Your kitchen can become unruly if you don’t keep a good handle on what is going in and out of it. As part of my weekly kitchen cleaning routine, I take a look at everything in the cupboards and drawers to ensure we don’t have items in there that are just taking up valuable space. Albeit we have a small kitchen so it might not be possible for everyone to do this weekly, but once a month or quarter it might be a good idea to evaluate what is lurking behind the clean and tidy looking cabinet fronts.
Chipped glasses
Carrier bags
We are in the age of bags for life so recycle any plastic bags and invest in a few sturdy bags for life depending on how much shopping you buy in one go. If you are forgetful, you could put them in your car or near the door, so you don’t leave them behind when you get your groceries.
Fancy kitchen equipment
We’re all guilty of buying something for the latest fad or because we think it makes our lives in the kitchen easier. The reality is- if you never took to making smoothies, toasties, popcorn, waffles or slow cooked meals, it might be wise to donate them to leave space for the things you do enjoy. Chances are if you haven’t used it in a long time- you never will, so let someone else enjoy it.
Duplicates
Do you really need 2 pairs of scissors or 2 kettles, 3 whisks and 5 spatulas? The answer is ‘no’. You probably only need one of each item. If you have a lot of duplicates- pare them down to just the essentials you use for the things you cook. If you prepare a lot of things in the oven it makes sense to have more than one baking tray, however if you rarely bake cakes there is little point in having a stack of tins.
Expired food
Take a look at the dates of all your food in your cupboards and discard anything that has gone past its best. Make sure you recycle anything you can in terms of the containers they came in and if you have pets like rabbits that enjoy vegetables and something is looking a bit sad in your fridge, chances are they will enjoy it all the same. Then put everything back on your shelves in date order so you always use the one closest to its expiry date first. Similarly, when you replenish your stocks- put the new stuff at the back behind the ones that were already there.
Foods you will never eat
Perhaps you bought something to try and you never liked the taste, maybe you bought something as part of a diet craze and have never got around to eating it. Maybe you have bought too many of something and they are going out of date soon. If you have anything like this- donate it to a food bank or give it to someone you know will use it like a friend or family member.
Anything you have to excess
If you have fifty mugs in your kitchen- ask yourself ‘if all my mates or family came around for a cup of coffee at the same time how many cups would I need?’ I calculated that we will only ever need 10 of everything in our home to cater for the whole family if they come to eat and drink in our home. Be realistic- just keep your favourites and give the rest to a charity shop.
Anything that is chipped or broken
If you have chipped glasses- they could cut someone’s lip so it’s time to let go. If you have plates with bits missing from them- they are unsightly but can also become unhygienic too so let them go and if you really like the set- you can always replace single items to make it up to its original number.
Tagged in Decluttering