Cleaning Tip: Making The Most Of Limited Counter Space

Front page photo: Flickr: Clarkston SCAMP

Food prep
- Buy small appliances such as toasters, microwaves, and can openers that can be mounted underneath cabinets.
- Swap a knife blick for a magnetic strip on the wall.
- Instead of storing utensils in a canister, install a stainless steel rod with matching S hooks on the backsplash and hang utensils out of the way but still within arm's reach.

Cleanup
- Replace the bottle of dishwashing soap with a soap-dispensing dish wand.
- Substitute a dish drainer for an over-the-sink or wall-mounted variety.
- Replace a countertop water filter or pitcher with one that mounts on a faucet.

Storage
- Hang narrow shelves between counter and cabinets to hold everyday items such as salt, pepper, coffee fixings, teas and vitamins.
- Relocate the fruit bowl from the counter to the center of the kitchen table.
- Hang a three-tiered wire basket from a plant hook that extends from the wall to contain non-refrigerated produce such as potatoes, tomatoes, garlic, and onions.

Find more cleaning tips and tricks in What's A Disorganized Person To Do?