Decluttering your kitchen not only frees up space, but it also often makes your kitchen much easier to use. But like any home project, kitchen decluttering requires a little preparation before getting started.
After all, even Golden rules for removing clutter Always make sure that your space is organized according to your needs and the time you have. So, we spoke to two kitchen experts to find out six questions to ask yourself before decluttering the kitchen.
Where’s the best place to start?
Before you do this, take a few minutes to think about where you want to start the kitchen organizing process – starting it in the wrong place can leave you feeling overwhelmed, bored, or actually Chaos can never end.
If you’re the type of person who needs a small win quickly to stay motivated, start by clearing out an easily accessible spot under the sink or junk drawer.
If you want to get the hardest parts out of the way first, start your decluttering by conquering the pantry or hard-to-access cabinets above the fridge and microwave.
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What can you declutter with the time you have?
Another question to ask before getting started is how much clutter you can expect to handle in the time you have. Don’t assume that you can declutter your entire kitchen in an hour or two, which will only lead to disappointment.
Instead, aim to eliminate a few shelves if you only have a few hours, or break it into smaller parts by trying to organize a cabinet or drawer in thirty minutes each day. It will probably take about half a day to declutter the entire kitchen.
What equipment do you really need?
When appliances are rarely used they can cause a big waste of space in the kitchen.
“I think the items that take up the most space are old kitchen appliances from the ’90s that are no longer used,” says Delah Gomasy, managing director of MadeForYou.
Review every small appliance you have and try to remember when it was last used. If it’s been more than a year – and it’s not a particularly expensive or hard-to-find device – consider donating it. This also applies to heavy single-use appliances like egg cookers.
“I always advise my clients to purchase an all-in-one gadget and then dispose of the items separately,” says Gomasi.
What’s taking up space on the counters?
Decluttering involves more than just editing and auditing what’s in your cabinets and drawers. Countertops must be decluttered Very. Kitchen counters will be much more useful if they are kept as clean as possible, separated from the necessities.
Taylor Riley, Founder of Boom. Convenience Services Consultants answers this question by doing a “quick assessment of what I use versus what is just taking up space.”
Items that are used almost every day, such as coffee makers and dish racks, can be placed on the counter. But appliances used only weekly or monthly, like rice cookers or food processors, should be stored elsewhere.
What food do you want?
Don’t forget to declutter the pantry. It can hide as much clutter as your cabinets can hide, but the difference with pantry clutter is that it can create some nasty odors, spills, and even mess problems.
Review all food stored in your pantry or refrigerator and look for ingredients that have expired or are about to expire. Try to cook items that expire soon and throw away expired food.
If you’ve got large quantities of a single item that will be hard to use up in a timely manner (“Those dozen cans of canned tomatoes, are you really going to use them all?” says Gomasi), consider using them as food instead. Donate to the pantry.
How can your kitchen work harder?
As you clear away any kitchen clutter, think about how you use that space – and how you’d like to use it.
For example, would it be much easier to unload the dishwasher if the cabinets near it held all the frequently used items that would later need to be washed frequently? Would it be easier to cook on a weeknight if pots and pans were placed next to the stove?
“Items you use daily — like spices or utensils — should have a designated spot near your prep area for quick access,” says Riley. “Lesser-used items, such as large appliances, can go into cabinets or storage so they stay out of the way.”
