Attn Balebustas! Do you have an emnty counter

2gether

Sun, Jun 07 2020, 4:16 am

I want to keep my counter as empty as possible. But where should I keep the following items:

cutting board and placemats (I can't put them away wet)
bread
drying pots
cups in use (otherwise we'll go through a million disposable a day)
cutlery in draining cup (I can't put them away wet)
"mayin achronim" cup

(sponges and soap)

Please give me ideas!

Elfrida

Sun, Jun 07 2020, 4:34 am

If the empty counter is really important, take a towel and dry the cutting board, place mats, pots and cutlery, then put them away. It doesnt actually take very long, and that would cover more than half of your list.

Bread can go on the fridge (or freezer), or in a designated bread box.

Instead of disposable, use real cups, and either wash them or put them in the dishwasher immediately after use.

giselle

Sun, Jun 07 2020, 6:09 am

Bamboo cutting boards dry fast.

Soap and sponge under sink.

Isn’t the point of disposable to throw away? Otherwise just use real cups like the user above suggested.

A drying rack for wet dishes takes up a small amount of room and the rest of the counter can remain clean and empty.

Bread can be kept in the pantry. Although I keep mine in the freezer, as we don’t like bread that sat out.

Washing cup next to faucet, between sink and wall.

Last edited by giselle on Sun, Jun 07 2020, 12:42 pm; edited 1 time in total

amother

Saddlebrown

Sun, Jun 07 2020, 6:34 am

2gether wrote:

Cutting boards: I stand them on a towel behind my sink.
Placemats: in a pile on the counter or table.
Bread: kitchen table
Drying pots: on the stove
Cups: table
Cutlery: dish drain
Washing cup: hanging from a cabinet door
Sponges: I have a rack that hangs on the cabinet above my sink

amother

White

Sun, Jun 07 2020, 8:00 am

I got tired of cups sitting around so I bought each of us water bottles and they sit in the refrigerator.
Always cold water, no more cups wasted or left around my kitchen.
I've also told my kids when they use a cup to put it on the table where they will sitting for the next meal.
My kitchen is tiny.
I don't use cutting boards because I have no room for them. I cut on disposable plates.
Placemats go on a shelf or drawer like dish towels and oven mitts.
Washing cup, soap, sponge go near the sink on a small silicon mat thing that catches water.
I also like an empty counter so I use a thick dish drying mat (I think it's microfiber) for wet cutlery etc instead of a dish rack. When the dishes, cutlery, etc., are dry I can fold up the mat and put it away for extra counter space. It looks nicer when I have guests over too.

Rubber Ducky

Sun, Jun 07 2020, 11:36 am

Can you hang any of them up? Like put a rack for cups or utensils above the sink that drains into the sink?
For example: https://www.amazon.com/Colture.....;th=1

A washing cup can also be hung.

This kind of sponge holder atttaches to the sink basin and works well: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07W.....0cnVl

If you have unique cups for each household member and just use them for water or seltzer, you don't need to wash them all the time.

I have potracks and hang most of of my pots there not completely dry, but of course they are fully in view.

amother

Ginger

Sun, Jun 07 2020, 11:58 am

I also like empty counters and it's a constant battle because no one else cares.

Cutting Board - dries standing on counter or I dry manually and put away when dry and stays away when not in use.
Placemats - I have a place in a cabinet to stand them up.
Bread - in the freezer
Drying pots - no such thing. I dry them and put them straight away.
Cups in use - We don't often use disposable. We have hard plastic cups we use, wash, dry and put away.
Cutlery in draining cup - no such thing. I dry them and put them straight away.
"mayin achronim" cup - I have one on the far side of each sink. But I consider them a decoration. After meals I neurotically put them at the exact angle I find pleasant to the eye.
Sponges and soap - On the far side of each sink. Put neatly.

amother

Chocolate

Sun, Jun 07 2020, 12:03 pm

I have a plastic container that suctions inside the sink that I keep sponges (I keep it on the side opposite the faucet so you can’t really see it)
Washing cup I keep under sink.
Bread in a nice glass bowl on the counter
Cups in the cup cabinet with an initial for everyone’s name who it belongs to.

SuperWify

Sun, Jun 07 2020, 1:20 pm

cutting board and placemats ( dry them and put away)
bread- bread box (I have same problem.. some put in a drawer if you have an extra one.)
drying pots (dishwasher)
cups in use (otherwise we'll go through a million disposable a day) (Keep a small bin specifically for this.)
cutlery in draining cup (I can't put them away wet) (Why not in the dishwasher to dry?)
"mayin achronim" cup (do you mean netilah cup? Edge of sink.)

(sponges and soap) (in the sink in a suction thingy)

SuperWify

Sun, Jun 07 2020, 1:22 pm

amother [ Seagreen ] wrote:

Any idea where to keep drying bottle covers?

I keep a grass mat from boon with a tree in a cabinet and dry all my bottles there. (Something like this https://www.kidly.co.uk/produc.....w_wcB)

amother

Ivory

Sun, Jun 07 2020, 2:19 pm

I put a hook on the backsplash, to hold the washing cup.
Next to every sink. Also a hook for a dish towel on the side of sinks next to bathrooms.

amother

Dodgerblue

Sun, Jun 07 2020, 3:48 pm

Why keep bread out to go stale? It should be in freezer...
(Unless you're planning for it all to get eaten within the next few hours.)

amother

Seafoam

Sun, Jun 07 2020, 4:01 pm

I have an empty counter
Everything dries on a drying rack or gets dried with a towel
As soon as everything is dried it gets put away
The drying rack goes under the sink with the sponges and detergent

Also my sinks came with an insert rack so sometimes I can let cups and cutting board dry overnight in the sink, standing up

It’s only DH and I and I only have to cook dinner

Only on erev Shabbos does the counter get very full
And then the cleaning lady puts everythng away

Washing cup is in the sink
Towels are usually on the counter though