Guilty as charged. I make cream of wheat every school morning 5 days a week in a small all-clad pan that can go in the dw. That stuff dries like concrete. It goes from the dw to the range. It is not a particularly pretty pan, just functional.

I have out a utensils crock for wooden spoons and the like, and a couple of trivets. All my other cooking apparatus is put away (pots, pans, spices, condiments, pot holders -- all I their place). Some small appliances are out - SodaStream, Nespresso, kitchen scale (which I really should put away, since I don't use it daily)

No pots on stove - they are either hanging on pot rack or in drawer. I love pots that are used daily on a pot rack.

Utinsels are in two antique pitchers on the counter. That is going to change with new kitchen with one pitcher remaining with severely edited things. Others will go in a pullout that has stainless utinsel pots. Oil and vinegar will go under pots in pullout. Container of rolled oats that is now next to stove, will go either in nearby new cabinet or in a drawer.

I 'm hoping to end up with one tool pitcher, salt, pepper, whipped butter (lives in an antique copper tun which hold the plastic tub perfectly, and one mini Breville toaster oven - all this on a 5 ft run or counter. I'm working very hard to de clutter countertops as much as possible but still prepare 3 meals daily for myself.

I do not leave my pots and pans on the stove, although I have some stunners. It's just not a look for me.

On the counter, there are appliances and such, but no, never pots and pans left out.

Don't leave any pots/pans out all the time. Sometimes if I'm unloading the DW at night but know I'll be using my favorite saute pan for breakfast the next day, I'll leave it on one of the burners. But all my pans/pots are stored within 1-step reach of the stove anyway, so no big deal to reach in and grab one.

Small appliances have a place off to the side, where the frig hides them from general view (open floorplan/small cottage). But most-used cooking utensils are in two revolving canisters right up on the windowsill for all the world to see.

If I could I'd put them on the side, but no room for them. I need that quick one- or two-step access to my spatulas, strainer spoons, and kitchen scissors. I use several not just every day, but often cooking each meal.

Have a lot of utensils in two big drawers, the ones that are less often used, like thermometers, chopsticks, peelers, etc.

Whenever I see a photo of a kitchen with basically empty counters, I think, "Either they cleared everything away for a photo shoot, or that family doesn't cook!"

I feel the same as Mimipadv. I get a feeling of satisfaction putting the pots and pans away. All cooking utensils are in a drawer just for them in a convenient location between the sink and the range. I have 2 counter runs that are on opposite walls. On them are:

• 2-slice toaster
• coffee maker
• paper towel holder
• small rectangular tray (next to range) that holds salt and pepper grinders, kitchen timer, and salt keeper for spooning salt
• 40-year-old Revere small tea kettle on trivet (will have to pry from my cold dead hands)
• a ceramic basket to hold ripening fruit (similar to this one at W-S, but mine is many years old, and the company is gone).

I do, but it is more out necessity than desire. My tiny kitchen has limited storage and the lower cabinet where I keep most of the pots and pans is crammed full. I used to put them all away be it became such a PITA rummaging through the cabinet to get to the ones I wanted, one day I just decided to leave my favorites out on the stove. The older I get, the more my back thinks this is a great idea. Next year when I move it will be so nice to have a kitchen with easy access to storage so I can put everything away.

Nope...all put away.

We have a red dutch oven that we leave out, as red is our accent color. The toaster, coffee maker, and KitchenAid all sit out. Salt, pepper, and olive oil by the stove, and glass canisters with flour and sugar in the corner.

Hmmmm.... I don't mind the look of the utensil crock but I just can't get past the dust (and cat hair) that might be flying around. I see the dust that accumulates on my bakers rack and I wouldn't want it on anything I use to make food!

We usually have at least one and sometimes 3 cast iron skillets sitting out on the cooktop at all times. We heat them up for a few minutes to dry after cleaning, and they have a way of just sitting there. Or sometimes (eek!) sitting there dirty until the next time they are used. They get used for basically everything we cook. Oils are on an open shelf next to the stove so are easily accessible but do NOT take up counter space. Spoons in a drawer next to the stove - agree with avoiding the dust factor here. I like to keep the counters completely open for use - I also do not have an excessive amount of counter space so this is especially important.

My antique cast iron Griswold griddle and the generic stainless kettle stay out all the time.

Casey

Is it worse to ingest dust on your cooking utensils instead of breathing it in (the same dust is there regardless of whether your spoons are in a drawer or out LOL).

I purposely arranged in my last kitchen to have everything put away. The only things that should have been on my counter were a spoon hold, salt and pepper mills that we got from a craft artist, antique white canisters for sugar, tea, coffee and flour, and a wire basket for fruit. Everything else was either off the counters or behind appliance garages. Paper towels were hung on the wall.

However, DH left all of dear dog's vitamins, meds, etc on the counter next to the sink. Hence in our new kitchen the dog's items will be behind an appliance garage!

What I do now:

- I keep my large Pampered Chef baking stone in the oven all the time because I really have no place to store it.

- I keep my used-everyday cooking utensils -- spatulas, wooden spoons -- standing in a container by my range.

- I keep my Kitchen Aid mixer, which is used probably 3Xs a week, on the cabinet because it's too heavy to move

- All of my pots and pans live IN the cabinet.

- The toaster and other small appliances are tucked away inside cabinets.

What I want to do in my new kitchen:

- I'll probably still keep the Pampered Chef baking stone in the oven; it's become a habit now.

- I will have drawers near the range, and my cooking utensils will be hidden away.

- The Kitchen Aid will have its own lift and will be tucked away.

- My most heavily used pots and pans will live in a Lazy Susan cabinet near the range, and the large stock pots, etc. will be housed in the two-steps away 10' long pantry.

- I'll have a "back cabinet" out of the main cooking area, and the toaster, etc. will live on that cabinet.

Kitchen isn't completely finished and "accessorized". So, things may be put away now, but that could change. I'm not opposed to things being on the counter. Just haven't figured out what I want there yet.

Can't remember where I saw it, but I saw a rustic box with all types of rolling pins standing up in it for decoration. No one needs a bunch of rolling pins....neverless I liked it. Go figure.

On my perimeter counters I have out at all times: espresso machine, grinder, utensil canister, soda stream, knife block, olive oil. The fruit bowl (when we have fruit) usually resides on the island. And I try to keep a vase of fresh flowers on the island too. I used to always have a tea kettle on the stove, but we now have an instant hot water dispenser so I don't keep it out anymore.

6 months ago I would have said no, nothing out. However, temp housing has created a storage issue and I am realizing that I don't mind stuff out and I like seeing color. Red Le Creuset pots and pans are on top of cabinets, Red Kitchen Aid mixer is on the counter. Also my grandmothers mixing pot is up there, and my MIL's cookie tin is above another cabinet. It makes me smile to look at it so I am going to try not to think about the dust factor :)

Yes, but ideally....no. That's why I'm in the middle of a KonMari sort. Break over, back to sorting! : )

Sunnysmom that's exactly what's happening to me -- temp rental, insufficient storage, kind of love having the saute pan on the counter 24/7. I find I'm more likely to make real food for breakfast/lunch/dinner when the pan is ready to go! If you use it 3 times a day, it doesn't really have that much time to accumulate dust. (We don't have pets so I don't have to worry about their dander and hair----just typing that makes me do that thing you do when you have hair on your tongue. YUCK.

I do not leave any pots or pans on the stove. However, I do love the look of my cookware. It is all stored below the counters but in exposed areas. I also do not leave any tools out in a crock, they all live in drawers. I do leave my large mixer on the counter. I also have a large round, 3 inch thick butcher block that lives permanently on my island. The knife is not usually out.

My goal is for nothing to be on my counters except a clay pot for wooden spoons, a glass for pasta, and a roll or paper towels. Everything else is in the pantry or in a cabinet.

It is a struggle.

S&P, spoon rest and a small spice rack are all that I leave out near the cooktop. Toaster oven, coffee pot, blendtec, fruit bowls and a trivet are out on the sink side.

No - I designed my kitchen so everything could be conveniently stored out of sight. I don't care for clutter on my counters.

To paraphrase the great William Morris, “If you want a golden rule that will fit everything, this is it: [Post] nothing [on the internet] that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.”

I spent way too much time working in laboratories where EVERYTHING you use daily is out and ready to grab.

I have the teapot and the most often used iron skillet on the stove top, the coffee maker and air pot and coffeebean dispenser and filter holder ready to use, utensils in crocks ready to grab, and cooking oil, salt, and a couple of spices by the stove top.

The toaster, bread machine and flour crocks are on the counter too.

Clutter, I haz it.

Only the coffe maker is left out for us. The rest is decorative stuff only. Just don't care to look at pots pans and the tools for cooking.

Pots and pans are hung as are cooking utensils so they're out. Microwave, toaster and kettle are out too. Everyone's concept of convenience versus clutter is different. For our busy household it's convenience all the way. There just isn't enough time (or energy) to hide stuff used 4 times a day. :)

If it is either beautiful or useful, it's not "clutter!" :)

Almost nothing on our counter. KA mixmaster is on the counter because it is used several times a week, and it's so heavy that it is a disincentive to baking if I have to pull it out. My husband keeps a small milk frother on the counter (drives me nuts) and a single cup stovetop coffee maker on the cooktop (uses it several times a day so it's always too hot to put away). Other than that, there is absolutely nothing on our counter. Microwave is in a cupboard. Toaster oven is on an open shelf above the counter. Fruit bowl is in a lower drawer. Salt & pepper and oils are in a pull out cabinet to the right of the range. I guess we do keep a soap dispenser and little bowl with a sponge and Dutchboy scrub by the sink. Paper towel dispenser is tucked away above the sink. I hate stuff and planned my kitchen to have none.

Oh, gosh, I certainly don't have clean counters. Going around the room -

Tea kettle on range. Copper tray holding paprika, garlic salt, sugar, olive oil, salt & pepper. Utensil crock. Wall-mounted knife rack. Paper towel holder. Hand soap dispenser.

Small dishrack for drying plastics from dishwasher. Bowl of receipts and gift cards. Organizer for bills. Pen holder. Crock of wooden spoons. Kitchenaid mixer.

Cookbook holder. Microwave. Fruit bowl. Toaster.

On table: Napkin holder. Tray with salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar. Bread basket.

Well, I'm not sure what "will" be out......I can just say what is out. Right now, toaster, coffee maker, pretty flour and sugar containers, oil on the back of the stove, dish with salt, pepper and 2 flowering geraniums. I have a long term plan of 2 matching walnut cabinets that will house and hide toaster and coffee maker in one and TV in the other- BUT, DH has to make them, after the island (this summers job) :^) Right now, it's just a matter of space. The flowering plants won't leave!

I like to keep my countertops fairly clear, containing it all in a tray (thanks Pinterest!). I tend to leave out a pan or two since I make eggs every morning.