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11 Storage Tricks That Will Keep Your Kitchen Counters Totally Clear

Because you've got cooking (not decluttering) to do.

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Kitchen Counter Organizing

Because you've got cooking (not decluttering) to do.

1

Hang cooking utensils right where you need them.

bosch 800 series induction cooktop
Annie Schlechter

Crocks of spoons and spatulas can certainly be stylish, but they get in the way. In this Scandinavian-inspired kitchen designed by Susan Serra, a few choice utensils hang neatly over the stove.

2

Strap cutting boards to a cabinet door.

Wood, Hardwood, Fixture, Tan, Wood stain, Plywood, Varnish, Handle, Home door,
Tikkido

Slim boards stay tucked away (but won't stop your cabinet from closing) in this clever storage spot.

Get the tutorial at Tikkido »

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3

Dedicate a cabinet as an "appliance garage."

Flowerpot, Kitchen, Kitchen appliance, Houseplant, Gas, Countertop, Plumbing fixture, Small appliance, Kitchen appliance accessory, Major appliance,
Build-Basic

Your coffeepot, toaster, and even stand mixer will likely always command some countertop real estate. But if you can't ditch 'em, and hide 'em — and discourage the domino effect that starts with one out-of-place item and ends with a counter covered in clutter.

Get the tutorial at Build-Basic »

4

Stow cereal and snacks below the counter.

pull out snack drawers
Jason Donnelly

There's nothing that cramps your granite's style like a row of ripped cereal boxes. Designer Karin Edwards found a solution with a handy pull-out cabinet that still lets you admire the matching bins you got at the Container Store.

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5

Give magazines a discreet home.

Fruit, Produce, Peach, Gas, Recipe, Natural foods, Local food, Whole food, Food group, Kitchen appliance,
White Tulip Designs

Unearth your favorite cooking mags from the pile of junk mail, and offer them a dedicated place in your kitchen.

Get the tutorial at White Tulip Designs »

6

Float shelves on the side of the cabinet.

Major appliance, Room, Home appliance, Kitchen, Kitchen appliance, Grey, Kitchen appliance accessory, Small appliance, Shelf, Cabinetry,
The Chronicles of Home

Can you sense that we feel sorry for bare cabinet sides, just dying for a job? Here, floating shelves give kitchen accessories an easily reachable home.

Get the tutorial at The Chronicles of Home »

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7

Eliminate the need for a fruit bowl.

countertop bowl
Francesco Lagnese

We admit this idea is a bit high-concept – but isn't it totally genius? Designer Mick De Giulio revealed the built-in "bowl" in our 2012 Kitchen of the Year. The stylish divot means you always have a place to hold recipe ingredients — and you can clean it in just one swipe of a disinfecting wipe.

8

Hang a dish rack over the sink.

Wood, Brown, Room, Wood stain, Kitchen sink, Sink, Plumbing fixture, Hardwood, Plywood, Kitchen,
Instructables

Life just shouldn't be a series of taking out the dish rack ... putting away the dish rack ... taking out the dish rack. This permanent one lets dishes drip dry in an orderly fashion — and won't rob you of prep space.

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9

Turn you backsplash into storage.

Room, Shelving, Shelf, Picture frame, Countertop, Houseplant, Kitchen appliance, Kitchen,
17 Apart

Ah, what can't the IKEA FINTORP system do? Here, it lifts produce and other odds-and-ends off the counter, and mimics the hanging knife rack nearby.

Get the tutorial at 17 Apart »

10

Choose an island with open storage.

Wood, Room, Interior design, Display device, Floor, Shelving, Shelf, Flooring, Furniture, Home,
Mom 4 Real

This piece started its life as sideboard. But repurposed as an island, the shelves provide a place to stash cookbooks and extra tools, keeping pertinent items right at your fingertips but never totally out in the open.

Get the tutorial at Mom 4 Real »

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11

Turn a pallet into a catch-all organizer.

Shelving, Collection, Shelf, Brush, Tool, Paint brush, Gauge, Measuring instrument, Makeup brushes, Cosmetics,
Schon's Ideas

A pallet's grid of slim slats provides a flexible storage station unlike any other — a magnetic knife rack can clip to a board, hooks can dangle in-between, and you can even leave yourself a note wherever you can grab some extra space.

Get the tutorial at Schon's Ideas »

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