What is on top of your kitchen units?

[user3274826]

Probably the most boring post I've ever started...

But we've always been a very cluttered house. I've been gradually decluttering for the past year which has helped a lot, but whenever I clear a surface, things get dumped on top (DP is the culprit, although in general I am messier) which drives me INSANE. I've been adding lots and lots of plants around the house to reclaim surfaces to try and stop this and it's helping, I've reclaimed several bookshelves, windowsills etc But the plant solution isn't perfect as they are expensive and I keep killing them so I can't do it everywhere.

My latest decluttering task was the kitchen units. I can't reach on top without climbing up, so I can't put useful kitchen things on there. In most Rightmove photos, they are lovely and bare, do people really manage this or have they been cleared in preparation? It is a large amount of useful space so I don't want to waste it and if it's empty, DH will keep filling it up with crap. I think I could put big curver baskets up there and use the space, but not sure what to put in there and don't need several basket versions of the 'random shit drawer'.

What about on top of bedroom wardrobes?

This stuff doesn't come naturally to me, I try so hard to give things a place and they all get mixed up.

Sheets of newspaper that are periodically gathered up and replaced with clean sheets, so the cupboard tops only need washing once in a blue moon.

We have:
Cake tins
Box with medicine stuff in it (not talking calpol or paracetamol or plasters, just rest of the stuff that is seldom needed)
Spare kitchen rolls
3 bottles of spring water in case of emergency
The Easter egg hunt bucket

On top of the fridge is
Biscuits DH thinks he is hiding from me
Extra boxes of cereal
Treats tin (cereal bars and stuff in a cake tin)
Plastic box of emergency food (our very small version of prepping - 3 days worth of tinned / dried food)

We don’t have enough storage space clearly!!

I can just about reach to grab a new kitchen roll but I just stand on a chair if I need to reach something else, it’s no big deal!

Oh and on top of wardrobe I have my wedding dress (boxed) and two storage boxes of toiletries - mainly Christmas gifts which last me the whole year!

Ugh:

A cookie cutter set never opened
A bubble machine
A couple of ribs of porridge
A box of weetabix
Some loose tea we were given for xmas
A set of steak knives in a box
A cake cutter and knife in a box
A half full tin of biscuits.

Our kitchen doesnt lend itself to a lot of storage

Dust and one glass vase. Which is also covered in dust.

Top of our fridge was horrendous. I did that recently, and now there are two curver baskets on there, one with the snacks the kids have to ask for, and one with cling film/foil/kitchen roll. It looks so much better.

I'd rather have nothing up there, but I can't stop OH from shoving things up there. Honestly I'm pissed off just thinking about all the other surfaces I clear and beg him not to dump things on this time only for him to berate me for being messy and being a hypocrite. I swear, this will be the end of us. Maybe I will reserve one box, as a place to put all the random crap he 'temporarily' dumps on windowsills and bookshelves? I'll make sure it's the far corner. I don't mind dragging a chair out to do that.

Hmm, I don't have enough clothes storage, I think I'll use big baskets on top of the wardrobe for clothes. I have hand luggage cases on there at the moment and OH has piled the contents of his pockets and paperwork on top of them. So my idea will probably still be a big flop.

We have an adventure play ground for spiders.
They bring all their mates during summer then I close it down in winter.
Reopens around April time.
It’s not a big earner but they seem to have fun.

Nothing .. my cabinets go to the ceiling .. I hate the way it looks with a load of stuff up there .. why do people do it ???

Nothing in upstairs kitchen but a few storage boxes in basement kitchen but I don’t go down there much so doesn’t bother me

Nothing, we have cupboards built around the big American fridge and wine rack (stores oat milk).

I think I would have a go a boarding the space up if your DH will put crap on it. If you need the space I’d get boxes with lids (not clear) to store stuff.

When you’re clearing out could you reorganise where you put stuff as well? What do you normally put up there?

Nothing. When I had my kitchen fitted I made sure the wall units went up to the ceiling. Before that I had a horrible gap where I used to store all my dust

Cake storage tins, cake carrier etc- too bulky to fit in cupboard
Boxes of tea bags
Spare boxes of tissues
And currently- my 'emergency stash' of food in case we have to isolate (like longlife milk and other bulky items)

Our cupboards are rather poky... Army kitchens aren't known for their storage. Previous resident has also put in shelves which are rather handy.

I dream of a nice modern kitchen with usable cupboards and plug sockets and a floor which wasn't out of date 30 years ago... Serving hatch to the dining room is handy though

Cupboards reach ceiling - or at least the cupboard housing does.

Nothing. After years of having no choice but to store things up there, we finally have a new kitchen, the cupboards are taller so less wasted space above them, and more actual storage space for all the 'stuff'. I love it.

Nothing. I think it looks so messy having anything on top of cabinets.

A blender and a horrendous layer of dust and filth. Our house is full of clutter, but I've still never treated the top of the kitchen cupboards as storage space. It's too hard to get to, especially because the bottom cupboards mean I'd have to lean over from any ladder or step.

Usually this

Nothing. Hardly any space between them and the ceiling plus I can't reach up there anyway. I did manage whilst standing on a step on tip toes to run a cloth on the bit i could reach and there wasn't much dust up there

Nothing but dust.
Old kitchen, tons of stuff, I hated it. So when we put the new kitchen in I made sure that they were kept empty.
The wardrobe runs floor to ceiling so nothing on top of there either.
dont ask about under the bed

On top of the dresser: three cute boxes containing out of season stuff like picnic set, birthday party decorations and sundae dishes (lunch boxes went there at the start of lockdown).
On top of the kitchen cabinets: two HUGE fruit bowls that were wedding presents, an Alessi whistling kettle (I have quite a few Alessi bits) and DM’s cast iron weighing scales. Poole Pottery jug and bowl and Petite Fleur biscuit barrel.

But I’m a pottery collector.

Nothing on top. Microwave, bread bin, coffee machine, kettle and tea and sugar on my sides. We have only been in this house since the beginning of March though so I am sure it will get more cluttered as it gets more lived in

Nothing. Can't stand clutter and threw my husband out.

Greasy dust .

It’s being ripped out this week.

purrs

I've got one of those too. Fuck knows how she got up there, it's 2 metres high and she's quite old and usually struggles to jump onto anything higher than a bed.

She did trick me into thinking she couldn't get down so I had to help her.

A basket full of unitaskers - useful tools but for one purpose only, like the cherry stoner, the sushi rolling mats and the snail tongs. The pasta machine. The big plastic box for brining joints. Lots of, er, 'interesting' bakeware. The salad spinner because it doesn't fit anywhere else. Luckily I'm tall...

Ugh too bloody much! I hate my kitchen!

I actually don't have much counter space as it's so small.

The one next to the sink is "reserved" for dirty dishes and recycling I need to collapse/rinse out. Annoying as this is the biggest area, also has become where I dump my read post, also has the smart meter for my energy supply.

The one to the right of the sink is above the washer and so has all the laundry stuff - gels, cleanser, dosing measures etc

The one to the left of the cooker is WAY too cluttered and needs a sort out. It has the utensil holder with the utensils in, cooking oils so they're handy, garlic, salt and pepper grinders again so handy for cooking, bottles and cans of drinks as my fridge isn't that big or else they'd all be in there (except for the red wine and bottles of squash/cordial), chopping board too lives there.

The one across from the cooker is very slim/narrow a sort of half breakfast bar thing that's barely use nor ornament! Kettle, toaster and tea caddies BARELY Fit on there.