Updated on Aug. 28, 2024
The following kitchen counter organization ideas come straight from our Taste of Home stylists. Rest assured that they're the cleverest—and most beautiful—picks on the market.
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Because of the frequent turnover (we’re always bringing in new food and getting rid of older stuff, usually via cooking it), our kitchens are one of the easiest cluttered spaces in our home. But it doesn’t have to be. With a little clever use of the space (and some help from worthwhile products), your kitchen can become as organized as you could ever need or want it to be.
One of the best ways to make that happen is by picking up an organizer—a somewhat generic term for racks, bins, tubs, boxes, cabinets, etc.—or two. Still, shopping for one can be a daunting task, which is why we’ve researched to find this collection of the best kitchen counter organizers you can buy right now.
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Take it from the pros, lazy Susan turntables are one of the best kitchen counter organization ideas. “I love the bare wood look on this space-saving lazy Susan,” says Stacey Genaw, one of Taste of Home‘s set stylists. Its clean design blends in with most kitchen aesthetics, and its two-tiered design effectively doubles its usefulness.
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If it seems like there’s never enough drawer space to contain your spices, consider installing this mounted organization tray beneath your cabinets. Simply lower it down when you need to access its contents, then lift and latch to hide it away again. Talk about a genius spice storage idea!
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Sometimes the best fruit baskets don’t live on the counter at all. “I personally have one of these and love it,” says senior set stylist, Missy Franco. “Countertop space is a minimum at our house and this does a great job freeing up much-needed space! And it’s so cute with its neutral design!” After all, why use a produce bowl when a macrame produce hammock is so much cooler? By the way, this KitchenAid mixer attachment organizer frees up counter space, too.
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Among our favorite kitchen storage ideas is to use multifunctional products. This bread box allows for storage inside and on top, making it a smart choice for small spaces. We like the idea of assembling a cute coffee bar station or tea setup on top for both style and function.
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The area over the stove boasts valuable storage space. Free up the kitchen counter with this over-the-stove shelf riser. We love the elevated look and that it fits stoves of all kinds. It keeps cute canisters and frequently used spices on display rather than hidden in a corner. You can’t go wrong with a magnetic stove shelf, either.
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Because the kitchen counter is on display, it’s important to make sure that what is stored on top is chic yet functional. That’s where a set of uniform pantry storage containers, like these chic glass canisters, come in handy. Keep with the rule of thirds and store three everyday essentials inside the jars (think coffee beans or grounds or oats for morning oatmeal). Bonus: They come with a waterproof pantry label.
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Say it with us: “Adding vertical storage is one the best kitchen counter organization ideas.” These bamboo shelf risers are the solution. Stack ’em or set ’em side by side, they add valuable space whichever way you place them.
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There’s nothing less appealing than an assortment of mismatched, disorganized spices. This streamlined kitchen counter organization spice rack allows you to clearly organize and display your favorite herbs. The timeless bamboo frame and collapsible iron stand set this rack apart from the crowd.
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By now, we should all start composting at home—but many tabletop composters are ugly, smelly or some combination of the two. This sleek compost bin gets our stylists’ stamp of approval for its modern design and its carbon filter, which keeps odors locked in. It also gets bonus points for being made of renewable, biodegradable bamboo fiber and cornstarch.
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Modern chefs will instantly fall in love with this genius dock and utensil crock. It’s a multi-tasking kitchen counter organization tool that keeps your phone clearly displayed when scrolling through a recipe, while also providing a place to dock your most-used utensils. It makes a clever gift for cooks and bakers of all kinds.
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Save crucial drawer or countertop storage by sticking your knives to the wall. This knife strip uses magnets to hold your tools in place, but its acacia wood exterior is a more stylish choice than your typical metal strip.
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Not only is this iron rail a sleek way to display pretty kitchen accessories, but it also keeps the utensils within easy reach when cooking. It does require some assembly, but it won’t be going out of style anytime soon.
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Upgrade your kitchen soap situation with this blacksmith-inspired soap and lotion caddy. We like that you can fill the two bottles with the liquids of your choice and easily refill as needed.
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Continuing with the theme of utilizing vertical space, a mug tree is an excellent option when you’re low on cabinet storage. This one is made of chateau wood and comes in either a black or brown finish, so you can choose the one that matches your kitchen best.
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“I like this for a different way to hang your dishrag instead of over the neck of your faucet,” says set stylist Stacey Genaw. The magnetic kitchen cloth holder comes in either stainless steel or black bio-steel composite, and both are attractive kitchen counter organization ideas.
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When kitchen counter organization space is limited, think vertically. This two-tiered basket increases storage space with the same footprint. And since they boast an open design, they offer proper airflow and keep food fresh for longer.
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We dare you to find a more clever—or customizable—kitchen counter organization idea than this one. This countertop shelf rack expands to your desired length, includes five storage hooks and provides an additional level of real estate for all your essentials.
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No more keeping your grocery pad on the countertop to get stained with spills. This memo board provides a space to organize your thoughts, and it’s an easy way to add farmhouse style to your kitchen.
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These jute baskets are “great hanging storage with a rustic feel,” says senior set stylist, Missy Franco. “I love the texture and shape of these baskets. They can be used for produce or even things like pens or message center-type items.” Use them to hold potatoes, onions, garlic, avocados—you name it.
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Why does it seem like the kitchen is always the place where all your bills, outgoing mail, coupons and notepads converge? This desktop organizer provides a home for it all, with a slim footprint that lays neatly against the wall.
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If you can’t resist buying a cute mug when you see one, you’re not alone—and now you can finally feel justified in your purchase. This wall mug rack turns all your cute coffee mugs into displayable works of art. The best part? It holds up to 27 (yes, 27!) mugs at once.
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This isn’t your average dish rack. Sure, it’s just as functional as traditional versions, but it’s a whole lot more upscale. The wood-handled dish rack contains organization for plates, and its silverware caddy can be moved wherever it’s most useful at the moment. Speaking of silverware, you have to see this expandable cutlery tray. It’s the best way to organize utensils!
There’s a lot to consider when shopping for a kitchen organizer, but we’ve rounded up a few of the biggest factors to help you narrow things down below:
As kitchens are one of the most ubiquitous rooms in a home, there is a legion of available organizers and organizational schemes, so we had to really take a look at the big picture to understand the scope of options on the market. Once we had a better idea of that range, we started paring down the options by brands we (and customers) trust and often turn to. We then tried to pay attention to the organizers’ overall quality, materials, versatility and user-friendliness. Finally, we narrowed it down to the options you see here—an array of options boasting the highest level of professional and customer satisfaction, suiting a variety of kitchens and styles.
As a former senior shopping editor, Megan Mowry prides herself on her expertise in helping readers find products that will improve their lives. She’s put her mettle to the test by researching and reviewing dozens of home-focused products, which gives her unique insight into trends, styles, etc. This gives her a unique perspective on home goods, including kitchen organizers.
A founding member of the Taste of Home shopping team, Madi Koetting has reviewed hundreds of products in the home space, including kitchen appliances, cooking gear, cleaning gadgets, furniture and home decor. Her work has appeared in Taste of Home, Reader’s Digest and Family Handyman, and it has also been published by The Everygirl and Stylecaster. This experience and expertise give her authority in the home goods space, allowing her to speak to the best kitchen organizers, among many other categories.
This changes largely from kitchen to kitchen and person to person. However, there are a couple of fairly basic things you can do to help improve the flow of your kitchen and make your life a little easier (and they’re probably more simple than you might think). For starters, try grouping things together by usage. For instance, if you have a coffee maker on the counter, it makes sense to keep your coffee mugs in a cabinet right above or below the coffee maker; that way, you’re not traveling across the kitchen every time you want a cup of joe. Second, don’t be afraid to keep frequently-used things out—if you have a lot of go-to spices, putting a spice rack on the counter will save you some time and frustration whenever you need a sprinkle of salt or garlic powder. Third, remember that this is your kitchen, and ultimately, it reflects you and how you work—it doesn’t have to be perfect; it just has to make sense to you.
There are many different options for clutter-reducing organization, as you can see from our guide above. Trays, racks and storage baskets can help make your kitchen look much more organized. Of course, if you really hate the look of stuff on your counters, plenty of organizers will also fit into your existing cabinets and drawers, so you can always go that route. But it’s important to remember that having stuff on your counters doesn’t necessarily make it clutter. As long as there’s a measure of organization and flow, your counters are probably not as busy/disorganized as you might think.
Numerous kitchen counter organizational devices are offered with out-of-sight storage—like breadboxes or enclosed spice racks. If you want your kitchen to look extremely minimalist, it can be as simple as putting everything into cabinets or containers. However, the less you have at arm’s reach, the more steps you must follow every time you want to cook, clean, etc. Also, a completely barren kitchen can look quite clinical and empty; try to find a balance between minimalism and flow for the best results. Don’t stress too much about hiding everything away—kitchens are workspaces.
