Unless we are just about to run the dishwasher immediately following our dinner, I always hand wash kitchen utensils as well.
Your containers are lovely, but I wouldn’t want them on my counter all the time. But, that’s just me.
I also have 2 containers to store utensils on the counter. One is stainless and the other is ceramic.
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Items on the counter send me into a deep funk. I Ike my counters as clear as possible, so most of the kitchen stuff is in cabinets and drawers. That said, @ChoatieMom’s solution looks cool.
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I’m with you, but I have 30 linear feet of counter running along two walls of my kitchen and an 11’x12’ island, so there there is plenty of space for the things I need to keep at hand, no clutter. But, when we entertain, I clear off almost everything. Our guests don’t need to see small appliances or utensils. Ours is very hard-working kitchen as cooking is our hobby and central to our days. There is nothing on my counter that isn’t used almost every single day or multiple times a day, although I keep the toaster in a cabinet because I hate the sight of toasters on counters. I have many eccentricities. Don’t be me. 
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I too have two jars on the counter. One holds wood utensils, the other metal. The knives sit in the middle. One is a white milk jug, the other turquoise. The handles on the knives are turquoise too.
When my kitchen was redone, maybe 10 years ago, the contractor put in 3 big drawers with dividers. Everything went back organized, and I haven’t added anything. The miscellaneous drawer is only 8” wide, so not enough space for clutter. That holds a few restaurant menus and little else.
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Just found somebody very local who is collecting used prom dresses for a charity - now I just need my daughter to agree to donate her junior and senior prom dresses
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I have lots of stuff on counters (but still plenty of workspace too). We have some utensils in drawers, but many are on a wall rack with hooks between counter and upper cabinet. I’ve considered thinking it to one item per hook, rest in drawer (or maybe someday giveaway).
If y’all have seen my other thread, I am working on adding decor to a section of counter in our dining area. Which seems to run counter (no pun intended!) to my otherwise minimalist leanings. However, this section of counter is not space that I would ever use as a prep area.
I have hand soap and paper towels by my sink. On the opposite counter I have my Keurig and a fruit bowl. My utensils are all in a wide drawer in the main corner where I prep which is adjacent to my range. My goal is to keep the prep area as clear as possible. But, I don’t have near the counter space that @ChoatieMom has.
Totally agree about appliances. Keurig is the only thing I have out.
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H has all of his meds, phone and electronics on the kitchen counter – takes up a ton of space and he’s not amenable to moving it. One good thing about Covid is that I am actually using my sewing room now instead of the kitchen! That removed a bunch of clutter and aggravation right there.
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thanks, Hoggirl, for describing this so well. It is helpful. I can see how a lot of it is realizing that a season of our lives is over. I am trying to figure out ways to honor that feeling without keeping all the overwhelming amount of stuff.
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This morning when getting ready for church, I had it in mind to wear a dressy print fleece cardigan that I had noticed last month in the coat closet. LOL - when I got to the closet, I realized it had been one of the “maybe” items that I had opted to put in my donation pile for the 1000+ families that lost homes in wildfires. There was not a bit of regret as I switched to a fleece vest that looked just fine with the top/pants.
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On Saturday my good friend who moved last year called. I was telling her about the decluttering and she said in the 8 months since they moved there have only been 2 times she and/or her husband regretted getting rid of something and both times it was something very small and they could make do. She has found having less “stuff” very freeing.
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I think it is important when decluttering to also consider the replacement cost of getting rid of something. As an example, I was pretty ruthless about purging glass casseroles. How many of those does one need? It turned out that I actually needed one more of a certain size than I thought (not often, but sometimes), and it was around $12 to replace one that I had purged.
Obviously the replacement cost test doesn’t work with sentimental items, but I think it can help with practical items.
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@Hoggirl That’s a good point. Because we are moving, we are also thinking “is it worth the cost of moving it?”
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S came in without his wife & kids for a family wedding over the weekend and worked in his room for several hours Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning. He sorted through quite a bit of his accumulated stuff and tossed some, set some aside for more research and set some aside to transport later (he flew in and was constrained by what could be transported, but that pile is pretty minimal). He joked that he needed to come back for about a week next time, but he does know he needs to return at some point this spring before I list the house later this year. His sister groaned on the phone when I told her about his experience as she is next to sort through her room. She knows she has much here that she will want for her daughter (American Girl stuff & books, etc.). S had 2 daughters, so most of his toys will not be joining his household.
S & DIL are considering buying a home in her hometown to use a few weeks a year and to rent out the rest of the time, so he has mentioned that they may want his bedroom furniture which is in good shape and some other furniture that won’t be moving with me to my next home. That was great news for me that I might be able to easily channel those things towards a new home.
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If undecided on a purge of an unsentimental item, remember that some items can be repurchased at thrift shop cheaply if you need them in future. Last week I was ready to let go of some kitchen baskets, purchased from thrift shops. Surprisingly it was hubby that said keep them all. Since they store in a stack on top of the cabinets, I agreed (for now). But I do think the thought process of decluttter candidates is helpful, in case I ever do need to downsize quickly in future.
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I love thrift store shopping.
I had a week once where I broke three of my everyday, just-for-me wine glasses. (No idea why it was such a bad week!) I went to Goodwill and replaced them with reasonable glasses at just a buck apiece.
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thanks! always good to remind myself that I will be just fine even if I reach for something that I have given away. I do have other options.
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This thread is so motivating! Thanks for all the encouraging experiences and insights!
Since my D just went back to college, I’ve been tearing through the house cleaning, purging, organizing (maybe to distract myself!).
I have a pile of old linens set to go to an animal shelter, a pile of non-perishables from the pantry set to go to local church pantry, and a big pile of old winter coats to go to Goodwill.
My husband will be happy when there are no more piles! Just have to follow-through with conveying all to the destinations!
It’s also a bit exciting because I can see these reductions as steps toward downsizing and being really free of excess stuff in a smaller place in the future.
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That’s great! Yea, the piles can be an eyesore… but they are a step along the way. Perhaps put the coats in the car for near-term donation (when you pass by Goodwill), to get good use this winter.
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