Clearing clutter and getting organized.

My kitchen is one of the hardest places in my home to keep clutter-free. The counter-tops serve as a catchall for mail, my son’s toys, charging station for cell phones, iPad, drying station for dishes we don’t put in the dishwasher, etc.

So I devoted some time to de-clutter and organize.

 (I always forget to take photos of the before – I remembered half-way through the clean-up and snapped the photo above)

I love trays and baskets – they are useful for storing and displaying items in a central place – so whenever possible I include one or both into my design. For my kitchen,  I grouped my favorite candle, two stones that have inspirational words (“prosperity” & “harmony”), an antique milk pitcher and clay pot with flowers (remember – flowers always add extra life to a space) all on an antique tray. This way when I need more counter space I move the tray and everything goes with it.

I have tons of mason a.k.a Ball jars – we use them mainly for dry food good storage. But if you have open shelves like I do – use them as display. Fill them with colorful pasta, peas,  etc. (Got to use what you have). I also keep my platters & bake ware on the shelves – both for display and accessibility.

Now the counter-tops are clear and the space feels so much lighter and easier to be in. I pledged that I will take 10 minutes at the end of each day to de-clutter and organize my kitchen. I hope I can keep it up!