Kitchen Organization

One of my goals is to get most items off my kitchen counters. This is easier said than done when you just lack storage space. I have gone through a lot of items and put them in a "get rid of spot" for my garage sale next spring, but I still have stuff cluttering up my counters.

There are a few things that I just think belong on the counter. 1 - the coffee maker. 2 - the utensil holder/turny thing. 3 - the mixer.

Since it is inevitable that some extra things will remain on the counter, I want to make them look neat, clean, and organized. I got an idea from a magazine that I am very excited about:

This large white tray does not fit in my cabinets. So, I decided to put all of my daily-use items that just hang out near stove on the tray. Ta da! I got rid of two areas of clutter and they are all very handy, sitting right next to the stove.

First, we have the sea salt grinder.

 And, we also have regular salt. I prefer keeping it in this little $.74 dish than the entire carton or a salt shaker. It is easily accessible when using a measuring spoon or just your fingers.

Next is the cooking spray. I like this to be handy so I can use it at all times.

Then the black pepper grinder. I love black pepper.

And, the olive oil. I go through this stuff pretty fast.

This is actually a new oil for me. A recipe I am trying this week calls for it and I have actually wanted to try it. It is on the tray and we will have to see if it stays.

There are a few things I still want to add to the tray. I would like to get two spice jars (ceramic with a cork lid) and load them up with my most-used spices. I hate digging around in my cabinets for my spices (and I have another idea coming soon for organizing that area). I just need to figure out which two spices get the most attention before I buy the jars. Are there any other items you would add?

I was very happy with the result. Such a simple change, but it cleaned up the cluttered area well. And when my kitchen is cleaned and organized, cooking is SO much more enjoyable!