The window has a few crystal pieces in it, so that when the sun shines (and it does a lot since it's western facing), there are sparkles everywhere. It goes with the crystal knobs on my cabinets. To the left of my sink, is a stack of napkins and the paper towels. To the right are my four bottles I use in cooking: white wine, sherry, Marsala wine, and olive oil. On the sink is the sponge, dish soap, hand soap and one scrub brush. In the summer, the window will usually have a small glass of flowers.

It's the same window that overlooks the far corner of my pergola that has the cardinal vine up to the top, and then some. Right about September, we can stand and stare at hummingbirds enjoying the red funnel flowers. Saw our first hummer day before yesterday. Alas, the vine didn't have a tube flower until yesterday, so it didn't stick around long. Took advantage of the burgundy sunflower and the lavender, and then took off. More to come, I'm sure. I'm ready!

The people who had this house before me added a bizarre little room onto the kitchen,took the large window above the sink out,and replaced it with small shelves. I keep various knick knacks I've been given over the years. I collect pink anything,I collect heart shaped stuff,and my nephew/godson Charlie has given me some Charlie Brown figirines over the years. All of these things make me happy. (But im not counting out the possibility of destroying that room and putting my window back in for some natural light and pretty scenery,as my kitchen has zero windows. What were they thinking? Or maybe a skylight.....)

To the right,my paper towel holder (pink,of course) to the left,nothing but my mixer(pink) pushed into the corner ready for use. Other than that,i like to keep that small counter free to stack dishes from the dishwasher before I put them away.

Liquid soap dispenser for hand washing, paper towel dispenser is next to that. Nothing on the other side except room for the small dish drainer when I hand wash stuff.

I have a small bottle of dishsoap next to the faucet. It was a sample that was sent to me in the mail. When it's empty, I refill it from the big bottle that's kept under the sink. A blue nylon net scrubby thingy is usually found sitting in the sink. My sink has a small drawer under it where I keep the sponge, drain plugs, scrub brush, brillo pad, etc.

The kitchen has four large windows that make-up most of the wall that the sink occupies. This provides me with a lot of light and a nice view of what's going on outside while I'm working in the kitchen. I often find myself watching the birds, squirrels, deer and fawns, rabbits and occasional bear when I supposed to be doing is cleaning or preparing dinner.

Hand soap dispenser and dish with sponge. I don't like items sitting out on my counters.

I'm a minimalist, so, there's the dish soap in a glass bottle on the right, and a paper towel holder on the left. Oh, and right now there's a little potted cactus in the window sill that came from my nieces wedding last year that I hate. Lol. It was their little party favor-take home gift. Why did I bother taking it???? Feel too bad to just throw it away. Lol.

Another countertop minimalist. The hand soap dispenser is built in, dishwasher detergent (and everything else) is under the sink or in an adjacent closed compartment.

There's a window sill above the sink and nothing is on it.

I try to keep it clear. My soap dispenser is built into the countertops so no need for any bottles. I have a stainless steel little basket that suctions to the inside of the sink to hold the sponge and brush. I have a stainless steel roll up drain rack that stays at one end of the sink edge for easy access when needed. Over a ways down I have a basket of fresh clean towels. On the windowsill there's an orchid and a beautiful blue Pottery cup I can use when I need to grab water for something.

Wish my kitchen window was above the sink. I have a big kitchen window but it is on the wall kitty corner to it.

I have a soap dispenser to one side and a ceramic dish with a grid in it for the scrubby thingy. If I am hand washing a few items, I lay a dish towel to one side of the sink for things to drip dry. I avoid hand washing as much as humanly possible!

ETA Paper towel holder is to one side as well. There are begonias on the windowsill.

This is the roll up drain rack. Love it. Roll up drain rack

Oh my gosh, Raven, I love that!! I just pull out a hand towel to put my hand washables on.

-a bottle of hand soap
-one of those microfibre drying mats
-on the windowsill I have 3 Willow Tree angels and sometimes green onions in a glass of water to make them sprout again.

I don't like stuff. Lol...I have a tiny bottle of Dawn (I refill from large bottle kept under sink) and I have a small ceramic cup with a child size toothbrush and usually a piece of netting from the fresh bag of oranges I use as a scrubbie and a bottle of the Dove foaming bath soap for hands, my hands, everyone else can wash in the bath unless they are helping me. I keep the papertowels under the sink as they are only used for real ick like meat or dog stuff. Window sill above sink is bare. It looks right into the woods and I don't like anything obstructing my view. Now the larger counter beside the stove has the microwave and toaster all other small appliances are in a large built in beside frig. Breakfast bar is completely bare unless kids are having breakfast, lunch or doing some project that I need to supervise. I have a very boring kitchen with the white formica counters with pink specks being my only splash of color...very very old skool haha

Kitchen sink minimalist here too. Foaming dish soap dispenser and French Horn shaped ceramic dish for a couple sponges at sink. Currently there's a dish cloth spread with a clean small frying pan waiting to be put away. Window sill bare with view of my window box. Hanging on the cabinet side to my left is a framed poem written or copied out by my grandmother, "My Kitchen Window".

A pump container of liquid hand soap. Roll of paper towels nearby. Anything else is under the sink or in the tip out sponge drawer.

In my window at the sink there is a Jay Strongwater ring holder that often has my rings and watch. I wear a small gold band on my right hand that my mother was married in, year 1946. That one never comes off but any others including my wedding set I will wear, or not - depending on if I'm gardening, painting, cleaning. A small Strongwater bumblebee, just because it makes me smile. When we helped Mother move into senior living, she pared down some of her collectibles including her elephant collection. Years ago I had given her a 2" pinkish brown elephant carved from a rough opal (Mexican fire opal?) and I asked her if I could have that....its in my window too. I don't collect elephants, but love it.

Mine is non minimalist for sure. I have a huge bump out house greenhouse window which we put in when we did the kitchen restoration a dozen years ago. It's is filled with ferns and little antique concrete garden items. Paper towel stand on the right with soap dispenser on the left. I have a built in one but don't use it.

I have a heavy duty cutting board spanning the undermount, single bowl, kitchen sink...

I have a soap dish with a bar of hand soap and a small brush/sponge organizer to the left, a small bottle of Dawn on the corner of the sink and a counter top paper towel holder on the right.

Watchme your post reminded me that I do have a small ceramic dish with a bar of Kirks castile soap for washing produce, its usually under the sink but its summer and produce is plenty so its on the sink

I'm not a minimalist either, I'm a practicalist. Seems silly to me to hide some things that get used so frequently in everyday use only to have to drag it out again in a short while. If I'm having company I might clear it a little more but otherwise, I agree with (either Saab or Volvo's motto) "form follows function". To the left sits coffeemaker and dish drainer. Don't have a dishwasher. Thought about one a number of times but the reality is it wouldn't easily fit and I'm at the point I just don't crave a bacteria box sitting in my kitchen. I'm pretty good about cleaning up the dishes right away and soaking them a bit and it's a simple matter to swish, rinse and air dry. On the sink itself is a Dawn Direct Foam pump bottle for quick cleanups, a pump foam bottle of hand soap. (Used to just use the Dawn Foam but I wash my hands a lot and prefer a hand soap) and a small bottle of dish soap (always Dawn or Joy if you're interested), refilled if I have a refill but a lot of times it's as cheap or cheaper to buy the small bottles so that's what I usually get. The refrigerator sits right next to the sink so I have a magnetic shelf on there where I keep things like meat thermometers, strap wrench, top popper and some dish rags and a couple dish towels so I have clean ones handy when needed. Don't have a window right in front of the sink so I put up a small wire rack that serves dual function. Additional drying space and usually I keep the coffee mugs up there so they're handy and saves the putting away and taking out in a few hours and put away the other stuff. Also have some hooks on there to hang pots and pans for drying and put them away when dry. Paper towel holder is on the side of the cabinet above the frig. Oh, and on the floor between the frig and the sink cabinet is a large cutting board that I occasionally use over the sink when I'm prepping veggies or something and/or need extra counter space, so it's out of sight when not needed but handy for when the need arises. Not having a window adjacent to the sink is no problem, I have a big window to the right so while I'm working there I can turn my head and look outside. Probably sounds more cluttered than it really is (and yes it's rather cluttered when I'm washing a bunch of dishes after a big cooking project but that doesn't last long) and so, to the ones who itch and tremble if anything is in sight, here's fair warning - stay away! :)

Mamapinkyo, you wash produce in Kirk's Castile? I love that soap but never thought about washing produce with it. If you will, please share how/why/what and benefits to that. Thanks.

Small bottle for soap (big bottle under sink and do not care for the built-in), glass dish for scrubby, bottle of hand soap, etc.

I have no minimalist genes. I have a shelf at about shoulder height to the right of the kitchen sink with 4 house plants and 4 small appliances with dust covers. The window above the sink has no real view. :( And the sill is too narrow for items of display. So my hand washing dish soap, cloth holding ceramic pig and mini fountain style scrubbie holder are on the sink edges. I don't use paper towels and don't hand wash unless I need something right away, so that's it. Not minimalist but more practical I guess.

When we bought this house (prior to its construction) I ordered a TV antenna outlet for the kitchen counter corner next to the sink. I was tired of missing out on the evening news while I cooked dinner and thought doing dishes would be better with a TV show to watch. Still have a little TV there, and DH probably uses it more than I do. He likes to watch financial news when he has his coffee or lunch.

I don't like anything on the counters because it makes the already small kitchen look smaller. BUT: I have my Keurig and my Kitchenaid coffee machines on one side, and on the other my soap and lotion dispenser and my microwave sits on the corner of the counter.

No window over my sink. Mom always had an open shelf above the sink, so when we remodeled last year, I had the contractor put a shelf there again. On it I keep my kefir, the garlic crock, a ring holder, some egg cups that I use as tiny planters, and a few odds and ends. Also, no dishwasher (don't want one), so often the dish drainer is to the left of the sink. Vertical paper towel holder to the right of the sink. Pump dish soap dispenser and sink strainers and plugs both on tiny lineo mats behind the sink.

There is nothing on the counter next to the sink. The closest thing is in the corner to the right ; a basket of coffee and teas and higher up is a flat screen angled so I can watch it while working.

Lovemrmewey. It used to say on the Kirks web site that Kirks bars could be used to brush teeth so I figured its safe to wash produce lol. I did take a look and don't see that anymore so maybe I should contact them.

I've got everything but the kitchen sink in my purse, am now contemplating storing purse next to sink for convenience.

Don't like clutter around my sink. I'm a minimalist. Here's what I have:

There is actually one more thing I removed for picture. I have an canned air horn right behind the paper towel roll. It's there in case when I let my dog out at night, I see a coyote. I can then blow it and hopefully save her life.

I keep all cleaning supplies under the sink.

Scott, I love your rooster decor.

My kitchen is small and It hurts to bend so I am a maximalist. Vertical rooster paper towel holder, vinegar spray bottle, dawn and hand washing pump, barkeepers friend on tiles on left. sponges above the sink, rags, towels in drainer, and bags tucked into the paper towel holder, to grab before the dog walk. and my sunglasses, which I put on before the dog walk and fasten the leash hanging above the counter. The door is right there. It's all about getting the dog walk done and grabbing something to clean the counters without bending much. Windows above which I need to clean, now getting covered on the outside with spider webs! I hosed them down and they won't go away--anyone know how to deal with that? Maybe that should be a new post,

To the left of the sink is a large glass counter saver/cutting board and behind it next to the wall is my knife block. To the right of the sink is open space for the dish drainer which is only there to drain the dishes as they are washed and then dried. Then it is stored under the sink, never out on the counter more than an hour or so. (No dishwasher here other than DH). There is a window above the sink. The sill holds a small ceramic mouse on the far left corner. It is designed to hold a recipe card. On the far right corner is a small wire whisk with an egg shaped handle. I don't think either of those two items have been used for their intended purpose.

I am definitely NOT a minimalist! In anything!

A window is over my kitchen sink, there are a couple of folk art paper mache sculptures there, about 7 or 8 inches tall. A hen and rooster ceramic figurine that spent many years on my mother's kitchen window sill, a "Thank you Mom" mug my son gave me a couple of months ago, and some ivy cuttings rooting in a glass jar of water. I can see out, over these things, over the patio and into the back yard. The left portion of the sink has a dish drainer in it, there is one of those drying mats on the left counter, and the coffee pot is on that side, too. The end of the cabinet above the left counter has a wooden "A house is not a home without a dog" plaque my sister made for me many years ago. The right side is where I stack the dirty dishes after a meal. Farther over is a selection of often used various sizes of Ziplock plastic containers. The end of the upper cabinet on that side has a framed needlepoint sign, "Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most."

Wa-a-a-a-y too cluttered for most of y'all! I can admire pictures of beautiful uncluttered kitchens (or any room), but I would not be comfortable or happy living in one.

Different strokes for different folks, right?

Rusty

Two potted orchids, a vase with fresh garden roses and a pretty stoneware soap dish painted with a green ivy design. I used to have a long long ivy that wound all around the window. It grew in and out of the lace curtain. It all came down when I repainted.