Housekeeping: Foolproof Ways to Declutter Your Kitchen
If you’re always fumbling through cupboards to find what you’re looking for, it’s time to take action with these simple steps
Kat Bern
7 March 2015
You know that feeling when you’re trying to whip up a quick supper after work and everything in your kitchen seems to be conspiring against you? You can’t find the ingredients you could have sworn you had, things are tumbling off the shelves and nothing is where it should be… If you know what I’m talking about, then it’s time to declutter your kitchen.
A good way of figuring out what constitutes clutter is to ask yourself two questions: Does it serve you anymore? Does it bring you joy? If the answer to both of these questions is no, chances are you won’t even notice the item has gone. So let’s have a look at common space wasters and how to get rid of them.
A good way of figuring out what constitutes clutter is to ask yourself two questions: Does it serve you anymore? Does it bring you joy? If the answer to both of these questions is no, chances are you won’t even notice the item has gone. So let’s have a look at common space wasters and how to get rid of them.
Save the tidying for later
Don’t make extra work for yourself. If you want to make your kitchen more functional, it’s important to declutter it before you do any tidying. Firstly, you’ll mess everything up in the process of decluttering, and secondly there’s no point in tidying away things you’ll eventually want to throw out, donate or sell.
Don’t make extra work for yourself. If you want to make your kitchen more functional, it’s important to declutter it before you do any tidying. Firstly, you’ll mess everything up in the process of decluttering, and secondly there’s no point in tidying away things you’ll eventually want to throw out, donate or sell.
Purge your pantry
Start by going through your pantry or cupboards that hold your tins and jars, and pull out all of the out-of-date products. When I recently challenged some of my clients to do this, they couldn’t believe their eyes, finding tins dating back to 2007. That’s eight years of putting it off!
If you think an item is something you might realistically use, pull it out, put it on the side and give yourself a deadline by which to use it (assuming it’s still safe to eat). If you haven’t used it by then, get rid of it.
Browse stylish pantries for the 21st century
Start by going through your pantry or cupboards that hold your tins and jars, and pull out all of the out-of-date products. When I recently challenged some of my clients to do this, they couldn’t believe their eyes, finding tins dating back to 2007. That’s eight years of putting it off!
If you think an item is something you might realistically use, pull it out, put it on the side and give yourself a deadline by which to use it (assuming it’s still safe to eat). If you haven’t used it by then, get rid of it.
Browse stylish pantries for the 21st century
Minimise the plastic
Next, it’s time to tackle the plastic bags and, if you have any, plastic bottles. Many of us have a tendency to keep things ‘just in case’. But then instead of keeping the one just-in-case plastic bottle, or the few plastic bags we might realistically reuse, we keep 10.
Select a couple of really durable bags, and perhaps a bottle or two if you think they might be useful, and create a place to store them neatly in your kitchen. Recycle the rest – you’re never going to be able to use them all.
Next, it’s time to tackle the plastic bags and, if you have any, plastic bottles. Many of us have a tendency to keep things ‘just in case’. But then instead of keeping the one just-in-case plastic bottle, or the few plastic bags we might realistically reuse, we keep 10.
Select a couple of really durable bags, and perhaps a bottle or two if you think they might be useful, and create a place to store them neatly in your kitchen. Recycle the rest – you’re never going to be able to use them all.
Sort your tupperware
Do you find yourself overwhelmed every time you open the dreaded plastic boxes drawer or cupboard? It’s time to take it all out, give it a good clean and match up all of your boxes with their lids. Throw out any that don’t have a match and, if your collection isn’t a neat set like this one, it might be worth storing them with their lids on. It’ll keep them clean while in storage and, although it takes up more space, will make things so much easier when it comes to using them – no more scrabbling around looking for odd lids!
Do you find yourself overwhelmed every time you open the dreaded plastic boxes drawer or cupboard? It’s time to take it all out, give it a good clean and match up all of your boxes with their lids. Throw out any that don’t have a match and, if your collection isn’t a neat set like this one, it might be worth storing them with their lids on. It’ll keep them clean while in storage and, although it takes up more space, will make things so much easier when it comes to using them – no more scrabbling around looking for odd lids!
Cull your crockery
Do you have lots of crockery and find old and new sets are mixed together? Figure out exactly how many dishes you need by putting the older set away for a week and seeing how you get on. If you do just fine without it and you’re not particularly attached, it might be time to take it down to your local charity shop.
Do you have lots of crockery and find old and new sets are mixed together? Figure out exactly how many dishes you need by putting the older set away for a week and seeing how you get on. If you do just fine without it and you’re not particularly attached, it might be time to take it down to your local charity shop.
Filter your appliances
Kitchen appliances can be real space wasters. They’re bulky, and a lot of them only get occasional use. That’s why you want to make sure you only keep the ones you use daily, or a minimum of a few times a week, out on the worktop. If you only make waffles as a treat, pack the waffle maker away on a high shelf and take it down only on those occasions. Keeping worktops clear is a great way to make a kitchen feel larger and less chaotic.
Kitchen appliances can be real space wasters. They’re bulky, and a lot of them only get occasional use. That’s why you want to make sure you only keep the ones you use daily, or a minimum of a few times a week, out on the worktop. If you only make waffles as a treat, pack the waffle maker away on a high shelf and take it down only on those occasions. Keeping worktops clear is a great way to make a kitchen feel larger and less chaotic.
Streamline your utensils
Go through all of your utensils and donate any you haven’t used in over a year, then sort them like-by-like and keep them easily accessible near the hob. Try to find them a dedicated spot, whether that’s a spare drawer you can neatly organise or a bit of extra worktop space for some containers.
Go through all of your utensils and donate any you haven’t used in over a year, then sort them like-by-like and keep them easily accessible near the hob. Try to find them a dedicated spot, whether that’s a spare drawer you can neatly organise or a bit of extra worktop space for some containers.
Get your foils and wraps in order
A great idea for organising your wraps is putting them all into one drawer. But be careful – you don’t want it to become a designated drawer for ‘a bit of everything’. Make sure you keep the rolls tidily next to each other and, if you wish to add anything else, organise it by using a tray or container. You don’t want random objects lying around – they definitely won’t help when you’re trying to pack a sandwich in a rush.
A great idea for organising your wraps is putting them all into one drawer. But be careful – you don’t want it to become a designated drawer for ‘a bit of everything’. Make sure you keep the rolls tidily next to each other and, if you wish to add anything else, organise it by using a tray or container. You don’t want random objects lying around – they definitely won’t help when you’re trying to pack a sandwich in a rush.
Sort recipe books and takeaway menus
Have a look through all your cookery books and takeaway menus and keep only the ones you actually use. If you haven’t cooked from a book in the past year, gift it to someone who’s looking for new inspiration. You’ll free up some space on your shelf and the book will make someone else happy.
If you haven’t ordered food from a certain place for a while, the same rule applies – and with so many menus available online, there’s less and less reason to clog up a shelf or drawer with paper copies.
See more ways to declutter your home
Have a look through all your cookery books and takeaway menus and keep only the ones you actually use. If you haven’t cooked from a book in the past year, gift it to someone who’s looking for new inspiration. You’ll free up some space on your shelf and the book will make someone else happy.
If you haven’t ordered food from a certain place for a while, the same rule applies – and with so many menus available online, there’s less and less reason to clog up a shelf or drawer with paper copies.
See more ways to declutter your home
Create a box of items you’re not sure about
If you’re not sure whether you’re quite ready to say goodbye to some items, put them all in a box, write the date on that box and move it to a garage or loft. If you come across the box in, say, six months, and realise you haven’t been looking for those items, it might be easier for you to let them go. And remember, by getting rid of the old, you’re actually making space for the exciting and new.
TELL US…
Have you decluttered your kitchen? Share any tips and tricks in the Comments below.
If you’re not sure whether you’re quite ready to say goodbye to some items, put them all in a box, write the date on that box and move it to a garage or loft. If you come across the box in, say, six months, and realise you haven’t been looking for those items, it might be easier for you to let them go. And remember, by getting rid of the old, you’re actually making space for the exciting and new.
TELL US…
Have you decluttered your kitchen? Share any tips and tricks in the Comments below.
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The thing with the "decluttering" is that i realized sometime that what I took away is not clutter..i have just compared my kitchen with my friend 's kitchen (am french, she is Korean) I cook A LOT and she too..but our Cuisine does not require the same space in a kitchen... I use multiple boards, multiple knives, multiple dish forms, allmost no appliances and she uses One appliance and pan...but her kitchen is free of clutter everyday...my kitchen is free of "clutter once a year" I have donated a lot of small pans, griddles, marmite, pot, pyrex...etc..
well..my kitchen is my place to live. I entertain here..i cook, i have coffee, i read news, i work and on top of it...my 4 school age children bring all sort of papers to sign or to inform, PTO, Bingo, sport, newsletter...etc...etc..and husband pick up the mail from the box and add it on the mountain that I just cited above...
i need to find a real motivation not solution.
A
LOL- agreed re the knife rack, but I really miss the one I had UNDER the cupboard in my last kitchen. So quick and easy to access - and hidden! Guests were always amazed when I suddenly had the knife I needed in my hand, without opening a drawer or having a massive knife block on the counter.