The Surprisingly Simple Hack That Keeps Your Kitchen Counters Clutter Free

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Many say that the kitchen is the most important room in a home, and it is definitely a busy space. With that busyness often comes a lot of mess. Whether it is mail, homework, recently bought items, glasses, charging cables, or even garbage, a kitchen countertop is just a convenient place to set things down. They are out in the open in an accessible spot so that you can easily put them away later. Unless, of course, you end up just leaving the items there to pile up and make your kitchen cluttered and less functional. If you often find things stacking up on your kitchen counters, tables, or other surfaces, then it may be time to try out a different storage method. Strategically place baskets near your typical messy spaces so that you can keep your surfaces clutter-free and put things away when you have time and energy.

As lovely as it would be to just make yourself put things away immediately, it is often not realistic. Instead, you need easy habits to adopt for a clutter-free room. Keep things tidy with minimal friction by hanging a basket nearby. If the typically cluttered area is a countertop, you can hang a basket from the side of the cabinet. If it is a kitchen table, you can stick a basket to one of the legs or chair backs.

While you may hear the idea and think about just designating another junk drawer, the baskets are definitely a better choice. First, while they reduce the clutter on workspaces, they are still visible, making you less likely to forget about them and their contents. Also, when the baskets fill up or you find time to do some tidying, you can simply lift them from their hooks and carry them around, putting things away throughout the house as you go rather than fumbling around in the junk drawer. As you empty the basket, be on the lookout for some of the common items you can declutter for a cleaner, tidier home. You can put these baskets in any room of your home and follow the same process of putting absolutely anything inside that you would otherwise leave out on a surface. Of course, different rooms may need different basket sizes and materials based on the type of clutter that accumulates.

When shopping for baskets, try to find ones with handles so you can easily carry them around and hang them from adhesive wall hooks or nails. Also, consider what typically piles up on your surfaces and decide if fabric, wicker, or plastic baskets would be best. Something like this ZEAYEA wicker picnic basket for $19.79 on Amazon is perfect for hanging on a kitchen cabinet, thanks to its handle and narrow profile, but you can also find baskets in many stores. Wicker baskets are also one of the items you should never leave the thrift store without buying, so check your local secondhand stores.