Wipe and Organize Presents You: Things That Don’t Belong on the Countertop
If you’re like most people, you most likely see your kitchen countertop as a catch-all for all the random things in your house. Whether it’s food, appliances, laptops, receipts, or a mobile phone, you don’t think twice before storing all this stuff on your countertop.
We won’t judge you, though. It’s tempting. But the thing with having bits and pieces there is that it always leads to a real mess, and let’s be honest, who likes a messy kitchen? No one.
In order to avoid that, we’ve rounded up eight things that don’t belong on the countertop. Some of them are pretty common, and you won’t be surprised to find them on this list, but others will leave you thinking, “Wow, I didn’t know this particular item was actually ruining my kitchen countertop.”
Without further ado, here are some things that don’t belong on the countertop!
1. Cooking books
Yes, we know; cooking books add style to your kitchen when displayed on the counter. In fact, some of them can have very aesthetic covers and spines, so you feel like giving them a place where they can be seen and admired. Not to mention that, if you cook often, you’ll want to have your favorite recipes within easy reach.
While these are both valid arguments, cooking books are some of the things that don’t belong on the countertop. Preparing food can often get very messy, as spills of tomato sauce, oil, or other semi-solid food can easily get everywhere.
While you can wipe down the countertop surface to remove the dirt, you can’t do the same with cooking books. And if you’ve spent some great bucks on them, you’ll hate yourself if stains ruin the cover or pages.
This being said, try storing your cooking books in a glass door cabinet or on open shelving to keep them clean yet still on display.
2. Spices
Next on our list of things that don’t belong on the countertop are spices. Yea, you probably didn’t expect this, but this isn’t the perfect place to store your spice sets. They do look lovely and visually appealing there, adding color to your kitchen, but herbs and spices can quickly lose their flavors if stored nearby your stove or oven.
That’s because humidity and heat break down the essential oils that give spices their aromas and flavors. Haven’t you wondered why you can’t taste the basil in your pasta sauce? Well, here’s your answer.
According to food safety experts, you should keep your spices in glass jars with tight-fitting lids and store them in dark, cool places.
3. Rarely used appliances
No. 3 on our list of things that don’t belong on the countertop are those kitchen appliances you use once in a while. According to a recent study from MasterBrand Cabinets, almost 60% of Americans believe a cluttered counter space is the main source of stress when it comes to house storage.
Think of it this way: when you already have lots of things stored on your kitchen countertop, storing more stuff there will definitely turn cooking into a nuisance.
So, among things that don’t belong on the countertop are blenders, toasters, juice makers, rice cookers, and other kitchen appliances you rarely use. If you don’t use them daily, think of another place to store them. You’ll save plenty of space by doing that.
4. Olive oil
Surprise, surprise! Olive oil also makes the list of things that don’t belong on the countertop. We all use olive oil, so it’s only fair to store it on the kitchen counter, right? You may want to think again, and we’ll give you two reasons why this isn’t the best place to have this ingredient.
Keeping olive oil in direct heat and light messes with its quality, and it can quickly become rancid. In fact, the same thing is true for other types of oil. It would be a waste to ruin your meal because you didn’t know the oil tasted bad.
The second reason would be that oil can leave your kitchen countertop greasy and dirty. And because that’s where you store many other things, grease can easily spread all over the surface, making everything stained and sticky. Yuck!
Keep reading to discover other things that don’t belong on the countertop!
5. Canisters
We all want to have our kitchens look aesthetic and well-organized, like in those Pinterest pictures. Canisters for storing flour, pasta, sugar, and other ingredients are a great way to keep things organized, and they look lovely, especially if they match your kitchen design style. However, those are also among the things that don’t belong on the countertop.
You have to admit that some canisters can take up a great deal of space. To solve that, think about storing all of them in a cupboard or in the pantry.
Or better yet, if possible, make some room for them on the shelf above the countertop. This way, your canisters are within easy reach and also on display, which is a win-win situation.
By the way, if you’re looking for some new canisters, Amazon always has the best deals!
6. Cutting boards
No. 6 on our list of things that don’t belong on the countertop are the cutting boards. Now, while storing your favorite one there won’t do any harm, we have to admit that some cutting boards can take up a lot of space.
And there’s another thing here. If you have a favorite cutting board, it means you use it pretty often. At some point, it’s bound to lose its shine, and it won’t look pretty enough to keep it on display. But if this doesn’t convince you to store cutting boards somewhere else, here’s something that probably will.
According to experts, cutting boards can easily harbor harmful bacteria, especially if you’ve had them for a long time. That’s why you should wash yours with hot, soapy water before and after each use, no matter what.
7. Handbags
Next on our list of things that don’t belong on the countertop are handbags. These are some of the worst items to have there, and yet, many of us do that pretty often.
You’ve just got home, and it’s either the first or second thing you do after getting inside—you leave your purse or grocery shopping bags on the kitchen countertop without thinking about it twice. But you forget all the places where those things have been. If it’s your purse, you’ve probably had it on some surface in a restroom. If it’s grocery bags, you’ve had them in the shopping cart and in your car truck.
Think of the dirt and germs in all those places. Moreover, some studies suggest that your handbag has more bacteria than a toilet seat.
Pretty disgusting, isn’t it? That’s why you shouldn’t store your purse or the grocery bags on the kitchen countertop.
8. Mobile phones
Last but not least on our list of things that don’t belong on the countertop are mobile phones! You carry yours almost everywhere, and you use it after coming into contact with lots of things, such as buttons, doorknobs, money, safety handles, and so on.
Your mobile phone picks up germs everywhere it goes. Perhaps you use an antibacterial wipe to clean it, but chances are you don’t do it as often as you should. The result is that your phone can get pretty filthy, so remember to keep it away from where you store food. It’s better for your health.
If you liked our article on things that don’t belong on the countertop, you may also want to read 6 Things You Should NEVER Pour Down the Drain.
