What Belongs on Your Kitchen Counter Top?

A clean counter top can feel like the impossible dream in a house with small kids (and now, around here, grandparents too). That said, I really can't stand to have my kitchen overrun with STUFF. So here's my time-tested list of what I've found to be helpful to have out, full-time, on the kitchen counter top. The rest is what you should stow away.

 

No more than 2-3 appliances! My favorites are:
A toaster or toaster oven - Let's face it, people like toast. Keep the crumb tray cleaned out regularly and the outside surface wiped down.
The coffeemaker - Caveat: this should be out only if you're drinking coffee daily. If it's only used occasionally, like that espresso / latte machine you got for your wedding but never use - put it in the cupboard.
KitchenAid Mix Master - This thing looks too cool to put away and it weighs a ton. Nice to have it out if you bake regularly.

 

Your knives -- and right next to them, your favorite cutting board.
My rule: keep together what you use together. Your knives could be displayed hanging from a magnetic strip or in a butcher block. (I like knives stored in a drawer too, but with my little ones that's just asking for trouble. Gotta keep 'em up high.) I like my big wooden cutting board (not for meat, though!) right next to my sink so I can chop and just swipe the leftover veggie tops and such in the sink. Other plastic cutting boards are stored under the sink so I can pop them out as needed.

 

Cooking utensils (spatulas, wooden spoons, etc.) you often need to grab.
I like to keep the wooden spoons together in their own little jug so they look like more of a collection, and the metal stuff in it's own container. Ceramic pitchers or wooden boxes are great catchalls for these and add a little style.

 

Salt shaker & pepper mill
I only keep my big salt and pepper shakers out on the counter by my stove. All other spices are in two drawers next to the stove, laid flat, organized A-Z . I've had spice racks before, and while they can be pretty, I found them mostly to just be dusty space hogs (they never hold all the spices I use anyway). If you need a bit more than S&P out, a cake stand can look pretty for the spices you want out but up off the counter top.

 

Bowl of non-refrigerated fruit / veggies
Some stuff just can't go in the fridge. Bananas, onions, potatoes, garlic... I usually keep these in a big ceramic bowl or two on the counter top. Hanging baskets are nice for these items too.

 

Paper towels.
You may have this hanging from a rod or on a stand.

 

Hand soap dispenser
I like a glass dispenser or something prettier than the plastic bottles you get at the grocery store. In a pinch, peel off the ugly labels. I've had dish washing soap dispensers out in the past, but I just have that under the sink now. One less thing that needs to be out.

A dish to hold your sink's sponge / scrubber.
A pretty dish is nicer and neater than having your sponges and the like perched on the edge of the sink.

Optional: A plant 
A little greenery (a herb pot or two) is always nice.

Optional: A laptop
What's more practical than having a computer in your kitchen to surf the web / look up recipes / check your Facebook / etc.?  Thanks to my laptop, all my cookbooks have found a new home on a shelf in my pantry, out of sight.

Optional: Charging station
We've got the land line phone, cell phones, iPods and a Blackberry to juggle around here. I like a charging station to keep the cords corralled and handy. The only rule though is that the charging station can't become a dumping ground for spare change, nails, golf balls, receipts, and whatever else you've got in your pockets.

So here's a short list of what's NOT on my counter top these days:

• The microwave - It hangs above the stove
• A breadbox - Loaves, bagels, etc. are stored on a dedicated shelf in the pantry.
• A cookie jar - Cookies get stale in jars. Put them in Tupperware or ziplocs and in the cupboard (having a "snack shelf" can keep them top of mind). 
• Cookbooks - see Laptop section above! 
• Extra cutting boards
• Lots of spice jars 
• Storage jars - Pastas, flour, sugar, etc. go in the cupboard. These decorative jars can be nice, I just have a small kitchen.
• A dish drying rack - A rimmed cookie sheet and metal rack do great when something needs to air dry. Better yet, use a towel and put those dishes away.
• Bottles of cooking oils - I used to have olive oils and the like out for a handy drizzle here and there, but I really just find them to be a sticky goo magnets and it is just as practical to have them tucked away in a dark pantry near by (where oils keep better anyway).
• Bills, paperwork and the mail -  This one is hard to do, but you just gotta commit to having no stacks. Be ruthless and throw stuff out, file away, scan into your computer, and read mail immediately when it arrives.
• Bottles, cans, boxes and anything that needs to be recycled - Get a dedicated trash can for these items and stow them until garbage day. 
• Food processor / blender - Do you use it very regularly or just like looking at it? The former is fine, the latter is not. Put it away and use it when you need it.

I know a clean(ish) counter top is a challenge for everyone. I'd love to know what works well for you - every house is different.