The kitchen is the heart of the home, the place where families cook, eat meals together, and gather most of the time. The kitchen is one of the first places in the house that should not be burdened by clutter, mostly when the kitchen doubles as a dining area, office space, or play area for the kids.
Keeping the kitchen neat and tidy is easier if you have less stuff in it. So here are some items that your kitchen cabinets and counters might be better without:
1. Appliances you never use
If your waffle maker or rice cooker hasn’t made it out of the cabinet in more than six months, then you should probably donate or sell them so that they can stop taking up storage space. The same goes for appliances whose purpose can be replicated on the stove and oven, such as an egg cooker or bread maker.
2. More knives than necessary
You don’t need a dozen knives in your kitchen to cook a great meal. You only need three types of knives, namely: a paring knife, a chef’s knife, and a bread knife. Two chef’s knives are okay for slicing meat and produce separately, but more than two or three is too much and unnecessary.
3. Unnecessary kitchen gadgets
Egg slicer, garlic chopper, and yolk separator: these kitchen gadgets and more are unnecessary and take up too much space in your kitchen drawers. Unless you are cooking large batches of food for every meal, the amount of time that these kitchen gadgets save is insignificant.
4. Excess coffee mugs
How many people are in your house? How many of those people use coffee mugs? If the number of mugs you have is too large for the number of people in the house who use mugs, you can do away with the excess ones. In general, one mug per person should be enough, so resist the urge to take home every cute mug you see.
5. Rarely used dry goods
If you have bags of rice, beans, flour, canned food, or other dry goods that you haven’t touched in months, then you should probably give them away to free up space in the pantry. Keep only a small amount just in case you need some in the future.
6. Pop-up toaster
Pop-up toasters are breeding grounds for bacteria and take up precious counter space only to toast bread. A toaster oven is a great alternative as it can not only toast bread, but also heat food, make chips, and melt cheese, among many other functions.
7. Excess dish and glassware
No one needs two dozen plates in their kitchen unless, of course, you hold dinner parties every weekend, which is likely not the case. Get rid of excess dishes and glassware from your kitchen cabinets. Just like with mugs, only keep the right amount of dishes and glasses for your household members.
8. Plastic containers
At some point, plastic food containers are no longer safe nor convenient to use. Invest in glass containers instead. Apart from being durable and easier to clean, glass containers let you see what’s inside, which makes it easier to find what you’re looking for in the refrigerator. Similarly, avoid opaque food containers regardless of the material. With opaque containers, you are more likely to forget about what’s inside and increase the chances of wasting food.
9. Multiples of kitchen equipment
Donate or sell excess multiples of your kitchen tools and equipment, including scissors, wine openers, measuring spoons, peelers, and can openers. Having more than one is unnecessary and a waste of space. Plus, you only really need one, and it will decrease the number of things you have to wash after cooking.
10. Pre-filled spice rack and expired spices
When you’re looking for a spice rack, avoid buying a pre-filled one. Chances are, you’re not going to use every single spice on the rack, and that’s a waste of both money and space. Instead, buy an empty spice rack and buy spices only when you plan to use it soon.
Get rid of expired spices as well. If the spice has been in your pantry for more than 12 months, it’s time to replace it.
Since the kitchen sees a lot of activity during the day, clutter and messes can quickly pile up. Make it easier to keep your kitchen clutter-free by getting rid of these unnecessary items. Before you know it, it will be much easier to use your kitchen without it overflowing with stuff.
