Week 1 of the challenge-Kitchen - sink , countertops, table

Today is week 1 of the challenge at http://www.home-storage-solutions-101.com/ which is to clean and organize your countertops, sink and table.
First off I have decided to be totally honest in this process and to show you the true befores and afters of these challenges. So here are the befores for today :

So the first thing I did was take everything off the counter and wipe it down. I only put back the things that I knew I wanted there and put everything else where it belonged too. I also needed to find a home for the new lagostina pots and pans I received as a christmas gift instead of displaying them on the counter. They found their new home in the drawer of the stove. I am not sure I am happy with them there but will address that in another part of the challenge. When we are doing the cupboards I want to change many of mine around and purge a lot of stuff to make a new home for them. But for now they will stay in that drawer.
Here are the afters:

I didnt have to do anything except put one newspaper into recycling . It is always clear thankfully!!!!!!!!!!

What amazed me most about this challenge was that it took me a very short time to make my kitchen have that ahhhhh.. feeling!!!!!!!! It really was about just taking the time tto put stuff away, empty the dishwasher and reload it , take out the garbage, do up a couple of dishes by hand and wipe down the counters and the sink with my norwex cloth.
So day 1 done and now to maintain this !!!!!!!!!