Kitchen Walls, Floors and Top of Cupboards

For some, today will not take very long, for others, it might take a while.  

1.  Let's start with the tops of the cupboards. 

Some cupboards don't have any space between them and the ceiling.  If that is the case in your kitchen you can skip this step and move to the next step.

If you do have space on top of your cupboards to put things...don't.  Take everything off including all plastic plants or vines dried flower arrangements and all accessories.  I don't like anything on top of cupboards.  I have tried, believe me. But no matter what I do, it always ends up just looking cluttered and too forced for real design.  If you choose to put something on top of the cupboards anyway, please don't put any plastic plants up there.   I don't care for real plants on top of cupboards either, plus it's too difficult to water, deadhead and prune and so they always end up looking shabby.  Dried flower arrangements or wreaths were nice about  25 years ago but not really today.

If you want to put something up there realize that you don't have to fill every empty space.  Only put a view accessories that are the right proportion for the cupboards and the room.  A lot of times we tend to use things that are too small. It usually needs to be something really big.  Or a row of  plates hung on the wall that are all the same size.  But really, if nothing is up there, it will  feel less cluttered.

2.  Now the walls:

Sometimes the walls can be cluttered too.  Go through the same process with the walls as everything else.

• Take everything off the walls.
• Arrange items on the floor before you put them back on the wall.  It saves you from making too many nail holes.
• Remember the odd number rule:  Group things in odd numbers unless you have all the same size and color of frames.  
• Hang items at eye level.
• Remember the kitchen already has a lot visually going on with the cupboards and appliances and countertops.  Adding too much to the walls will be distracting so be brave and just put back a few things on a blank wall. 

3.  Next the floors and window sills: - yes, floors and windows can be cluttered too.

Here's the thing.  A table is really the only piece of furniture that should be on the floor in the kitchen, or at least around the kitchen table.  You might have a plant (live one please) in the corner of the room or some kind of nice art sculpture, but everything else should be off the floor.  You want room to walk around the table comfortably.  Sometimes hutches are in kitchens.  If you have room for one, that's okay.  Having room for one means you have plenty of room between the hutch and the chair of the table when someone is sitting in it. Be sure to declutter the hutch too if you choose to keep it.  Otherwise, you will be amazed at how much bigger your room will feel if you take out the hutch or book shelf or filing cabinet etc. 

Take everything off of the window sills.  I know it's a tempation to put items or plants in the window sill, but it usually just looks cluttered and keeps out the natural light coming from the window.