Clear Your Kitchen Counter (It’s a Work Space, Not a Storage Space)

My kitchen is in progress right now, but a few months ago when we bought our house it looked like this:

Untouched from 1970. Very dark with lots of harvest gold.

During our first week of home ownership we pulled down the upper cabinets that divided the food prep area from the eat-in area. My heart raced as I anxiously watched those heavy oak cabinets be pried off the ceiling and come crashing down. It was for the best, as it opened up the space.

We considered removing the lower cabinets and counter that divide the room as well, but I’m glad we didn’t. We noticed during that first week how often we piled our tools on the counter, and it was so useful. It is the main landing spot in the house.

The kitchen counter is our dumping ground for everything that we bring into the house: groceries, bags, and school papers. It’s the place where we temporarily set glasses, tools, and toys as we come in from other rooms. It’s where I wrap gifts, pack lunches, and serve up meals for family and guests.

The kitchen is the center for work and activity in the house, and having a clear counter to serve as a work surface is essential.

We often treat the kitchen counter as a storage space, but it’s supposed to be a work space. Storage can get in the way. We can put our stuff on the counter, but that doesn’t mean it should stay there. It needs to move out of the way for the next activity to happen.

Let’s work on clearing off the kitchen counter today.

I always have a dish drying rack next to the sink, but otherwise I try to keep the counters as clear as I can. When I set something down temporarily, it’s obvious and out of place. This gives me incentive to put things where they should go.

Clear the Clutter from Your Handbag

That’s a lot of receipts.

I think it’s time to clean out the clutter from my handbag. (It’s been a while.)

I also found a LEGO in there and the letter “Y” key that’s been missing from the keyboard.

(Two minutes later = much better.)

Bonus assignment: Use a tray for the things you need to stay organized as you walk out the door, so you’ll always know where to find your keys.

How I Make Goals for My Kids (Printable)

When the new year comes, it takes me a couple of weeks to sift through all the aspirational goals to reach the point of, “Now this is what I’m really going to do.”

Goals have to be short and basic, not a long list. You have to be able to easily say your goals from memory, if you’re going to really do them.

I plan goals for my kids using a simple approach I learned from the book Desperate Households by Kathy Peel. It starts with the Bible verse, Luke 2:52 (NIV):

“And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.”

This one sentence focuses on growth in four essential areas: intellectual, physical, spiritual, and social.

I use it as a framework to purposely choose ways that I can encourage growth in each of these areas. Because it’s just one sentence, it’s easy for me to remember, and I can tailor my plans for each kid.

(It works for grown-ups, too.)

I made a printable if you want to do it too:

• Kids’ goals printable pdf

• Kids’ goals printable pdf (two on a page)

Clear the Clutter: Sell or Donate One Big Thing

Last week’s Clear the Clutter challenge was to put away the “worn but not dirty yet” clothes that pile up next to the bed. This is traditionally a struggle for me because I’m so tired when I go to bed, but this week it was easier to put my clothes away since I took care of the pile first.

This does not mean you have to go through all the rooms in your house to find a bunch of stuff to donate or sell. We’re going for big impact with little effort. I’m always impressed by how much space I get back when I can finally get rid of something big. If you sell it, that means someone is paying you to improve your home!

The motto for this is, “Remove to improve!”

My job this week is to sell my old TV stand. I sold the TV and the speakers long ago, so right now the stand is sitting in the garage, and we don’t need the storage.

You might have:

• an old couch or chair
• unused exercise equipment
• an old appliance or TV
• baby gear such as a swing or exersaucer

If you don’t want to go through the hassle of selling, some charities will come to your house with a truck to pick up furniture or appliances.

If your stuff is not in good-enough condition to donate to charity, put it on the curb with a “free” sign, or find what day the city will do a bulk-trash pickup.

I only sell something when I can get at least $20 for it. I donate most household items and clothes, but I do like to sell the big stuff.

Tips to Sell Your Stuff on Craigslist

Price: I generally price things at 40% of what it costs to buy it new, assuming it’s in good condition and something I bought in recent years. (I only sell things that would cost at least $50 new since I have a $20 resale minimum.) It makes me laugh when I see listings for “Custom drapes, gorgeous!” when they’re clearly from the 1980s. “Custom” means it suited the owner’s preference, but to me they’re just old drapes. Price accordingly. Check other listings to compare and estimate a good price.

Photo: Include a big, clear photo on your ad. Craigslist makes your photos look small with low resolution, so overcome that by following the instructions in this post: Craigslist Photo Tip: How to Show Big, Clear Photos So Your Stuff Sells.

Detail: Be descriptive in your title by naming it something like, “Sage Green Loveseat from Pottery Barn,” not “Couch.” Preempt questions by listing measurements and flaws. Also list your terms, such as, “Pick-up only, no delivery. Price is firm. Located near ___. Available evenings and weekends.”