Inside: Discover seven things that make your kitchen look cluttered. Once you identify your clutter sources, you can fix them to create a calmer and more functional space.
For many, the kitchen is considered the heart of the home. It’s a place where we gather, cook, and make memories with friends and family.
But it’s also one of the busiest spots in the house, making it a magnet for clutter.
From stacks of mismatched containers to countertops overflowing with small appliances and utensils, a cluttered kitchen can feel chaotic and stressful, no matter how much you love to cook or entertain.
Clutter in the kitchen isn’t just an eyesore. It can disrupt the flow of your daily routines and make cooking feel like more of a chore.
Whether it’s the pile of mail that’s found its way to your counter or messy drawers filled with too much stuff, the little things can add up to a big headache.
But there’s good news! With a little intention and some practical tips, you can transform your kitchen into a calm, organized space that works for you.
By eliminating some of the biggest clutter culprits in the room, you might be surprised to see just how much of a difference you can make. It can help you create an aesthetically pleasing and functional space to work in.
Not sure where to start? Here are seven things that make your kitchen look cluttered that you can tackle today.
7 Things That Make Your Kitchen Look Cluttered
There are a number of things that can make a home look cluttered. Here are seven of them that are specific to the kitchen. By minimizing these things, you can create a more streamlined space.
1 – Stuff that doesn’t actually belong in the kitchen.
Kitchens often become clutter magnets. They’re an easy landing spot for all kinds of miscellaneous stuff, thanks to ample counter space.
The mail, your purse, vitamins, magazines, your kid’s homework, the dog’s leash – many of us are guilty of simply throwing them down on the kitchen counter and forgetting about it.
Filling your kitchen with things that don’t actually belong there is an easy way to make the room feel cluttered.
Instead, ensure everything that typically lands on your kitchen counter has a designated place. Then, make it a decluttering habit of putting things away instead of putting them down.
2 – Too many small appliances.
Small appliances are convenient. We use them to blend our smoothies, toast our bread, air fry our favorite snacks, and brew our coffee.
But having too many small appliances on our countertops is another easy way to overwhelm your space and leave your kitchen feeling cluttered.
While you can make a case for keeping the coffee machine and the air fryer easily accessible, many of us have also been convinced to buy a variety of small appliances that we don’t actually use too often – waffle makers, panini presses, ice cream makers, or juicers.
Ideally, these lesser-used gadgets would be stored away in a cabinet or drawer, or even in a separate area of your home, like the basement.
As for the ones you use on a regular basis? See if you can make room for them in the pantry so they’re easily accessible but out of sight.
3 – Overstuffed cabinets.
Overfilled cabinets are another common culprit in creating a cluttered and chaotic kitchen.
When your cabinets are packed with mismatched dishes, excessive cookware, or rarely used gadgets, they become difficult to manage. This can create a feeling of overwhelm every time you open them.
Items may spill out or become hard to access, turning a simple task like grabbing a pan or plate into a frustrating ordeal.
Overfilled cabinets also make it nearly impossible to maintain an organized system, as there’s no room to rearrange or properly store what you need.
The best way to address overstuffed cabinets? Empty them out, get rid of the stuff you don’t need, and come up with an organized, methodical way to put the items you’re keeping back in.
4 – Disorganized drawers.
Kitchen drawers can quickly become a catch-all for utensils, gadgets, and random odds and ends.
From overflowing utensil drawers to the infamous “junk drawer,” these spaces often end up crammed with items, making it hard to find what you actually need.
Not only do they look cluttered, but they add frustration to the food preparation process.
By eliminating duplicates (do you really need three wine openers?) and getting intentional about what you’re putting into each drawer, you can address your cluttered drawers and bring a little more peace to your kitchen.
5 – Open shelving.
Open shelving has become popular in modern, minimalist kitchens. However, it’s a trend we’d like to see on its way out as some definite downsides make them less than ideal.
Unless you’re absolutely meticulous about the way your items are stored on the shelf, it can look like a mess.
Not only are open shelves prone to looking cluttered, but they’re also hotspots for dust and cooking grease.
If you have open shelving in your kitchen, take a less-is-more approach to what you store there and clean it regularly.
6 – Refrigerator magnets and papers.
The refrigerator often doubles as a bulletin board in many homes. They often have magnets holding up everything from kids’ artwork to shopping lists, appointment reminders, and takeout menus.
While it’s a practical use of space, too many magnets and papers can quickly make your kitchen look cluttered. Not only that, but important papers or reminders can get lost in the chaos.
Even if the rest of your kitchen is tidy, a cluttered refrigerator front can give the impression of disorganization.
Instead, digitize as much as possible. Creating to-do lists on a phone app, such as Monday, is a great option. And you can save takeout menus on your phone if needed.
For artwork, try to set a limit and feature only one or two on your fridge at a time to keep things streamlined.
7 – A messy sink.
Even if the rest of your kitchen is immaculately clean and organized, a messy sink creates a stressful atmosphere.
Dishes piled high, sponges strewn around, crumbs in the sink that haven’t made their way down into the disposal isn’t something you want to wake up to in the morning.
But there’s an easy fix. Get into the tidying habit of giving those dirty dishes a rinse and putting them right into the dishwasher.
For bigger items, wash them, dry them, and put them away as soon as you’re able to. Prevention is key in keeping your kitchen decluttered.
Keep your sponge in a dedicated holder, wash the sink itself regularly, and ensure your soap is neatly arranged.
Which of these things is making your kitchen look cluttered? Leave a comment and let me know!
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