<p>Counters clean and shiny. Redid my kitchen 4 yrs ago and made sure it was more efficient with space use. My kitchen is small. Coffepot, mixer, my vitamix, toaster and a stainless steel pot with cooking utensils is all I have on my counters.
I have a drawer for bread, microwave over the cooktop, soap dispenser built-in. Knives stored in drawer.
I grew up in a house where the kitchen counters were cluttered high with “stuff”. Not even room to make a sandwich. Mail, cannisters, appliances, honey pot etc. When I met my future mother-in-law, it was worse. She never threw out tin pans, all pots and pans on stove, all her spices and appliances. I swore, I hated the clutter.</p>
<p>Mine aren’t cluttered in the “junk” or not cleaned up kind of way, but just lined in the back with kitchen “tools”.</p>
<p>I have way more on my counters than most of your do, but I don’t think they’re cluttered at all. Some of it is decorative, so I like it there. The only bad spot is the end of the island where the mail accumulates because no one except me puts it away.</p>
<p>The more counter you have the more stuff you have on the counter. I have tons of counter space and it still looks messy. One one end we have a basket with bread and tortillas, two knife blocks, basket with onions, bowl of fruit, toaster,magic bullet, soap, paper towel holder,coffee pot, two coffee cannisters, a corner filled with all of H’s large vitamin bottles, tea boxes, D’s meds, kitchen aid mixer. The above is only the permanent items. Add to that a large island that has the washed dishes and all the kids junk.
Spices are in the cabinet, napkins and salt and pepper on the kitchen table.</p>
<p>I have a very small kitchen and while I am not the tidiest person I really don’t like a ton of stuff out, makes the small kitchen seem smaller. Coffee pot always out, I grind enough for a week then put the grinder away. Napkin caddy out, utensil container out in corner by stove. Small stainless round tray next to stove for S&P and olive oil. Spices put away, meds put away in same cabinet above spices. Knives in wall mounted block on side of cabinet above sink. I have a small island that stays clear. Toaster and other small appliances go in lower cabinet and only come out when used. I have found that with heavy appliances like the food processor if I put them on a tray they are easier to pull out and put away.</p>
<p>I have a large island as well as typical counter space. There is nothing on my island (which is where we typically eat) except for a paper towel holder and this drives my mother CRAZY. Her counter tops are accessorized! My counter has a knife block, S&P, toaster (which is used), wire baskets for fruit, coffeemaker, clock radio, family photo, antique decorative plate of our church (my attempt at decorating). This thread has made me recognize that we do not use the coffee maker so it is going in the closet where I keep the other appliances that are used on occassion. Thanks!</p>
<p>I have an open floor plan and that nine feet of shiny black granite needs to stay clean and clear or the entire house looks like a mess.</p>
<p>Like musicamusica ,I have a very open floor plan, so that is part of needing to keep things cleared away. But even in my old kitchen I always just really preferred the look and function of uncluttered counters. Right now, I have a Kitchenaid mixer ( looks good on the counter and gives a pop of color!), a toaster oven ( used constantly), a flat screen TV and plants/ fresh herbs by the window sink. That is pretty much it. The island, which has a full sized sink and is my main prep area ( doubles as a breakfast bar/ buffet) is kept clear unless I’m cooking or serving. Coffee maker is on a separate counter across the room. A desk area has a few photos - a wireless printer is behind cabinet door, files and my mail are in drawers and cabinets. </p>
<p>Paper towels are hidden behind pull outs right next to sink. Small appliances, like the food processor or can opener are in pullouts - a few are on shelves in pantry closet. Knives and cooking utensils are in divided drawers right next to prep area, small spices are in built in cabinet rack behind doors and a pullout. Flour and sugar are in containers in the pantry, also very close to my prep area. There’s a bread drawer in the island and built in soap dispensers. </p>
<p>You can retrofit your kitchen with many of the organizers. Check out the Rev a Shelf line of products, which includes pullouts, drawer dividers, recycling pullouts etc.</p>
<p>I asked the builder to put one of these in the corner of my kitchen after seeing one at the cabinet store (not this brand, but mine looks realy similar):</p>
<p>[Appliance</a> Garages - Cabinet Accessories by Omega National at Cabinet Accessories Unlimited](<a href=“http://www.kitchensource.com/cau/na-ag-100.htm]Appliance”>Appliance Garages - Tambour Corner Wood Kitchen Appliance Garage by Omega National | KitchenSource.com)</p>
<p>It is amazing how quickly clutter disappears with the help of this amazing thing. Out of sight… :)</p>
<p>Mini convection oven, toaster, two knife blocks. Cutting board. Don’t have much counter space so the area is crowded. The the other big items, i.e. the blender and mixer, go in the large free standing pantry.</p>
<p>I thought this was going to be a thread about spouses. :p</p>
<p>as in: Kitchen counters: Me- uncluttered. Him- cluttered.</p>
<p>LOL</p>
<p>I don’t think I read one radio (and only one TV) - my radio with CD player is my most used kitchen appliance on a counter top, along with interior wired sound. Everyone must cook wearing an Ipod.</p>
<p>I used to spend a fair amount of time on CC but have migrated over to the gardenweb kitchen forum. Lots of ingenious storage plans over there. I’d recommend that anyone contemplating a kitchen remodel visit that forum to have folks pick apart your plans even if you’re working with a kitchen designer. </p>
<p>A couple of the niftiest ideas I’ve seen there: a charging drawer with a power strip in back to charge cell phones, i pods, laptops out of sight; a paper towel niche in which a spot that would typically hold a drawer beneath a counter is outfitted with a paper towel holder so towels are at your fingertips but recessed and mostly out of sight. They also note that installing banks of drawers instead of lower cabinets provides much more useful and accessible storage for just about anything in the kitchen.</p>
<p>I have an enormous boom box, bought 20+ years ago, on one of my counters. I love listening to public radio when I’m in the kitchen, so it’s worth the space. All my counters are pretty cluttered, though I clean off the mess before guests come over. Sometimes.</p>
<p>Zipyourlips, My best ideas were all from gardenweb!</p>
<p>I dunno. When I get the counters and Island all clear it just makes me feel nervous and I put the mess back. A totally clean counter makes me want to act out . . .</p>
<p>I used to LIVE on garden web (but kitchen garden) before CC!</p>
<p>Roshke, I should have guessed from your description of your kitchen!</p>
<p>If only I could see what my kitchen countertop looked like. One day. ;)</p>
<p>Guilty of overflowing! Coffemaker, favorite coffee cups, coffee grinder, oils, vinegars, Salt and Pepper grinders, knife block, cutting board, bread basket, vase, plants, another cutting board (one for me, one for H), toaster, TV, phone chargers, and the list goes on…and the cupboards and pantry are full. :-(</p>