Written by Andrea Reviewed by Daniel

8 Things You Need to Remove from Your Kitchen Counter Today

Is your tiny apartment kitchen making you feel claustrophobic? We’ve got the solution!

When you’re living in a flat with a kitchen the size of a postage stamp, every centimetre of counter space becomes absolutely precious. Yet somehow, these limited surfaces end up collecting everything from rarely used gadgets to yesterday’s post. If you’ve ever found yourself balancing a chopping board on top of a toaster just to prepare a simple meal, it’s time for a counter intervention!

I’ve worked with dozens of apartment dwellers struggling with minuscule kitchens, and I’ve discovered that removing just these eight items can double your usable space almost instantly. The best part? This transformation requires no renovation, no expensive storage solutions, and can be completed in a single afternoon!

Table of Contents

Digital Devices And Chargers

Let’s start with a modern counter culprit that wasn’t even an issue twenty years ago! Phones, tablets, laptops and their tangled charging cables have somehow claimed permanent residence on many kitchen counters.

This is especially problematic in studio flats where your kitchen area might also serve as your dining, working, and sometimes even living space. Not only do these gadgets eat up valuable preparation area, but they’re also at constant risk of water damage or food spills.

Create a dedicated charging station elsewhere in your flat, perhaps in the hallway or living area. For ultra compact living situations, consider a small wall mounted shelf specifically for electronics, keeping them safe and your counters clear for actual cooking.

Paper Avalanche

Your kitchen counter is not a filing cabinet, yet somehow it becomes the default landing zone for everything from bills to takeaway menus to random flyers.

In tight apartment spaces, this paper clutter not only looks messy but actually shrinks your usable counter area with each day’s post. Even worse, important documents can easily become damaged by water splashes or food preparation.

The solution? Create a simple sorting system near your front door instead. A small wall mounted organiser with just three categories, “Action Required,” “To File,” and “Recycle Now” can completely eliminate this counter hogger.

BONUS TIP: For those in truly tiny spaces, consider going digital whenever possible, requesting electronic statements and storing documents in cloud services rather than in physical form.

Decorative But Impractical Items

Those Pinterest worthy matched canisters and decorative pieces might look lovely, but they’re stealing space you simply can’t afford to lose in a compact kitchen.

Many apartment dwellers fall into the trap of trying to make their small kitchen look “homey” with decorative items, not realising how much functional workspace they’re sacrificing. When you’re already short on counter space, that ceramic chicken collection needs to find a new roost!

Instead, embrace vertical decorating. Install a narrow shelf above eye level where decorative items can be displayed without sacrificing precious work surface. If you’re renting and can’t install shelves, consider using the tops of cabinets or refrigerator for display items instead.

Spices

A sprawling array of spice jars and bottles on your worktop might seem convenient while cooking, but they’re actually a massive space waster in compact kitchens.

The vertical solution strikes again! Consider:

A magnetic strip mounted on available wall space for metal lidded spice jars
Door mounted racks that utilise the inside of cabinet doors
Narrow pull out spice cabinets that fit in otherwise wasted spaces
Stackable magnetic spice containers that attach to any metal surface

For those with cramped spaces, the inside of cabinet doors represents prime untapped storage potential, perfect for keeping spices accessible without surrendering limited counter area.

Excessive Drinkware

That collection of mugs from every place you’ve visited, multiple water bottles, and various styles of drinking glasses has no business taking up your limited counter space!

This is particularly problematic in shared flats where everyone’s favourite drinking vessels tend to accumulate on counters. Be ruthless about what deserves this prime real estate, especially when your preparation area is already at a premium.

Limit yourself to just 1 to 2 daily use items on the counter and store the rest in cabinets. If storage is also limited (as it often is in apartment kitchens), it might be time to evaluate which items you truly use regularly and consider finding new homes for the rest.

Rarely Used Appliances

That bread maker you’ve used twice, the ice cream machine that comes out once a summer, or the fancy food processor that requires too much cleaning effort to use regularly, all these items are silently stealing valuable worktop space.

For those with limited counter areas, this is perhaps the biggest space waster of all. The simple rule: if you don’t use it at least twice weekly, it doesn’t deserve permanent counter status!

Store occasional use appliances in cupboards or on high shelves. For truly tiny kitchens, consider multi-function appliances that combine several uses in one footprint, or investigate whether some appliances could be replaced by manual methods that store more compactly.

Cooking Oils And Condiments

That battalion of oils, vinegars, sauces and condiments stationed around your cooking area might seem convenient, but they’re consuming precious space in your compact kitchen.

Beyond just taking up room, these bottles attract dust, get splattered with cooking residue, and can actually degrade faster when exposed to light and heat from nearby cooking. This is especially problematic in small apartment kitchens where the cooker area and preparation space often overlap by necessity.

Store these items in a cabinet, but for convenience, consider a small turntable inside that makes grabbing what you need quick and easy. If you absolutely must keep some oils out, limit yourself to just one everyday bottle in a discreet corner.

Oversized Knife Blocks

That chunky wooden knife block might seem like a kitchen essential, but it’s actually a space thief in compact kitchens, often taking up a disproportionate amount of limited counter area.

For tiny spaces, there are far more space efficient options:

Magnetic knife strips mounted on walls keep blades accessible but off your counters
In drawer knife organisers protect blades while hiding them completely
Under cabinet mounting systems utilise otherwise wasted space

Not only do these alternatives free up valuable work surface, but they can actually be safer too, especially in shared accommodations where knife security might be a concern.

Transform Your Kitchen Today!

The key to small space living is to think vertically and be ruthless about what deserves your limited horizontal surfaces. Walls, cabinet doors, and the sides of appliances offer untapped storage potential that can free your counters for their intended purpose: food preparation.

With your newly cleared worktops, cooking in your apartment kitchen will become less of a frustrating tetris game and more of an enjoyable activity. You might even find yourself experimenting with recipes you previously avoided due to lack of workspace!

What items have you banished from your kitchen counters to create more usable space? Share your small kitchen solutions in the comments!

Also, follow us on Pinterest ...