My countertops are completely clear. 

Reaching a pivotal moment in my minimalism journey meant overcoming the barriers that prevented me from using the space in my kitchen in an efficient manner.

One value that I held with upmost importance during my decluttering process was the idea of keeping my countertops completely free. By that I mean not just “free of excess” or “free of clutter”, but actually completely clear –save for antibacterial soap by the sink and a boxy microwave occupying the far corner of my space.

This idea of maintaining a clear counter space (CCS –as it will be abbreviated hereinafter) became paramount in the way that I managed my kitchen for the following few reasons.

Firstly, the CCS idea as a concept made perfect logistical sense for me. In all gravity, the purpose of a horizontal, level, and ergonomically positioned (avg. 36” from floor) surface is to be utilized as it is intended; as a food preparation area –not as a surface for storing items.

I started thinking, if the main concern of my apartment-sized kitchen at that time, was lack of food preparation areas, (whereby one of the only two areas competed with space occupied by a toaster) then why couldn’t I overcome this seemingly obvious barrier?

Marketing tells us that if our items do not fit in our designated storage space, then our storage options are lacking – not that we have accumulated too many items. Accumulating more storage vessels instead has become the new normal in many households which could have paradoxically and unintentionally altered our own feelings in our space. By succumbing to the pressures associated with accumulating more “stuff”, it is not difficult to imagine that an increase of self-doubt has resulted. This self-doubt may have also stemmed from an (advertisement driven) belief that our own space has proven to feel less than adequate when it comes to suiting our needs.

Instead of resorting to buying “organizational supplies” and fearing that my “tiny” space was inadequate for me, I choose to declutter what was behind my already existing storage areas; the cabinets –both above and below the countertops, as well as the drawers and pantry area. I did so to not only ensure that I was keeping what I knew I used regularly but to also ensure that all of my kitchen items (that were previously on the counter) had a “home” within these storage spaces.

Secondly, CCS also creates a space utilization binary –by separating the space into two categories; (0) nothing and (1) something.

In my kitchen, the clear countertops are meant to remain clear of items (the nothing), while all else is considered storage and meant for storing items (the something).

Alternatively, how I like to think about it; the unaided eye sees the work space such as the countertops for food prep. that are in plain view. While with help, the aided eye sees the storage space and as such, requires the hand to open the cabinet doors so that the stored items are made available.

CCS works twofold here. The space utilization binary allows for me to keep the number of items that I contain in my kitchen in-check. If I have something that doesn’t fit in my cabinets or drawers, then I either don’t need that item in question or I need to donate an item from my cabinet in order to make the space for it. It really is that simple.

By managing my kitchen in this fashion, I have essentially “reset my kitchen organizational baseline”, i.e. the amount of items that I deem appropriate and acceptable to see within my field of vision at any one given time.

Because I successfully maintained a precedent of “zero items” as my baseline for my countertop for a period of time, a beautiful change has occurred –anything extra in my space will appear as so.

• A piece of mail left on the countertop will seem out of place.
• A dish left in the sink will look alien.
• A pan left out on the counter is easily placed back into its home in the cabinet.

I am not claiming that clutter doesn’t or can’t happen. Furthermore, I am saying that minimalism is a process which has made dealing with the inevitable clutter effortless.

I found that my kitchen is easier to maintain as it seems that I am only one step away from tranquility. To answer your question, I do keep my toaster in my cabinet. In my space, every item has a home, the baseline is zero, and clutter is dealt with and not left to accumulate.

There is something to be said about a calming nature of a completely clutter-free, organized, and minimized space. As mentioned in an earlier post, with the absence of “extra”, the mind is able to focus on the important tasks and thus reach a unique level of mental clarity. I encourage everyone to research minimalism via many outlets such as books, magazines, or internet websites (i.e. blogs, Pinterest, etc.). Once put into practice, one may truly understand minimalism and its beneficial long lasting implications.

 

 

[Photo Credit — Jake Epstein — Plymouth, MA]