It used to be the kitchen table because in that house, it was the place closest to the door we came in. In this house we come in a different spot and Mr. Stitchnripper has a place tp put his keys/wallet right by the door. I put my purse on a small table in the hall, out of the way. Counters are not cluttered. We decluttered a lot when we moved and this house is arranged differently, with a basement so really no need. I tend to open the mail by the recycle bin. And for some peculiar reason I haven't figured out, this house gets much less dust than the other one. It continues to be a mystery to me. We also went sparse with the decorating, so it is much easier to clean and keep clean.