If your countertop resembles a small-appliance showroom, it's time to put away everything except the toaster and coffeemaker. Dedicate the largest expanse of countertop in your kitchen to food preparation and keep it clear. Then you won't have to clean up before making dinner.

The Essentials

Cookbook Holder
A can of soup will keep your cookbook open to the right page, but it won't protect the pages from food stains. Use an acrylic cookbook holder instead; $12, Stacks and Stacks, 800-761-5222 or www.stacksandstacks.com.

Knife Guards
Upright knife blocks take up valuable counter space and are tough to clean (bits of food get lodged inside). Instead, keep knives in a drawer with plastic guards that protect blades and fingers. Four-inch knife sheath, $1.75; eight-inch sheath, $2.50; Broadway Panhandler, 866-266-5927.

Knife Rack
A wall-mounted magnetic rack keeps often-used cutlery accessible and in good condition. This inexpensive version, intended for screwdrivers and wrenches, works as well as those sold at fancy gourmet shops. Twelve-inch magnetic tool bar, $8, Lee Valley Tools, 800-871-8158 or www.leevalley.com.

Paper-Towel Holder
Many kitchens have a wall-mounted paper-towel holder, but a portable one lets you keep the towels where you're working. This stainless-steel model has a weighted base so you can tear off a sheet without toppling the roll; $29, Williams-Sonoma, www.williams-sonoma.com.

Cutting Board
Choose a sturdy wooden one — at least one inch thick — which is less likely to warp than thinner ones. Store your board flat to keep it in peak condition. Sixteen-by-12-inch cutting board, $18, Crate & Barrel, 800-996-9960 or www.crateandbarrel.com.

Knife and Cutting Board Tips

Avoid knives that supposedly never need sharpening. They have a low carbon content and eventually become useless. Buy stainless-steel knives with a high carbon content.

Keep two cutting boards. Mark one and set it aside for raw fish and meat.

Plastic boards are more hygienic than wood, since they can be soaked and put in the dishwasher, but they dull knives faster.

Rub half a lemon on a wooden board to remove stains from parsley or other herbs.

If you'll be cutting meat, do all the other chopping first, so you won't have to stop and clean up.

Clean wooden boards with hot, soapy water, then air-dry. Never soak them or put them in the dishwasher.