoteat]

Going around the long C-shape of my counter: peninsula that is where I do most of the food prep and where dd plays while in her Learning Tower, so I keep that the clearest. In the corner is a few odds and ends, mostly fruit, bread, garlic, butter dish. Then there's the stove, small section of counter with 2 cooking utensil crocks on it, sink, drainboard, and in the corner a toaster and compost crock. The last section of counter is where junk accumulates, but it's also where i set things when I'm emptying the dishwasher, so it drives me nuts when there are tools there that haven't made their way back downstairs or library books or whatever. All of my small appliances are kept in a cupboard and taken out only when in use. I think it helps that I have a big kitchen with lots of room to spread things out.

[philomom]

From left to right in a semi-circle. Knife rack.. under the counter mounted toaster oven...... skip across sinks to jars of sugar, flour and such, george forman grill...... skip across stove to tea sugar in a ceramic dish with spoon rest and little pot of honey..........skip across a doorway the remaining counter has a crockpot and a set of cookbooks

Everything else resides either in my island cupboards or in my under the stairs closet if I use it more rarely.

[ParisApril]

My toaster oven, my kitchen aid mixer, my knife block, a pot for wooden spoons etc and my drying dishes.

[~PurityLake~]

Originally Posted by syn_ack89

I have a hard time keeping my kitchen counters clean...so I'm wondering if I have too many appliances. So what do you keep on your counter?

Also, what systems do you have in place to keep other "junk" from accumulating?

I have a microwave and coffee pot on my counter. I have a dish drainer on the tiny counter. I keep the crock pot and toaster in below counter cupboards and only pull those out while in use.

My husband stacks mail on top of the microwave, which drives me nuts. I have to sort the mail: throw away or place in bill folder.
Broken items that have no place, but I can't throw away in case we fix it or might need it end up in the kitchen window sill. Batteries are behind the microwave (the microwave is at an angle in the corner, so there is a triangular space between it and the wall).

[Drummer's Wife]

As for appliances, the only ones that are out on the counters are the toaster and the coffee pot. Oh, and the coffee bean grinder. I have enough cabinet space, but they get used often enough to warrant being left out and they are stainless steel colored - so they match my big appliances.

Other than that I have SS canisters, various baskets of fruits and veggies, 2 plants, and then a variety of mail, magazines, paperwork and other crap (like random legos) that have accumulated recently. I *try* and keep them clear, but the clutter still wins most of the time. I LOVE clean, clear countertops, but need to work on it b/c we have plenty of counter space and it seems like it just attracts junk. It's too easy to set stuff down when walking through the kitchen.

[crl]

We have a tiny kitchen. Regularly out on my counters are the cannisters for white flour, wheat flour and sugar, the dish drainer and a wooden cutting board. We don't drink coffee, don't have a microwave and don't use the toaster all that often. I have a magnetic strip for knives and a couple of hanging racks that hold utensils and my most-often used pots/pans.

Junk definitely accumulates but I have to clear it off fairly often to be able to cook just because the kitchen is so small.

Catherine

[MommyMichele]

oops, double post

[MommyMichele]

My kitchen counters hold a microwave and toaster oven to the left of the stove, a crockpot, little food processor, grinder, and blender to the right of the stove, and baskets and bowls of fruits and veggies to the right of that. My peninsula is supposed to only hold the kids' cups they re-use all day long, but it often holds stuff in progress or on its way somewhere else.

I keep junk from accumulating by clearing it away daily.

[Mama Mko]

Bread is next to the fridge, then mixer, then toaster, then coffee maker, oven, then juicer, then sink, then clean space for prep, then at the end is where i stack stuff I need to go through like mail.

[Liquesce]

A lot of things that don't belong.

[journeymom]

Three appliances: a coffee maker that could be put away since we haven't used it in more than a year. An electric water kettle for the coffee plunger we now use instead of the coffee machine. And the great big Kitchen Aide mixer.

Appliances, however aren't the problem, papers are. I have no 'system' to keep other junk from accumulating, and the counters are cluttered from one end to the other. I get the island counter with the sink cleared completely every three or four days. It stays clear for about 10 minutes. :

[DaughterOfKali]

My kitchen is teeny tiny. I don't have the space to put things away in cupboards when not in use so now my counter is filled (along the back) with appliances.

I have: An electric mixer, A pretty glass/silver container, Ice cream/frozen yogurt maker, Electric kettle, Coffee maker, Oversized platter with tea and sugar jars on top of it.
There isn't really any room between each item.

[mamalisa]

I have a lot of counter space, but it's a long narrow kitchen so a lot of it feels useless.

1 foot counter, keys, wallets ect.
Stove, Sink
3 foot counter, utensil holder, towel for drying dishes
Other side
3 foot counter, big napkin holder, Kitchenaid and toaster
Fridge
3 foot counter, cookie jar, salt, sugar jars, salt and pepper grinder.

We just moved the microwave to the laundry room and it cleared up sooo much space! We never use it anyway.

[Learning_Mum]

A jug (kettle) and toaster.

[phatchristy]

Microwave, toaster oven, coffee maker

[phatchristy]

Oh, and I remember reading is some clutter free book you should only keep appliances out if you use them more than 2x a week. That's the guideline I use here...

[Chryseis]

My countertops are actually pretty clear. I keep my KitchenAid Mixer, a toaster and a coffeemaker on the counter. Oh, and a utensil crock. That's it. Makes life easy.

[DaughterOfKali]

Originally Posted by phatchristy

Oh, and I remember reading is some clutter free book you should only keep appliances out if you use them more than 2x a week. That's the guideline I use here...

It's a good idea...in theory. But I certainly don't have any place to put the small appliances when not in use.

[hookahgirl]

We have lots of cabniet space, more than counter space, so sitting out we have the microwave, a butter crock and a knife block.