How to Keep Your Kitchen Counters Clutter-Free FOREVER

I recently worked with a busy mom in Colorado to help her get her large kitchen organized virtually. Over a series of two-hour zoom sessions we sorted, decluttered, organized, and labeled every drawer and cabinet. Each session got her closer and closer to achieving the dream kitchen she had been envisioning for a long time. Here is a peek at what we did with the “junk drawers”:

Upon following up with her a few weeks later, she was thrilled to report that the counters “are staying so clean!!!” but that her island continued to accumulate things.

The reality is no matter how much time and effort we put into organizing our homes, keeping up with the system is the hardest part. We are busy, and continually need to bring things in and out of our living spaces - even now as the pandemic has slowed down our lives and altered our experience of home. Long, flat surfaces in the center of high use rooms, like kitchens and entryways, are the perfect height and location for dumping items when we are focusing on other things.

Still, there is a way to keep these problem surfaces clutter-free. Start by asking yourself this question:

Am I not putting these items away because I don't have the time, or am I not putting them away because I don't know where they go?

If time is the issue, try to give yourself a deadline to clear the surface. Perhaps you can dedicate 15 minutes to tidying up each night after the kids go to bed? Or maybe a weekly tidying date, like Sunday morning, works better with your schedule? That way, you can start off each week clutter free.

What keeps me motivated is the idea that when I wake up I want to be greeted by a calm, clean home, not a mess. If tidying every night for 10 minutes gets me there, so be it.

If you realize the issue is that you don't have homes for things, set aside some time for a maintenance mini-session. Once you have taken a significant amount of time to organize your home, incorporating new items into established systems won’t take nearly as long as you might expect.

Professional Organizer Trick #1: set a timer for an hour, put on your favorite album, and do what needs to be done. Using a timer will help you stay focused, and listening to music will help you stay motivated.

Professional Organizer Trick #2: Use the 1-In/1-Out Rule to maintain order. If you add a new item to an already full drawer, container, or cabinet, you must remove an older, less functional item as well.

And, of course, if the process of putting stuff away becomes overwhelming, then let us help. We are available to do in-person organizing sessions in Naperville and Chicago’s western suburbs; and virtual organizing sessions anywhere.

Keeping your home organized is an ongoing process, not a destination - especially if you share your space with others. Armed with some self-awareness and an actionable plan, you can conquer the clutter for good!