Our kitchen is oddly arranged and has very little counterspace, so I have it segmented. Some counters, like the little one next to the stove, are just for storage. Others are for prep and storage. On our counters, we have small appliances (microwave, toaster, coffee maker, KA mixer), the dish drainer, fruit bowl, knife block. We also have some food that doesn't have a home on our shelves (no top cabinets, I did say it was an odd kitchen, right?): bread, coffee, and crackers.

I don't have too much counter space either, so I only have little things in the corners.

First, I have an area for canisters like flour, sugar, pasta, etc. On another side I have a knife block and a decorative bottle with flowers in it. In yet another corner I have my colander (which is a pretty green) that I also use to hold fruit. The last corner is used for coffee pot, a pretty olive oil bottle, and a mortar/pestle. Everything else is tucked away in cabinets!

Right now? Dirty dishes, a knife block, clean dishes, a container of baking soda for scrubbing, dish soap and the crock full of spatulas and such. I have very little counterspace so I don't keep much out. The dishes are my biggest problem.

Thank you for the inspiration to get mine cleaned off! Currently on the counter that shouldn't be- pumpkin muffins in a huge tupperware, loads of fruit (clementines, apples), avocados, squashes, onions, etc. Today's goal is going thru my pantry cabinet to create space for all the fruit & veggies.

What always lives on the counter- KA mixer, toaster, Boos block, S&P, French press.

Now, off to clean up!

I used to keep my counters much more cluttered, but I got very tired of searching for counter space. I'd rather spend 2 minutes per day taking the toaster in and out of the cabinet and have enough space to spread out when I'm cooking. (I have a small galley kitchen so counter space is very limited.)

My counters contain a crock full of spoons and spatulas, a small bottle of olive oil with a spout, a spice rack that fits flat against the wall, and a bottle of dish liquid.

I do have some open shelves in my dining area where I keep some of my larger appliances, like my Kitchen Aid mixer. Although I have to move it onto the counter when I need it, at least I don't have to pull it out of a lower cabinet.

Man, do I ever understand that quandry about just finding the space to cut an onion. I unfortunately have very little counterspace in my kitchen. I can't do without either a drainboard or a microwave at the constant ready, though, so they have to stay out. I also keep my knives in a block - those are on the counter. In a corner of the counter where I wouldn't be able to cook anyway, I keep my teas on display in a rack.

I improvise additional counterspace with a wooden TV-table I picked up at Target for $8. I've been known to take my cooking into the adjacent entry where I have a chef's rack with a wooden cooking top. This is also where I keep my toaster, pots, pans, wine rack and a few additional small appliances.

drain board, french press, toaster oven, tea kettle, salt celler, pepper grinder on the counter -- that's all my tiny space can handle out. Knives, sissors, corkscrew, and favorite spatula are mounted on a magnetic strip.

I keep canisters, the KitchenAid, the food processor, and a fruit bowl on the main counter, but we've got a couple of otherwise-unusable chunks of counter, so we keep the Griddler on one and a giant utensil holder on the other.

I used to keep wire baskets of fresh fruit out, but it took up too much valuable space. I bought hanging baskets at a flea market instead to free up counter space, and they seem to stay fresher longer.

our little studio's kitchen is u-shaped with a nice peninsula that has great storage underneath.

the counter to the left of the sink, over the dishwasher, usually has the dirty dishes on it. along the back edge of that length of counter we have our square glass canisters of varying sizes stacked and grouped. it looks really neat when they're full :)

the toaster oven has coasters, the pizza cutter (circular saw!), mortar and pestle, and the fruit bowl on top of it.

the back of the stove hold the oils, salt, and pepper.

it's not cluttered at all and we're kinda lucky to have so much real estate. ok, not cluttered save for the dishes i haven't loaded yet...

the knives are on a strip also behind the stove...

I'm the opposite of everyone. I have a galley kitchen with counters and cupboards top and bottom around the whole thing. So I have LOTS of counterspace. I keep my cutting boards, flour & sugar canisters, knife block, utensil holder, 2 large bowls of fruit, spice rack, kitchenaid mixer, toaster, napkin holder, and coffee maker all out on my counter. Dishes are done nightly so i never (except on baking days) have too much backup there and there's even a place for the mail and the newspaper. I'm almost never want for kitchen countertop space. I don't know what I'll do when we move.

Just the coffee maker 4 dry-good canisters 1 bowl of produce. Our knife block is the kind that attaches to the underside of a hanging cabinet, and one of the lower cabinets is a dedicated appliance garage.

...Oh! Also my laptop.

There's way too much on my counters, but I'm slowly changing that.

For example, in the future, I plan to replace the faucet and separate sprayer with an integrated-sprayer faucet, which will both streamline the area behind the sink and allow me to have a built-in soap dispenser instead of an unsightly bottle out on the counter.

There's also a crock of utensils (not often-used ones, just ones that are too tall to fit comfortably into drawer organizers) next to the stove. In the distant future, I plan to replace the 24" DW with a 18" model, giving me space to add what Kraftmaid calls "Spice Drawyers" -- the perfect size to hold odd spatulas, stick blender, the meat thermometer and all the other homeless or ill-placed utensils.

These are both obviously expensive fixes, but I know I'll be ecstatic to streamline my countertops to free up more space for food prep. (Total countertop space is about 8 square feet--broken up in two sections.)

Coffee grinder, coffee pot, paper towel holder, napkin holder, oil & vinegar bottles, dish rack, soap.

I have way too much stuff cluttered on my countertop. I really need a better place for my toaster... I could use some tips and my cabinets are a mess too!

We have a small galley kitchen but for some reason, there seems as though there is never enough space.

Coffeemaker, soda-club water maker, 2 crocks with various utensils, big wooden cutting block/board and an upright paper towel holder.

I'd love a toaster oven but don't know where I'd put it.

I have tons of counter space yet, since I despise clutter I have only a few selected items on my countertop. I have my oil and vinegar decanters, kitchen aid stand mixer, 4 glass storage containers for hot breakfast cereals like oats a grit, telephone, spice rack, knife storage and three decorative items . With all the counter space it looks slightly on the empty side. But I like it that way. Nothing bugs me more than to walk into the kitchen and not be able to identify wants on the counter because of all the clutter.

I guess I'm a minimalist. I put nearly everything away into cupboards. Fortunately, I have enough storage/cabinet space to do so. The only things that stay on my countertops - my KA mixer, oil & vinegar decanters, my bowl of fresh produce and hand soap. It drives me crazy to have things on counters - just looks very cluttered and messy to me.

Small bottle of olive oil, sprayer with olive oil, salt and pepper, a flower pot filled with utensils, coffee grinder, and coffee maker. If you count the garden window, there's also quite a bit of herbs :-)

I also have a stainless steel kitchen table in the kitchen; the kind with an open shelf below. On top I keep the knife block, a small, wire basket that holds breads and snacks, a Coke straw holder, a jar with dog treats (there's still plenty of room for chopping), and a decorative jar of wine corks. On the bottom, I keep a larger wire basket with onions, garlic, potatoes, etc., a bowl for fruits, a 16-bottle wine fridge, the Kitchen Aid mixer, a couple of empty bottles, and a few plastic cutting boards. It sounds like a lot, but the baskets definitely help reign everything in:
http://www.maddhatterslab.com/travels/housepics/DSC_0044 (unfortunately there's not always fresh coffee cake on the counter)

Permanently on the counter:
KitchenAid mixer
Toaster (rarely used)
Coffee bean grinder
Olive oil
Kosher salt dish
4 shorty canisters holding cornmeal, sugar, sugar, and flour
Dish soap
Paper towels
Bowl of bananas
Drying dishes

Everything stays pretty well cleaned up and off the main counter (where the stove and sink are). The peninsula countertop opposite that, however, is a totally different story. I'm often cleaning it up quickly with one hand while balancing a cooling rack with hot bread on it in the other hand.

ABreadADay.com

I don't like things cluttering up the minimal counter space in my kitchen. Besides the coffeemaker and grinder, I keep the dish rack and a little bowl of fruit out near the sink. Cooking oils live on a shelf above the stove and a recipe box a jar of cooking utensils are on the cart next to the stove.

I have too much counter space. There is one counter I use. I have a toaster, coffee maker, knives, a tray and lazy susan with spices, etc. on that.

I also use the island to plate food and to bake, etc.. Most of the time, it's either bare or loaded with junk. I'd love to style this so it looks pretty. Any thoughts? I've tried large scale things - they don't work. I need help with this.

On the other counter, I keep the mixer (too heavy to move). A smaller counter has a stereo and the phone.

I know we're supposed to keep the counters clear of clutter. As a designer, I feel some decorative things can work if you have the space.

Advice please!

I'm so happy to finally have counter space to work on, I about lost my mind when we moved in. My old place had only about 2 feet of workable counter space. At first, I thought it was cozy, but by the end of my time there it was just a pain! Now I have about 10-12 feet of space. And honestly, the kitchen was THE selling point for us renting this house. That said, it's been my goal to not clutter it up. Some days are better than others....

On the far end off to itself is the dish drying rack. From ther I have my cutting boards; a colander with onions, squash, potatoes; about 6 ball jars filled with rice, quinoa, and other grains; the knife block; and, in the far 3 square jars with flour and sugars.

Besides the daily use appliances (coffee maker, toaster, grinder) and the too heavy/big to move appliances (microwave and KitchenAid stand mixer), there are always dishes, dishes, dishes. Either in the drain board or stacked on the counter next to the sink. It's just me, I have a complete set of a place setting for 12 (LOVE my Denby dishes so I completed the set), and my absolute least favorite chore is doing dishes, so they tend to build up...the cat really doesn't care about dirty dishes. :)

I also have:
cutting board (bamboo)
knife block (yes, with knives)
mortar/pestle
and a lazy susan with a crock of cooking utensils (wooden spoons, tongs, spatula, etc.), pepper grinder, kosher salt container, coarse (coffee) sugar, honey, and my butter bell. The lazy susan keeps the stuff contained but easy to access.

Admittedly there are also usually a water glass (in use), whatever cookbook or recipe I've got marked for use that week, and my travel coffee thermos.

Fortunately I had space to hang a set of baskets to keep my onions, squash, potatoes, garlic, etc. up off the counter.

Really it's all stuff that I use pretty much every single day. When I'm in the kitchen cooking, it's stuff I reach for and don't want to have to dig out of a cabinet or drawer if I have messy hands. It's a modicum of clutter, but then that's how I'm comfortable. My whole apartment (and life!) has a modicum of clutter everywhere. :)

On my counter: a pretty crock to hold all my wood spoons, scraper spatulas, and whisk; a repurposed wine bottle (for olive oil); salt & pepper grinders; a pretty and well used chopping board; dish drainer; compost bucket; KA stand mixer; bowl of dried hot peppers and garlic heads. And on my butcher block, I keep my knife block, though I'm trying to find a good place for a magnetic strip. Knife blocks take up so much space!

On my counter right now- the blender, which I use for green smoothies every morning. The cutting board, propped up against the wall. The toaster oven, also used every day. A bowl with fruit in it. The pepper grinder. My utensil jar. And this really cool cookie jar that looks like a bunch of daisies. I keep popcorn in it. And that is all. On the kitchen window sill is a big granite mortar and pestle.

Only a kitchenaide (too heavy to move) and I use it quite a bit, a good toaster oven that I couldn't do without, a cheap plain microwave and one utensil crock. I have a OXO utensil rack over the stove, but they are sparing - mostly my Rosle tools. The Rosle racks aren't as good and too expensive. And a butter dish.

I have a teensy tiny rental kitchen with almost no counter space yet I have on the counters:

-a crock of utensils
-a Mickey Mouse cookie jar
-a lava lamp (I know...)
-my Kitchenaid stand mixer
-my blender
-microwave
-cutting board
-behind cutting board- 3 glass jars for dry ingredients (flour, sugar, wheat flour)
- knife block

Thats whats actually on the counters. On top my microwave is a ton of cookbooks. Against my fridge is a big homemade spice rack with a zillion spices. On top my fridge is 5 or so canisters for other types of flours and sugars. I have a wine rack on top my fridge I have bottles of olive oil in too. I have tons of things stored above my stove on the little ledge the top makes. I have wine glass storage under tha cabinet above my sink and nails holding all my colanders, mesh strainers, etc above there too. I like everything out in the open.

I know I could declutter it but to be honest I don't see it as cluttery and wouldn't change a thing. I like that overly lived in look and I'm in there cooking enough that I want it to feel cozy (the lava lamp) and personal (cookie jars, homemade things).

i keep a compost bucket (for schlepping to the backyard compost pile), cutting board (functions as counter space), fruit bowl, coffee make, toaster and dish drying rack.

I am lucky to have a long galley kitchen with lots of counter space. I don't like it cluttered but do want some "punctuation" to its expanse.

I keep a very large chopping block next to the sink, oh and a detergent, soap & lotion dispenser, a bowl of coarse salt and a spoon rest (shaped metal leaf) next to stove-top, a bowl for fresh fruit, a wine carrier with olive oils and special vinegars, a straw container (for my daughter), a toaster oven, big stainless steel thermos for my husband's coffee, bird book & binoculars, a telephone, pan & pen. These are the useful and much used things. Then I try to keep fresh flowers by the sink to enjoy, and some antique tortilla stamps, a stainless steel tiffin carrier, a barometer, a scented candle - these are the "pretties." Then I confess there are the "uglies" that I try to get to their rightful destination three or four times a day: papers to recycling, dishes to dishwasher, knives back to rack in the drawer...

I might consider giving up the detergent dispenser, sending the straw container to my daughter, but I can't dispense with much else.

I'm considering to buy bamboo dinnerware series for a restaurant ,Just have a look at http://www.bamboo-dinnerware.com and find so many stuffs their