Make my kitchen work for me:
Clearing your Countertops (Part 1)
Introduction to this new series
Cooking shouldn’t feel overwhelming before you even turn on the stove… and yet, for a lot of us, it does.
Crowded countertops, jammed drawers, mystery pantry items from 2017, and way too many tools can quietly suck the joy right out of cooking. As a personal chef, I’ve cooked in a lot of kitchens—beautiful ones, tiny ones, and plenty that looked great but didn’t actually work. And here’s what I know for sure:
A kitchen doesn’t need to be perfect.
It just needs to support how you actually cook.
That’s what this series—Make My Kitchen Work for Me—is all about. Creating a kitchen that feels calmer, more efficient, and more enjoyable, without chasing Pinterest perfection or buying a bunch of stuff you don’t need.
We’ll walk through practical, real-life systems: clearing countertops, creating kitchen zones, mise en place at home, pantry resets, spice organization, and which tools are truly worth keeping. Each post builds on the last, so you can make progress one small, doable shift at a time.
If cooking has felt heavy, chaotic, or just plain annoying lately, consider this your gentle reset.
Let’s start where it matters most.
First up: Clearing Your Countertops.
Clearing your Countertops
Clearing your Countertops
Go look at your countertops now.
Your countertops set the tone for how cooking feels. A clear counter doesn’t just look better—it quietly invites you to cook.
When counters are crowded, your brain has to work overtime before you’ve even picked up a knife. Clearing them isn’t about minimalism or aesthetic rules. It’s about creating space to think, prep, and move without resistance.
Start by taking everything off. Then add back only what you truly use every day—maybe a cutting board, a knife block, your coffee maker. Everything else can live close by… just not in your way.
Clutter creates noise. Every extra appliance, stack of papers, or “why is this here?” item competes for your attention. Before you even start cooking, your brain is already sorting through distractions. And when the space feels crowded, it’s harder to access creativity, confidence, and momentum.
A clear counter becomes your landing pad on busy weeknights—room to chop, assemble, and get dinner on the table without friction. On slower days, it turns into an open canvas, where you can take your time, try something new, and actually enjoy the process.
"Clearing your countertops isn’t just about making your kitchen look tidy—it’s about creating a space where you can think, move, and create."
Steps 1 + 2
Step 1: Clear Everything Off (Yes, Everything)
Start by taking everything off your countertops. I know—it feels dramatic. But this reset lets you see the space with fresh eyes and breaks the habit of leaving things out just because they’ve always lived there.
Once the counters are empty, wipe them down. It’s a small step, but it matters. A clean surface creates a clear visual—and mental—starting point.
Think of it as hitting reset on your kitchen brain.
Step 2: Decide What Actually Earns Counter Space
For each item, ask one simple question:
Do I use this almost every day?
If the answer is yes, it may deserve to stay out. Common counter-worthy items include:
Your coffee maker or kettle
A knife block or magnetic strip (if you truly use it daily)
The cutting board you grab without thinking
A fruit bowl… with fruit you actually eat
If something is used weekly—or “sometimes”—it probably doesn’t need prime real estate.
Counter space is valuable. Make items earn it.
Steps 3 + 4
Step 3: Organize—Don’t Just Shuffle Things Around
Now, give everything you removed a proper home:
Cabinets: small appliances, oils, bulky items
Drawers: tools, utensils, prep gadgets
Pantry: dry goods and backups
Another room: mail, papers, and anything that isn’t actually kitchen-related
The goal isn’t to hide the mess. It’s to create systems that support how you cook, not how you think you should cook.
Step 4: Leave Space on Purpose
This part is key: leave some counter space empty on purpose.
That open area? That’s your prep zone. That’s where dinner starts. Where chopping happens. Where creativity lives.
When you walk into the kitchen tired, hungry, or short on time, a clear surface makes it easier to begin. Less friction. Less frustration. More cooking.
Re-visit as life changes.
Step 5: Revisit as Life Changes
What belongs on your counters will change with seasons, schedules, and life stages. A tool that earns its place now might move later—and that’s not failure. That’s flexibility.
Clearing your countertops is one of the most impactful ways to make your kitchen work for you. It creates a calm foundation that supports both quick, weeknight meals and slow, intentional cooking days.
What's next?
Now that you have visual calm which brings mental calm, we can begin to think about my next blog posts in the Make My Kitchen Work for Me series. Kitchen Zones 101, Mise en Place and Kitchen Reset.
I’ll drive deep into creating kitchen zones that improve flow and reduce chaos—even in small kitchens.
Let's summarize.
Clear counters create mental space.
Only daily-use items earn a spot.
Organization supports real cooking.
A clear counter invites both ease and creativity.
You might also like
Hi, I'm Kat.
Welcome to my Kitchen Counter. I’m excited to share with you a new series called “Make my kitchen work for you” along with a collection of blog posts about a variety of topics – building a gluten free pantry, staples to always have on hand and gift guides for the Chef in your life. Take a look around. I’d love to hear from you – do you like these posts?
My favorite thing about this post is that it feels real. As a full-time working mom of teenagers, I don’t need another blog telling me how my kitchen should look. I need help making it work for the life I’m actually living. I love that it shifts the focus from perfection to practicality and asks how my kitchen can support me instead of adding more stress. That’s exactly the kind of guidance I need.
Real life is SO real!! Thank you for this sweet comment. I do hope these posts will bring some levity, knowing we are all trying our best and we can make little adjustments or changes to help us along the way.