The island in my kitchen serves many purposes — it provides much-needed additional prep space whenever the mood strikes to try out an elaborate recipe; then friends come over, it’s the perfect gathering spot for gossiping, drinking wine, and charcuterie. It’s easy access for small treats to grab on the go. And it’s also become a fabulous dumping ground for mail, paperwork, and random decor that has no other home. Basically, the extra space does the opposite of what I hoped.
It causes more clutter, it isn’t aesthetically pleasing, and I’ve been at a loss for how to fix it. Every basket, bowl, or tray I buy just seems to exacerbate the problem. So, I turned to the kitchen experts to share with me their do’s and don’ts about kitchen island storage, and how I can make the most of mine (while still looking good!).
What Designers Told Me to Do to Keep My Kitchen Island Organized
1. Don’t Let It Become a “Dumping Ground”
“Take care that your island does not become a convenient dumping ground!” explains Susan Serra, president and designer at Susan Serra Associates. “Mixing papers and mail with fresh food on an island countertop is a recipe for disaster, including potential spills, staining, and mistaking folder over papers as trash.” That’s the first place I went wrong — having designated storage and organizing spots for different clutter culprits in the kitchen is key to avoiding the dreaded “dumping ground.”
2. Balance Is Key
Courtney Cole, an interior designer at the Australian tile and home renovation company TileCloud, is all about avoiding clutter — but that doesn’t mean shying away from displaying a few nice-looking items that you use frequently. “An obvious choice is a butcher block. Displaying a few favorite cookbooks is also a good idea; just don’t take it too far with your whole collection,” Cole says.
“You want to keep things relevant to the kitchen — while it can be tempting to put out candles and decorative bowls, they ultimately eat up precious counter space.” She suggests substituting decorative pieces with things you actually use like salt and pepper shakers or a fruit bowl since oranges, lemons, and limes are “art on their own.”
3. Be Mindful of Materials
To allow for maximum flexibility in using an island countertop, Serra recommends containers and items with solid bottoms that are all or mostly flat. “This will avoid tiny pieces falling through to the countertop,” she says. “Or opt for materials that are durable, not fragile. A tray or platter made of ceramic, plastic, heavy glass, or resin will be easy to keep clean, especially if its purpose is to hold fruit or other fresh foods.” And while wood may require occasional maintenance, it does provide beauty, warmth, and an earthy look.
4. Go Easy with Appliances — Large and Small
Small appliances that are very heavy (hello, KitchenAid mixer!) could get in the way and be difficult to move on an island, whereas very light ones (a coffee grinder, for example) can be easily bumped and possibly fall off the island. “An appliance that gets hot like a toaster should not have a permanent place on an island countertop to avoid burns,” suggests Serra.
5. The One-Third, Two-Thirds Theory
Keep items, whether decorative or functional, away from edges, suggests Serra, who is also a big fan of the one-third, two-thirds theory. “Place items one-third in from the edge of the island top for a pleasing look,” she explains. “A centered position is also desirable. Items placed off to the side can also direct functional use of the island to the remaining two-thirds, or larger amount of counter area.”
But Serra believes that small, decorative items have no place on an island countertop because of how easily they can be moved and knocked over. “A sturdy, heavy potted plant may look lovely as a decorative piece if the island is large and deep enough,” she says. “Otherwise, a decorative item can easily get in the way when the island needs to be cleared for use.”
How I’m Keeping My “New” Island Organized
I thought long and hard about what the experts suggested. My approach? Less is more. My pretty gold tray with random decor (what was a wooden cassette tape doing in my kitchen?) had become an oversized catch-all for my daughter’s small toys, bills that needed to be paid, losing lottery tickets, and more. I did keep the Lady and the Tramp salt and pepper shakers — and, gasp, actually filled them up with salt and pepper — so I’d actually have something both useful and fun to look at.
Now, let’s talk about that monstrosity of a wooden bucket. It was meant for storing candy and other treats, but instead, it overflowed with expired treats, wrappers, and even more toys. I took it away but decided to keep our innocuous candy dispenser for a whimsical touch. And, last but not least, I put out a produce basket so my family could easily grab a banana for the road, or some garlic to quickly chop up for a recipe. Clutter in all areas of my house makes me cranky and unproductive — finally, having so much extra, actually usable space on my island has lifted my mood, and upped my desire to cook more, too.