The Best Kitchen Counter Organization Products to Cut Down on Clutter
Updated: Jan. 25, 2024
Optimize your counter space with these kitchen counter organization ideas.
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A major part of cleaning up is storing items back in their rightful place. However, there is a difference between putting items away and organizing them. Cleaning feels great yet seeing everything organized in a neat and proper manner is a whole other refreshing experience. An organized environment positively affects a person’s mental and emotional state. Moreover, kitchen organization is important as the average American spends over an hour a day in their kitchen.
Autumn brings a change in seasons so don’t wait until the New Year to get rid of some things before winter in order to achieve an organized kitchen and healthier mindset. We compiled a list of amazing organization ideas to inspire and jumpstart your kitchen counter organization. We even onboarded some organization professionals to provide insight into their favorite kitchen counter home storage solutions.
3 Piece Cereal Dispenser Set
Finding quality kitchen counter organization doesn’t have to be difficult. Most people do not store cereal on their countertops as their storage is focused more on pantry organization. However, Oxo’s cereal dispensers are powerful tools for those with kids and those without. Kids get hungry often, and these dispensers allow parents to serve a quick snack anytime.
No more stumbling through a pantry, fiddling with a bag and praying for no spills when pouring cereal in a sandwich bag to go to visit the grans. Just grab the sandwich bag, pour the kiddo’s favorite cereal and go. Moreover, the Oxo cereal dispensers are usable for more than just cereal. Store granola, sugar, trail mix, peanuts or any cereal-sized fruits and healthy snacks in these air-tight and durable containers.
Double Acrylic Spice Rack
More seasoned cooks tend to have, well, a bunch of seasonings and spices. Different tastes, recipes and cooking styles call for different seasonings and spices which quickly accumulate and rack up over the years. The double acrylic spice rack maximizes counter space and allows users to store their favorite and most-used seasonings and spices atop one another.
Emphasis on “most-used” as spices are on our list of items you don’t store on kitchen countertops. Keep this space-saving spice rack at arms’ reach around and not too close to the stove and away from direct sunlight to keep your spices fresh.
Cooking Tool & Lid Station
The Yamazaki Tower cooking tool & lid station is convenience and manifestation in a practical physical form. Often times there’s no designated place to put a lid when cooking. Working with a larger pot means the lid will take up a lot of counter real estate even if for a moment. Accumulated steam and liquids drip from removed lids and cooking tools causing a mess on countertops.
This station keeps your lids and cooking tools from becoming cross-contaminated from dripping on the counter and creates a designated spot for tools while they wait for their next stage in the cooking process. Its nifty design has a drip tray base and segmented bars to hold your lid and tools.
Berwyn Large Mug Tree
This one is for avid coffee and tea drinkers or even for those who have a few favorite mugs. Using the Wayfair Basics Berwyn Large Mug Tree keeps those favorite mugs ready for their next use. Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, holidays and other days of celebration and appreciation often lead to an increase in mugs especially as the years go by.
The mug tree lets users display their favorite mugs on rotation throughout the year such as putting Valentine’s mugs out in February. Ceramic mugs aren’t the only type of cups that store well on the mug tree. Sippy cups and plastic mugs may adorn this tree in a decorative fashion.
Paper Towel Pump
A good wipe-down of any kitchen surface after use is recommended especially when dealing with oil and grease. However, people sometimes forget to clean up after cooking or eating. The SimpleHuman Paper Towel Pump not only solves this issue but also takes cleaning to a whole new level by acting as an all-in-one cleaner dispensing device. People will not have to check their cabinets for cleaning supplies because the pump spray is built into the paper towel holder.
Press the spring-loaded pump to release it from the product base and start spraying your favorite kitchen-safe cleaner. Wipe the counter and mess away with an easily dispensed paper towel. The nifty paper towel holder comes with a pump and an arm that allows users to tear off paper towel sheets with one hand.
Kitchen Sink Organizer
The Amazon Basics Kitchen Sink Organizer is an excellent way to keep your kitchen sink area clean and dry. It’s easy to forget to wring out sponges and dishcloths after washing dishes especially when in a rush. This leftover water allows for mold and bacteria to quickly build up on counters and cloths. This kitchen sink organizer has a drip tray base so excess water drains from cleaning utensils, soap dispensers, sponges and more. This makes using dirty cleaning utensils less likely.
It’s also compartmented to keep tools from cross-contaminating with each other. Most of its parts are easily removable for straightforward cleaning. This kitchen sink organizer has a multifunctional design that is fantastic for use in other home areas such as the bathroom. Here are some more tips to ensure you always have an organized kitchen sink.
Stainless Steel Utensil Holder
While it’s good to store utensils in drawers, previous and most-used utensils should always be readily available at a moment’s notice. The utensil holder is the perfect kitchen counter organization tool as its segmented parts keep tools upright and orderly. Its wide opening allows for easy access to the necessary tools for the job. The utensil holder also has a removable bottom which makes for a smoother cleaning experience.
Buco 2 Container Food Storage Set
Anyone with available counter space should consider using the food storage set. Frequent shoppers might find their refrigerators are chock full of food. The use of these containers remedies this by extending the capacity of food storage and helping to keep your refrigerator clean and organized.
Store and display fruits, vegetables, bagged snacks, cooking utensils, ingredients and more in these handy BPA-free stackable plastic containers. Reviewers also found that these containers work well in refrigerators, freezers and pantries.
Extend Stainless Steel Expandable Dish Rack
Washing dishes is sometimes a wildly wet experience, even with deep sinks. Scrubbing dishes feels like a water fight and leaves your dishes and countertop soaking wet. Fortunately, the expandable dish rack helps turn that waterpark experience into a calm and contained plumbing system. It’s a solid stainless steel frame that effortlessly matches modern home designs and has silicone-capped racks to hold dishes without scratching.
The bottom of this dish rack contains a drip tray that doesn’t hold liquids but instead leads out through a 360-degree swiveling spout that pours into the sink. This, along with the anit-residue coating, helps the dishrack to resist water spots, bacteria, germs and mold.
2-Tier Lazy Susan Turntable Organizer
A standard lazy Susan makes the list of things professional organizers never buy so it’s a good thing this 2-tier lazy Susan is anything but standard. Professional organizer Ellen Delap prefers lazy Susans to have sides to keep products from falling off when in motion. This version not only has sides but has a whole other level that’ll make Deflan twice as proud.
The lazy Susan fits comfortably on a countertop with its wide 9-inch circumference that stores and displays the perfect amount of products. It’s made of clear BPA-free plastic, and the full rotation ball-bearing system allows users to clearly see what it’s holding. This definitely comes in handy when checking for signs of spoiling or choosing the best-looking item.
Expandable Countertop Organizer
The expandable shelf by Yamazaki Home is a flexible option for those with limited counter real estate. The durable steel shelf extends from around 22 inches to 36 inches in length allowing optimal counter space utilization. Organization professional Leanna Pegorari shared this fantastic pick and provided insight on why she loves it and how to use it. She states, “The [expandable shelf] is perfect for kitchens with limited cabinet space, and their white storage caddy with wooden handle pairs well with it.”
The expandable countertop organizer shelf works around stoves and sinks and holds valuable dinnerware, spices, food and other kitchen essentials. It also has a handy front bar to hang hand towels or add hooks to hang kitchen utensils, making it a useful choice for kitchen counter organization.
Anchor Hocking Montana Jars
House residents who seek a more traditional and rural look for their kitchen counter organization will love the Montana jars from The Container Store. These stackable glass containers are clear so items are visible when looking from the outside in. The same items are kept fresh by the beautiful acacia lids with silicone seals. These containers come in three convenient sizes which are 1.5 quarts, 2 quarts and 3 quarts.
Pegorari provided this inspiration pick by adding, “The anchor hooking jars with acacia lid, or the matte black lids are both beautiful and functional to storing food items in an aesthetically pleasing way.”
Tosca Dish Rack
Professional organizing expert Lauren Saltman offered up the dish rack as a favorite kitchen counter organization product. This lightweight steel dish rack comes with a removable utensil tray and a removable drainer tray. The 22-pound carrying capacity and dual wood handles allow users the ability to bring dishes and utensils safely to their destination for easy and safe storage.
Saltman praised this dish rack when she stated, “This particular dish rack from Yamazaki is just large enough to hold several serving dishes or a pot or two. It also has a separate utensil holder for any kitchen tools you hand wash. It’s also very lightweight and easy to clean.” She talked about its effortless coordinating ability when she went on to say, “(it’s) available in two colors to easily coordinate with most kitchens.”
Rowan Acacia Fruit Bowl
There’s just something about wood that makes a home and Saltman’s second organization pick capitalizes on this aesthetic well. The fruit bowl is wide with its nearly 12-inch circumference and 4-inch depth. This elegant bowl will display snacks and treats in wonderful fashion as a countertop centerpiece or side attraction.
“Having a fruit bowl on your kitchen counter to corral all of your ready-to-eat snacks is a smart way to have healthy food handy at arm’s reach,” Saltman says. “Choose one, like this acacia bowl, that is large enough to hold your weekly shopping, is attractive and easy to clean.” A fruit bowl like this is a fantastic addition to a countertop.
Berns Corner Rack
This kitchen counter organization inspiration is akin to a bookend. Not only does it beautifully frame an organized kitchen countertop but it also allows residents to make the absolute most of their counter space. The Berns Corner Rack is a three-tiered vinyl-coated steel rack that uses the countertop for its base level.
Its 8.5-inch height makes for a comfortable fit under cabinets with plenty of available head space. Thematically mix and match mugs, plates, bowls, snacks and more by utilizing its three tiers. Additionally, this corner rack helps to declutter kitchens as it fits nicely in cabinets.
About the experts
- Leanna Pegorari: Leanna Pegorari is a professional organizer based in the beautiful Berkshires in New England. She is the owner of Leanna Pegorari Organizing.
- Lauren Saltman: Lauren Saltman is a professional organizer serving seaside New Hampshire, Southern Maine and Northern Massachusetts. She is the owner of Living. Simplified.
- Ellen Delap: Ellen Delap is a Certified Professional Organizer (CPO) in Houston and owns Professional Organizer.
Originally Published: October 23, 2023
