How to organise your kitchen countertop: 8 solutions to common problems
Turn chaos into order with these practical storage solutions. Whether you want to clear your countertop or make better use of your cupboard space, these tips will help you create a more functional and visually appealing kitchen.
1. Create a calm look with kitchen countertop organisation
The chaos of everyday life often results in a countertop covered in things. Here are some simple ideas to keep it clutter-free:
- Follow the rule of five: keep only five everyday items on your countertop (like your coffee machine, oil, salt, pepper and one utensil). Put the rest away.
- 5 minutes at the end of the day: wipe down the countertop and put everything back in its place to stop clutter building up.
- Reduce visual noise: combine closed cabinets with a few open elements and use similar containers or jars to keep everything looking tidier.
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2. Organise by area and keep the essentials close at hand
If you group your utensils by function, cooking will be more convenient and you'll find everything more quickly.
- Make the most of your walls: install rails with hooks to hang utensils on and free up space on your countertop. The UPPDATERA systems, inspired by professional kitchens, also work well in humid areas.
- Organise the inside of your drawers: use cutlery trays, such as those in the UPPDATERA series, to keep your utensils tidy and easy to find.
- Add mobile storage: a trolley can serve as a coffee corner, breakfast nook or extra workspace when you need it.
Tip: skip the junk drawer
Ditch the junk drawer and put your tools on display. Wall-mounted rails with hooks and containers give you a clear overview of what you have, keep worktops clear and make everything easy to grab when you need it. Practical storage that looks good too.
3. Match storage to look good and work hard
- Store dry foods in glass containers such as KORKEN or IKEA 365+ containers, so you can see what's inside at a glance and keep things looking tidier.
- Create groups with trays: gather the items you often use together, such as oil, salt and pepper, on a tray. As well as keeping things tidy, it makes cleaning easier.
- Think vertically: multi-tier organisers like NÅLBLECKA help you make the most of your vertical space.
- Use open storage: ENHET shelves keep everyday utensils within easy reach and let you display things to add an extra decorative touch.
- Store small items in boxes like those in the CHOKLADHAJ series to organise tea bags, coffee capsules or small utensils.
4. Make the most of the inside of your cupboard doors
If you find you're running out of space to store your spices, clutter is taking over your kitchen:
- Install spice racks on the insides of your cupboard doors.
- Keep things you need close at hand like baking paper and chopping boards in vertical shelves on the doors: vertical storage is ideal for flat items that tend to pile up, instead keeping them tidy and accessible.
- Personalise your drawers with organisers: the UPPDATERA series lets you combine them to suit your tastes and needs.
- Use hooks to hang your tea towels and save space on the countertop.
Tip: hang baskets under shelves for instant storage
Easily add more storage under your wall cabinets by attaching the hanging basket PÅLYCKE. No drilling is required and the basket fits most shelves thanks to its flexible clips. It has just the right depth to give a good overview. Add matching hooks from the same series for even more easily accessible storage.
5. Storage solutions that move with you
- Kitchen trolleys: with NISSAFORS or RÅSKOG, you can always have more space. Ideal for the kitchen, living room or any corner, trolleys are perfect for utensils, tableware or even as an extra surface while you cook.
- A freestanding kitchen island: adds extra countertop space and storage with integrated drawers and shelves. You can move it as needed, adapting your kitchen for every eventuality.
- Modular shelving: reorganise your space as your needs change. BROR, a sturdy and versatile solution, is ideal if you need to store heavy items or simply make the most of every available space.
6. Keep everyday items handy
Your most-used items keep getting buried at the back of cabinets. These solutions put essentials exactly where you need them:
- Use boxes or baskets to group utensils according to their use: keep baking tools together in one place, coffee capsules in another and breakfast ingredients in another.
- Add a plate rack for organised dish storage: store plates vertically to keep them accessible and prevent chips.
- Hang tea towels or tools on hooks like SUNNERSTA to store your kitchen utensils on the wall and free up more space in your cupboards and drawers.
- Store frequently used spices in a container: easy to reach for when cooking and easy to store away.
Tip: landing space for groceries
Have a countertop or landing space next to the fridge to make it easier to unload groceries after a big shopping trip.
7. Make cleaning and sorting simple
- Install HÅLLBAR pull-out bins: they're designed so you can easily access all the bins and effortlessly sort your waste. Labelling the bins will also be a great help so you know where everything goes.
- Use a dish mat for quick drying: the flexible silicone mat NYSKÖLJD protects your countertop and drains water efficiently. It rolls up for easy storage when not in use.
8. Think vertically and make every centimetre count
- Use extra shelves: store glasses, bowls and jars at different heights. VARIERA shelf inserts can be placed on top of other shelves and stacked on top of each other, so you can organise your cupboards however you like.
- Organise your deep drawers efficiently: MAXIMERA drawers are compatible with METOD kitchen cabinets and are available in low, medium and high sizes to suit your storage needs.
- Make corner cupboards more accessible with carousel-style trays like UTRUSTA.
- Free up space in your cupboards: clip-on shelves let you store glasses or kitchen roll without needing to drill any holes. PÅLYCKE wine glass racks hold at least three glasses safely on a stable metal construction.
You know your kitchen counter organisation is working when:
- You find what you need in 30 seconds
- You clear your worktop in under 5 minutes
- Everything has a home that makes sense
- Your storage looks intentional, not accidental
- You adapt your setup as your needs change
