Kitchen counters are notorious magnets for gloves, groceries, dog leashes, mail and keys, to name a few, but having (and maintaining) organized kitchen counters isn’t an impossible dream.

Hardy’s choice is the USV20 from Avid Armor: “a perfect kitchen staple for someone who makes too much of a recipe or purchases too much at the grocery store,” he says.

The second most common occasion to clean kitchen counter surfaces is right before people start to prepare food. Here, Norwegians are at the European average of 53 percent.

If you're like most people, you probably use your kitchen counter as a catch-all for various odds and ends, food-related and otherwise. But there are some things you might not want to keep there ...

If your kitchen is tight, these high-performing appliances for small kitchens should make the cut for coveted countertop ...

"Close, visible, and convenient food is more likely to be eaten, so what sits on your counter and you pass by 30 times in the course of the evening, you are more likely to pick up and snack on ...

Kitchen counters are some of the most heavily trafficked and high-touch surfaces in any living space. ... Just make sure that the one you use is food-grade (it should say so on the packaging).