Kitchen counters are mainly used to prepare food. But in many households, they also serve as a catch-all for various things that can easily turn into clutter. Over time, clutter can affect food preparation as it takes up precious counter space. This can be an issue in smaller homes like those typically found near the central business district in Singapore.
To ensure you can maximize your kitchen space, you need to keep your countertops clutter-free. It can also encourage you to prepare more meals at home, especially when your kitchen is equipped with the best kitchen appliances Singapore residents rely on. Moreover, cluttered counters can make you feel stressed and overwhelmed. To get the most out of your space and relieve any clutter-related stress, here are some ways to help keep your counters clean.
Store Rarely-Used Appliances
While keeping your appliances out on your counter for easy reach seems like a good idea, it can limit your space for meal preparations. So unless you use the particular appliance every day or each time you cook, you need to keep it off the counter. The best practice is to keep only one or two types of appliances on the counter. For your rarely-used appliances, store them in your cupboards or cabinets.
Keep Only Necessary Items on the Counter
When you pile your counter with clutter, you are more likely to set other things down and add more clutter. To help you maintain a clean countertop, keep only the necessities, such as frequently-used cooking utensils and ingredients. However, you also need to make sure it is safe to store them on your counter. For example, it might be tempting to set your fancy knife block on the counter. But if you have young children in the house, this can be a risky choice. Instead, keep sharp knives in drawers with a lock to keep them away from your little ones. Another good option is to install a magnetic knife rack at a high point to keep these sharp pointy objects beyond the reach of your kids while still being accessible when you prepare food.
When it comes to your olive oil and spices, don’t place them on the counter. Although this can keep these ingredients within reach, the light and heat from sunlight and cooking surfaces can lessen their quality and flavours. It’s better to store them in a cool dark place like your pantry.
Put Dishware Away Immediately
One of the most effective ways to keep your kitchen counter clean is to put all your dishes away immediately. Whether these are dirty or clean plates, attend to them right away. Don’t leave dirty dishes sitting by the counter or in the sink, and wash and dry them as soon as possible. Then, keep them in the cupboard. This will help clear out your counter space and prevent food stains from ruining your counters.
On a similar note, don’t let your beautiful china and dinnerware sit on your counter for too long—especially those that you only use on holidays or special occasions. They will just accumulate dust and add to the things you will need to wipe regularly so that it doesn’t get into the food you are preparing or eating. If you want to show off your fancy dishware, you can keep them in a glass-front cabinet or hang them on the wall.
Minimize Decorative Pieces
A plant beside the sink or under the window can add aesthetic value to your kitchen, but too many trinkets on the counter can quickly turn your décor into an eyesore. It’s the same with your decorative canisters and containers. While you want to display these attractive items on the counter for everyone to see, it can make your countertop look cluttered. Instead of putting these pieces on the counter, find other places in the kitchen for them. You can keep them on a shelf above the counter and maximize the vertical space in your kitchen.
Dedicate a Place for Mail and Papers
It’s so easy to rest your mail, receipts and magazines on top of the counter once you enter your home. But this can quickly accumulate and result in having stacks of paper resting on the kitchen counter. Apart from taking over your already limited space, ink stains can quickly set onto your countertop surface if these papers get wet.
As a solution, you can set a central location for all your papers and mail. You can attach a magnetic holder to your fridge where you can store billing statements and other important documents. When it comes to your mail, you can do something similar. You can dedicate an area in your study or in the entryway where you can place your mail. To stay organized, sort your mail regularly. This way, you won’t miss out on important notices and you can get rid of junk mail immediately.
Clean Your Counters Every Night
As you cap off the night, include cleaning your kitchen counters in your nightly routine. Before going to bed, clean your counters using a damp non-abrasive cloth or sponge with a mild liquid detergent. Rinse it with water and wipe the surface dry with a fresh cotton cloth. Also, make sure to put back everything where they belong. Don’t leave out unnecessary items on the kitchen counters. You’ll appreciate having fresh clean kitchen counters the next day.
Keeping your kitchen counter clean and clutter-free has various benefits. It can help make food preparations more efficient and eliminate the stress related to a cluttered space. If you want to clear the clutter on your counter, you can start small by keeping unused items in cupboards and throwing out junk mail. Do this regularly so you can continuously enjoy having clean kitchen counters.
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