Kitchen Organization + Food Storage

The Kitchen Counter Accessories You Need

Figuring out which kitchen counter accessories make your life easiest is a matter of your culinary style. Do you like everything laid out on the counter in front of you? Or are you more the type to organize things on shelves? With so many intelligent new designs, it's easy to find the kitchen counter accessories that suit your lifestyle best.

The Kitchen Essentials You Need At Hand

For most people, a few things absolutely belong on counters. Your kitchen counter's decorative accessories might mix and match with your essentials, but those essentials need to live close at hand.

• A dish drainer rack is a must-have for anyone who does dishes by hand. Even if you have a dishwasher, fine china, crystal and some serving platters or silverware need to a hand washing. Get a chic style that's easy to move around when not in use.
• A kitchen towel should be nearby for grabbing hot pots and pans, Dutch ovens or casserole dishes.
• Paper towels fit snugly under shelves or in a corner on a countertop so that you can always rip one off for spills, quick clean-ups or drying your hands.

You can make room for other basics, too -- or plan space for new essentials with kitchen counter accessories that wow you with their efficient, stylish design.

• New small appliances, like toasters you can see through and express hot pots, deserve counter space in a modern home.
• Go for ultra-cool space savers, like coffee filter holders, magnetic towel racks or under-shelf utensil holders, to ensure counter space for the things that need to be there.
• A cookbook stand doesn't take up much space but can revolutionize your culinary prowess if it lets you get inspired by beautiful cookbooks every night.

Find Creative Ways to Use Kitchen Canisters

Kitchen canisters make organizing kitchen counter accessories a snap, too. As you start to pare your kitchen counter down to your true essentials, you can start to select a number of them to store cooks' tools and utensils.

Use them as food storage containers, too, for all your sundries, like coffee, sugar, flour or cookies. Which ones go on the counter and which go in cabinets is up to you.