8 Things You Should Never Store on Your Countertops

Wanna know a little secret for getting dinner on the table faster, smarter, and more efficiently? You just need clear countertops with lots of room for prepping and cooking! Just think of the mise en place possibilities!

We came up with this list to help you pin down the culprits of your countertop clutter and get them clear once and for all. Banish these things from your counters and not only will you have the room you need to do your thing, but you’ll also end up reducing visual clutter and making your kitchen the sanctuary you need it to be.

If you only make toast when you have a craving or smoothies in the summer, tuck the toaster and blender away for safe keeping. Your kitchen counters should be treated as prime real estate saved for the things that you use most often.

Olive oil should be kept in a cool, dark place — preferably in an opaque vessel — not on your countertop right next to the stove. Light from windows and heat from the stove can make your oil go rancid faster!

We’re all for using cookbooks in the kitchen (obviously!), but the best way to dirty all of your favorites at once is to leave them out on counters where food prep happens. Keep them out of the way, on a shelf, instead for easy access and categorization! Then pull them out, one at a time, when inspiration strikes. (Don’t be too hard on yourself, though — food splatters are a given.)

This is a biggie. It’s super easy to get a little lackadaisical when it comes to all the paper that crosses our kitchens. We’re talking mail, coupons, pamphlets, permission slips, the works. Don’t let it pile up — especially not on your counters! We love this decorative metal, mountable envelope from Target for storing the important stuff.

Unless you’re hosting a dinner party every single night, there’s no need for your largest platters, gravy boats, or serving utensils to be out in plain sight. Stow it away for special occasions and you’ll be left with the counter space you’ve always dreamed of.

The same goes for your spiralizers, avocado pitters, strawberry hullers, and lemon zesters. Tuck them away in a drawer — or in an appropriate home — so they’re out of sight until duty calls!

It can be tempting to keep things like flour and sugar decanted in pretty canisters on the counter, but that can be a waste of previous counter space. They’re called pantry staples for a reason! Tuck them away for safe keeping in the pantry.

Leaving wine bottles out on the countertop is not only a waste of space, but it’s also doing a disservice to your bottle collection! They’ll look better in a wine rack or on a bar cart, and you’ll be able to easily assess what you have and what you need.

What do you keep out on your countertops?

This post originally ran on Kitchn. See it there: 8 Things You Should Never Store on Your Countertops