kitchen countertop question

[ProudGrandma]

What do you keep on your kitchen countertop? It always seems to me that I have so much on mine, but I don't know where else to go with certain things becasue I use them so often.

 

For example: the coffee pot, cookie jar, bread basket, PC caddy for untensils, olive oil container by stove, big jar of coconut oil (use this mult.times a day). Then I also have an old dresser that I have been using for storage in my kitchen that has my bread machine, grain grinder and kitchen aid mixer on. (I use all of these very often). My storage is limited for big items like the last 3 I named.

 

I must say that all of the items listed take up all of my counter top space along the wall....I have space in front to do meal prep...but I can't see my wall at all.

 

I am aksing this, becasue I am thinking about getting a large sized toaster oven but I have no place to put it.

 

So, what can I do?? Any great ideas for me??

 

thanks.

[amyco]

Could you put the bread basket and cookie jar on top of the fridge or in a pantry? Do you have a toaster at all now? Could you settle for a smaller one and stow it somewhere else, over the fridge, under the sink, in a lower cupboard? We have a toaster oven that gets stuff put on top of it sometimes...maybe if you got one of those you could put the bread basket on top of it except for when you're making toast.

 

That's all I've got. :)

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

Could you put the bread basket and cookie jar on top of the fridge or in a pantry? Do you have a toaster at all now? Could you settle for a smaller one and stow it somewhere else, over the fridge, under the sink, in a lower cupboard? We have a toaster oven that gets stuff put on top of it sometimes...maybe if you got one of those you could put the bread basket on top of it except for when you're making toast.

 

That's all I've got. :)

 

Except, if you forget to take the stuff off the toaster oven before you turn it on, you'll have melted goo all over your toaster oven. Ask me how I know.

 

I'm no help. I keep everything out that I use all the time, too. I would probably try to find a new home for the cookie jar, first, and then maybe the bread basket.

[amyco]

Yikes! Yes, that is certainly a consideration. I haven't melted anything, but I have left the metal baking pan that goes in the toaster oven on top, and ppl have been nearly burned picking it up after it sat there while I was making toast.

[ThisIsTheDay]

My kitchen countertop:

 

a plant to hide the phone outlet

coffeepot

fruit bowl

paper towel holder

jug of water if it won't fit in the fridge

 

Everything else is put away. The toaster is often used several times a day and gets put away each time in an undercabinet.

 

I have a good amount of storage space in my kitchen. In the past, we've put things in a china cabinet in the kitchen, in the linen closet, in the basement.

 

If you are looking for room for a toaster oven, you might consider:

 

Finding drawer or cabinet space for your utensils, getting rid of the utensil caddy.

 

Storing the cookie jar contents in tupperware/plastic bags and putting away in a food cabinet.

 

Putting your oils in a cabinet near the stove. (You'll have to open the cabinet to use them, but won't it be nice to get them off the counter?!)

 

I'd also find real homes for at least two of the items you have stored on the dresser. It'd clear up space for the toaster oven, which would look sleeker against the dresser and wall than the bulkier mixer.

 

If I needed more space in this house, I'd consider asking dh to build small, enclosed shelves in the garage, since the door is into the kitchen.

 

How fun, I'd like to have a toaster oven! I'm sure my family would get a lot of good use from it.

[cjzimmer1]

What do you keep on your kitchen countertop? It always seems to me that I have so much on mine, but I don't know where else to go with certain things becasue I use them so often.

 

For example: the coffee pot, cookie jar, bread basket, PC caddy for untensils, olive oil container by stove, big jar of coconut oil (use this mult.times a day). Then I also have an old dresser that I have been using for storage in my kitchen that has my bread machine, grain grinder and kitchen aid mixer on. (I use all of these very often). My storage is limited for big items like the last 3 I named.

 

I must say that all of the items listed take up all of my counter top space along the wall....I have space in front to do meal prep...but I can't see my wall at all.

 

I am aksing this, becasue I am thinking about getting a large sized toaster oven but I have no place to put it.

 

So, what can I do?? Any great ideas for me??

 

thanks.

 

My mom is not a good housekeeper and so I grew up always having the counter at least half full of stuff. So from the beginning, I've always struggled with keeping the counters clean. But when I do clear them I LOVE it and always vow to do better. Over the years I have gotten better and for the key is getting all the appliances off the counter.

 

My kitchen is small and so I found that even leaving the basics out left me with very little room to work. Bit by bit, over the years, I'm moved things out and I realized I really don't need to keep much on my counter. So the microwave stays out (too big to move) and the knife block stays outs. But the toaster, Bosch mixer, grain mill, crockpots etc all get put away. Even though at least one of those gets hauled out every day. Yes it's a few extra steps but it gives me so much more room to work that I don't mind.

 

Things that stuck out to me with your lists. Utensils, I always keep them in a drawer. Personally I think they stay much cleaner that way where they are not exposed to dust and grease in the air. But I do store them in the very top drawer so I have easy access to them.

 

The oils, I've always heard they should be stored in cool dark places, if your kitchen is like mine it's the exact opposite. I would fill a small jar (maybe a pint or so) and keep them in the cupboard close to wear you cook and store the larger containers elsewhere. Refill as needed (great jobs for kids if they are old enough to handle it)

 

Cookies personally we store all ours in the fridge because we like the fresh baked taste and they maintain that longer in the fridge. Is this something you really keep full ALL the time or is it more decorative? If you really keep it loaded, could you make it a centerpiece on your table so it's not taking counter space?

 

For things used less than once a week (large roaster pans, huge soup pots, electric fry pans), I have storage shelves in the basement that I keep things on, my kids just got lots of exercise running appliances up and down the stairs. Could you move something into a basement and just know that the kids will be fetching it for you? Maybe something that is currently in a cupboard and so something that is on the counter could be moved into the cupboard space.

 

Since I can't see your space, I have no idea if these suggestions are helpful or not but sometimes thinking out of the box helps. I no longer worry about "kitchen" stuff being stored in "kitchen" spaces. I've known people to store canned goods on bookshelves or under a bed. Any space is acceptable as long as it works for you.

[Mom-ninja.]

I have a bread box that holds our cloth napkins instead of bread.

 

Coffee maker

 

Plants and bottle of hand lotion behind my sink

 

Cutting boards

 

Mixer

 

Trivets

 

Salt shaker

 

Utensil holder w/ utensils

 

Wine rack w/ wine

 

Plastic container for recyclables

[SailorMom]

No matter how many times a day or week it is used - I take them off the counter....

We have - on the counter- a microwave, french press pot, toaster and a dish drying rack. Everything else goes in the pantry or in a cupboard. The toaster only stays out because the crumbs make such a mess when I try to move it.

Not only do I have more counter space to use, it is 100% easier to clean a kitchen that doesn't have stuff all over it.

 

I would suggest all of the stuff on that dresser you have find a better home. I doubt you use those three daily. I know you have limited options for big items - but can you rearrange some things?

[Ellie]

What do you keep on your kitchen countertop? It always seems to me that I have so much on mine, but I don't know where else to go with certain things becasue I use them so often.

 

For example: the coffee pot, cookie jar, bread basket, PC caddy for untensils, olive oil container by stove, big jar of coconut oil (use this mult.times a day). Then I also have an old dresser that I have been using for storage in my kitchen that has my bread machine, grain grinder and kitchen aid mixer on. (I use all of these very often). My storage is limited for big items like the last 3 I named.

 

I must say that all of the items listed take up all of my counter top space along the wall....I have space in front to do meal prep...but I can't see my wall at all.

 

I am aksing this, becasue I am thinking about getting a large sized toaster oven but I have no place to put it.

 

So, what can I do?? Any great ideas for me??

 

thanks.

 

One left side of cooktop:

Coffee maker

 

On right side of the cooktop (and pantry next to that):

electric kettle

cute Longeberger bread basket with three small cannisters in it (loose tea, tea bags, whole wheat macaroni)

 

Above the cooktop:

microwave oven

 

On the island:

white enameled bread box

block for knives

thingie to hang bananas

 

to the right of the sink: usually nothing, but we bought a Keurig a few months ago, so it lives there now (dishwasher below).

 

to the left of the sink (angled counter, lazy-susan corner cabinet below)

toaster oven

Longaberger long tissue basket, bowl of potpurri (sp?), vintage china pitcher

 

(to the left of this counter is a cabinet with a single wall oven, cabinet above, drawers below)

 

Most small applicances (toaster, rice cooker, Bosch attachments, hand mixer, etc.) are in the lazy susan. Stir Crazy Corn Popper is above the oven, as is the Bosch. We take them out to use them and then put them away. I keep almost all food in the pantry--seasonings, cooking oil, canned goods, etc; and a few small appliances (electric frypan, George Foreman grill), cookie sheets, etc. Cooking oil and seasonings are only half a step away from the cooktop, within easy reach but out of sight. The grain mill is also in the pantry.

 

There are upper cabinets on either side of the cooktop; on the left side are coffe mugs, and some stemmed goblets that are rarely used. On the right side upper cabinets are things that go directly into water on the cooktop (or use the boiling water in the electric kettle, such as tea bags), such as oatmeal, spaghetti, or grits (Southern girl here, lol).

 

In California, we had a Black and Decker coffeemaker and 4-slice toaster that were mounted on the under side of the wall-hung cabinets. We *loved* them, but our cabinets here are constructed differently such that Mr. Ellie would have had to do some customizing to make them fit. Not worth it for us, but you might check them out to see if they'd work for you.

 

Also in California, I kept some small appliances--Bosch, grain mill, rice cooker, etc.--in a closet that was a few steps away, around the corner in the living room (we never knew why that closet was there, as it had built-in shelves and so wasn't a coat closet, and there was a coat closet down the hall near the bedrooms. :001_huh:) There just wasn't room in the kitchen for them to be anywhere except on the counters, and I just cannot bear to have lots of stuff on my counters. I also stored a couple of things down the hall in the linen closet.

[cottonmama]

I found that when my grain mill was stored off the counter I didn't bake as much. So I would vote for leaving out your mill, bread machine, and KA mixer.

 

On my counters are:

 

-Blender (this doesn't need to be out, but I keep it out to encourage me to make smoothies)

-Bowl for onions and garlic

-Drying rack

-Big huge toaster oven

-A basket for oil, salt shaker, and peppermill

-Bread board and knife

-Banana tree

-Pencil jar

 

And then we have a separate table in the dining room with our bread machine and grain mill on them. Our microwave is mounted above the stove.

 

This house has a relatively small kitchen (not much bigger than our tiny apartment kitchen at our last place), and there's still plenty of room for meal prep as long as the dishes get picked up first. I keep the biggest section of counter space pretty sparse (just the blender, onions, and drying rack), and that adds to the feeling of space.

 

I would vote for moving the cookie jar and/or the oils.

[Desert Rat]

This is me. We even put the toaster away after using it. On my counters I have the coffee maker and mason jars of coffee and mocha (I have a vintage country kitchen). I have an old glass pitcher of utensils and 2 glass containers with flour and sugar. I also have a paper towel holder an an old enamalware bowl that holds the recycling stuff.

I have a big kitchen with lots of counterspace. I would rather have less on them, but I do share the house with a man who has ideas of his own. Go figure. :) I don't drink coffee so that would be the first to go.

Everything else is stored out of sight.

[plansrme]

What lives on my countertop: one decorative platter in the far reaches of a corner.

 

Everything else goes in a cabinet or in the garage. My husband's K-cup is on a counter in the breakfast room, and even that was a struggle for me! My grain mill and bread maker are on a shelf in the garage, plugged in so that I can use them in the garage (who wants to use a grain mill in the house anyway? sounds like a jet plane!). The toaster gets put away every time it is used. My brand spankin' new KA mixer goes in a cabinet. Cookbooks go in a built-in bookshelf on my island. And yes, I have ingredients or utensils that I use repeatedly, but I despise clutter and love open spaces. Even my microwave is in a cabinet. Yes, you have to kneel down to get to it, but who wants to look at a microwave? or toaster oven?

 

My suggestions would be to find other rooms in which your grain mill and bread maker can live; ditch the cookie jar entirely; put the coconut and olive oils in a cabinet or in the fridge; put the utensils in a drawer; and ditch all decorative items. Relegate little-used items to the basement or a hall closet to make room for the items you use more often. My wok, for instance, lives in the basement to make room for the skillets I really do use every day.

 

Terri

[Annie G]

Things I keep on the counter are used every single day. It doesn't take long to take out and put away the toaster oven and blender that I use every day but over a period of months or years, that little bit of time adds up. So they live on the counter instead. I also use things such as salt, butter, etc., but they are easy to get from a cabinet. So in your kitchen I'd probably put the oils in a cabinet, and maybe the utensils if you have room. And the cookies could be put in a cabinet, but if you're partial to the cookie jar idea then I can see how storing them away won't work for you.

[Shellers]

I have a fairly big kitchen and there are too many things on my counters to even count. :001_unsure:

 

I prefer to only have my KitchenAid Mixer, Cuisinart, DH's coffee maker, house plant, and dish drainer on the counter tops.

 

Our kitchen is always used and rarely in the condition I would like for it to be in. I don't have a bookcase for my cookbooks, or a place to keep bread products. Then there's the daily vitamins various household members take, the cleaners that never get put away, the recyclables that need to go out into the recycle container, bananas, a container of almonds, dog cookies, etc. Ugh...

[rwjx2khsmj]

On my counters are:

spice rack

basket full of stove top utensils

KA Mixer

2 slim, pretty oil dispensers

coffee maker

coffee grinder

toaster oven

wine bottle opener on the charger

leather tote holding kid's Bible study books

 

I've got plenty of counter space and I don't mind giving a bit for convenience. I wouldn't leave anything out that I didn't use at least every other day.

[Beach Mom]

I am a fanatic about cleared off counters.

 

The only things that stay out on my counter are the coffee maker which is tucked under the corner cabinet, the antique gumball machine which is on a short counter extension and a small charging station for phones which is on the other end of the kitchen. On my island there is sometimes flowers or a seasonal arrangement with a candle.

 

That is all I can stand to leave out. My KA mixer and breadmaker are in cabinets or the pantry, my tools are in drawers next to the stove. When I am cooking I sit a spoon holder next to the range, but it stays in the drawer the rest of the time. Before I go to bed I like counters cleared. Sometimes people will pile mail or papers on the counter, and it drives me crazy:glare:.

 

Busy counters work for some people, and it doesn't bother me to go in other people's kitchens where they keep things out, but it bothers me in my own kitchen.

[ProudGrandma]

thanks for all of the ideas. My biggest issue is my cupboards. First off, this is not my house, so we can't change anything structurally. The kitchen cupboards all have fixed shelves and there is not much space in between any of them....so the tall items like the mixer won't fit inside. Plus, when I have them out (the mixer , bread machine and grain grinder) I use them...if they weren't out, I wouldn't use them. Yes, I agree that the untensils and oils can be stored away. Same as the cookie jar and maybe even the bread basket. I will work on that. thanks for the ideas.

[Scuff]

I have very little counter space. 5 ft total with a sink dividing it. The only things that (should) live on the counter are 3 cookbooks that I use often and the utensil bucket. (no drawr for these) the other side has the dish drainer, since the dishwasher was broken. The microwave and toster oven are on a small metal rack that I got at Ikea. It's just big enough for one on each shelf. The crockpot, blender, and mixer are on a bakers rack in the dining room. Do you have room someplace for a seperate rack, even a small one? That'll help get things off our counter. (and the shelves are far enough apart that they can be used where they sit, so I don't have to move them.)

[OrdinaryTime]

Counters by stove:

Bread basket

Fruit bowl

Toaster

Pitcher of utensils

Teapot

Knife block

Religious Statue

 

Pennisula:

Basket for water bottles/papertowels/misc. junk

 

I (finally!!) have counter space and am loving it. In the past, I only kept out my knife block, utensils, teapot, and toaster. I definitely put up with a little more work putting things away to enjoy lovely vistas of open counterspace!

[LostSurprise]

Why not take turns putting things away for a week and see what you really need out?

 

I've moved things around quite a bit in my kitchen and I like to have things under the overhanging cabinets (it just looks friendly and useful). I did have a microwave and toaster oven that could just go in one spot though. After putting each away for a week I found that the microwave meant more to me. Now the toaster oven is in another room with the dehydrator and the ice cream machine. :D

 

Its all about what's useful to you and what you like looking at.

 

On my counter I have:

 

a thing to put mail in

oil, salt, pepper (by the stove)

paper toweling

knife block

coffee maker

electric kettle

my son's scale/medicines

drying rack

mixer

bread box

cup with pens

microwave

plate holder with recipe books (on the bottom) and fresh fruit (top)

 

I've moved various things but some of them mean more work or mess for me since I have to move things out of their zone. Figure out what works for you.

[kewb]

Too much is what I have on my countertops.

 

Charging Station for all the phones

Crock Pot

Blender

Coffee Maker

Drying Rack

Junk Mail Holder

Cookie Jar

Utensil Holder

[KungFuPanda]

For example: the coffee pot, cookie jar, bread basket, PC caddy for untensils, olive oil container by stove, big jar of coconut oil (use this mult.times a day). Then I also have an old dresser that I have been using for storage in my kitchen that has my bread machine, grain grinder and kitchen aid mixer on. (I use all of these very often). My storage is limited for big items like the last 3 I named.

 

My counters have a dish drainer, crock of cooking utensils, mixer, water boiler, microwave, and toaster oven. That's too much for me. I'm thinking of finding some wall-mounted planters for the utensils and getting a double oven so I can eliminate the toaster oven. I should also get rid of the dish drainer because I pile in it. Eventually, I'd like to mount the microwave over the stove, but that's a little long-term.

 

For you, I'd say put all food in the cabinets. That gets your bread, oils, and cookies out of the way. Just put them in cabinets near where you use them so they'll be easy to reach. My kitchenaid actually replaced my bread machine. Are you using it every week?

[ProudGrandma]

I use my KA and my bread machine 4-6 times a week, easy. My grain grinder maybe weekly...but it is too tall to put in a cupboard in my kitchen. I could put it in the basement, but then if I don't have flour ground, then I won't make bread or muffin and cookies, so then I won't use my KA or my bread machine. Those 3 machines really work together...it's all or nothing...I think. What I really need is a new kitchen...but that won't happen...so I am just trying to learn to live in the one I have. Thanks for your tips, advice and ideas. One day soon, I will work hard in my kitchen trying to make it make sense.