When I first set up my kitchen years ago, I made what felt like the most logical choice: keep everything within reach. Spices, bread, fruit, knife block, the blender — they all had a cozy little place right there on the countertop. I thought it made sense. After all, the more visible something is, the more I’d use it, right? Well… not quite.

Over time, what started as “convenience” turned into chaos. My once tidy kitchen became visually noisy and — to my surprise — less hygienic. Even worse, I realized I was actually ruining some of my food.