This Genius Design Tip Instantly Declutters Busy Kitchen Counters

No matter what we do, no matter how hard we try, our kitchen counters always seem to attract so much clutter. From stray hand towels to seasoning bottles, they just fill up with anything, and our small appliances seem to be the worst offenders. If you're looking for a hack to increase storage space on your kitchen counters, look no further.

The secret to more kitchen countertop space is appliance garages. No, we don't mean putting your blender in the garage. We're talking about cabinets dedicated just to appliances ... a "garage" for them, if you will. Appliance garages are typically flush with the countertops for easy storage, and some have electrical outlets so you can plug them in and turn on your appliances right away.

If you're worrying about your kitchen cabinet space now, don't. While appliance garages can be converted from cabinets or installed on their own, they don't have to be. You can get a freestanding removable appliance garage to go alongside your existing cabinet system. We know that kitchen remodels can get very expensive, but you can buy kits for this express purpose, which are very affordable and easy to use. With just an afternoon's worth of elbow grease, you can create a lovely space to corral your small appliances and keep them from cluttering up your kitchen counters.

Don't think that your cabinet garage needs to be strictly functional, either. With just a little creative design, you can make them look fantastic, as well. Different styles are a great way to make your kitchen cabinets stand out, and an appliance garage is no different. Consider glass doors that make your countertops look even bigger and always know exactly where your appliances are hiding.

One of the best parts of an appliance garage is you're not limited to just regular kitchen cabinet doors. There are plenty of different styles to choose from, like Tambour doors that roll upwards like an actual garage door, or bifold doors that fold outwards to one side. You can even install your garage in the corner to take advantage of some underused space while creating a nice area for your appliances.

One thing to remember with your appliance cabinets is that, if you plan to store something that heats up like a toaster or air fryer, leave some counter space in front of them so that you can slide them out and use them outside of the cabinet. These appliances can produce heat and steam that warp your cabinets if it gets trapped inside, so allow space to use them safely in order to protect your cabinets' integrity and appearance.