7 Things to Declutter From Your Kitchen Today

A brand new year is here and it’s a good time to declutter your kitchen.

Time to give it a refresh by paring things down.

You’re probably familiar with the expression, you can’t see the forest for the trees.  Well, sometimes it’s difficult to appreciate your living space because there’s so much stuff in the way.

Your kitchen is one of the places where stockpiling happens.

And, it’s safe to say that you want to keep the area in which you prepare food, as clutter-free as possible.

Let’s look at 7 items you can declutter from your kitchen TODAY.

1. Mugs

Have you actually counted how many mugs you have?

Mugs are popular items. And, between company mugs, charity mugs, mugs you received as gifts, it’s easy to see how your collection can accumulate.

Now, in your mug collection, how many are chipped, cracked, faded, etc.?

Not all mugs can withstand the test of time, or, the dishwasher.

Free up some space in your cupboard and decide how many mugs you’ll keep.  What’s a realistic amount for you?

There are 2 mugs that I drink out of consistently – that’s it.  We each have our 2 favorites. And, there are matching sets for guests.  Who knows when guests will be over again? Anyway, I digress.

So, between trash and donations, how about repurposing a couple that you hate to part with? Perhaps one of your gifted mugs was from a special person, or, represents a memorable time in your life.  Remember, this is not about keeping ALL the mugs, as the idea is to pare down.  

Anyway, consider using a mug for a small plant, or, pen holder. There are plenty of ideas online if you’re looking for suggestions.

2. Oven Mitts

Why don’t we replace our oven mitts when we should?

We have mitts with burn holes and stains. Ones that are too thin from washing or good old wear and tear. These oven mitts don’t protect your hands.  Yet, you still have them.

If you have a bunch of old ones, or, just have too many, go through and select a maximum of 3 – 4 pairs for regular use.  And, store the seasonal ones until the proper season.

Consider repurposing one, depending on the material for washing your car.

After that, throw out the tattered oven mitts and donate the ones that are still in fairly good condition.

3. Expired Spices

Typically, within 3 to 10 months, spices tend to lose their flavor.  This is especially true if they’re not stored properly.

Here’s a way to check if your spices are still good.  Pour some into your hand, grind them up, and sniff.  If their smell is not very strong, replacing them is the thing to do.

Also, there’s a likelihood that you have some duplicates, as well as some spices that you never use.  Take the opportunity to throw them out.

What about what’s left? Label and date them. And, organize them in your cupboard, so you remain up to date on what you have.

4. Condiment Packets

Perhaps you have a pile of mini-ketchup, soy sauce, and honey-mustard packets?

No judgment here.

Are you using them, though? Or are they just taking up room in a drawer, or, the fridge?

Maybe you plan to use them and haven’t yet gotten around to it.

Time to keep it real and purge.  Your family’s favorite condiments are already in the fridge or the cupboard.  So, get rid of the excess.

5. Tupperware

If your cupboards are overflowing with Tupperware, now’s a good time to do some purging.

Can you donate Tupperware?

Yes, you can, however, you need to check the bottom of the container.

If the container has a number 3, 6, or 7, it will not be accepted for donation, as this is regarded as high-risk plastic. 

Tupperware with numbers 1, 2, and 5 are acceptable for donation.

Repurpose a couple – they make great containers for first aid kits for your vehicle, or even as drawer organizers for your junk drawer.

6. Dishtowels

Sometimes we forget to go through our dishtowel collection.  And, we typically end up using the few that are on top.  It’s easy to forget just how many we have.

There are our daily ones, nice ones for special occasions and of course, seasonal ones.

All of these are taking up space.

When you go through them, the first ones to deal with are the old, worn out, and tattered ones. Either re-purpose them as cleaning cloths, or, throw them out.

The ones that are still in good condition can be donated.

Seasonal dishtowels can be stored.  If you place a dryer sheet between them, it keeps them smelling nice and fresh.

The dishtowels you decide to keep in the drawer can be rolled instead of folded.  This allows you to store a bit more and enables you to see them at a glance so that you don’t keep using the same ones over and over.

7. Plastic Cutlery

When you bring home takeout, the food often comes with a set of plastic cutlery.  This is useful when you’re on the road, but when you’re at home it’s useless as you already have access to plenty of cutlery that is not too small and won’t break. 

As result, we can end up with a drawer half-full of packets of plastic cutlery.  Take a few minutes and get rid of them.  It will be unlikely that you’ll ever use them.

Also, the next time you order in or get takeout, request not to add any plastic cutlery.  This will keep this clutter from building up and help to cut down on excess waste going into the landfill.

Recap

So now you have some suggestions for quick and relatively easy items you can declutter from your kitchen.

These are:

1. Mugs
2. Oven mitts
3. Expired spices
4. Condiment packets
5. Tupperware
6. Dishtowels
7. Plastic cutlery

Start purging these items today and you will be on your way to developing habits towards having a clutter-free kitchen.

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