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Decluttering the kitchen

post #1 of 44
4/25/10 at 1:30pm
Thread Starter 
I thought it might be fun (and very helpful to us newbies!) to hit each main area of the house, so thought I would begin in the kitchen!

-Do you have an item # limit you use?
-What are your must-haves?

I have many serving pieces - some casual (for our family, or when we have company) and some fancier (for the times every couple of years when I seem to cater something-or-other for DH's work). I have gadgets, though I have gotten rid of several things; and in our smaller kitchen, I have no room (thus, the overflow into the DR and LR cabinets, yikes!).

So what is your thought process with your kitchen and decluttering?
Thanks!
Tina

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post #2 of 44
4/25/10 at 3:46pm
I just went through my cabinets again and realized there was some stuff that was either redundant or infrequently used...
post #3 of 44
4/25/10 at 3:47pm
I had decluttered my kitchen a few years ago, but now it's a mess again!

We host at T-giving and Christmas, so have lots of serving pieces.

My dh LOVES gadgets and as quickly as I get rid of things, he brings more home.

Right now I am getting ready to work on decluttering closets and drawers again, so the kitchen is farther down my list, but I am going to read here. When it's time for me to do the kitchen, I'll be inspired maybe!

post #4 of 44
4/25/10 at 4:04pm
Recently I took all the small appliances that I rarely use down to the basement, including the bread maker, large crock pot, food processor, etc. I plan to sell the breadmaker as I normally make my bread by hand now. I also moved the majority of my cookbooks down into the bottom cupboard and I may get rid of several of them. It cleared out a whole cupboard. My next job is the top of the fridge.
post #5 of 44
4/25/10 at 4:20pm
Thread Starter 
I cannot even get past #1 on my list - cleaning out the utensil drawer Silly things like a turkey baster - I may only use it once a year (if that), but when ya need it, ya need it, right?

For those of you with younger children, what type of plates do you keep around? We have some multi-colored IKEA plastic bowls, plates, cups, and utensils. I would like to get rid of them b/c they take up precious space, but now that we are expecting #3, they will come in handy, not to mention when my preschooler's friends come over and eat with us. From the research I did, I do not believe these have BPA, so that is not a concern thankfully!
post #6 of 44
4/25/10 at 4:32pm
I wait until I get in a pitching mood and then have at it. Anything that isn't used on at least a monthly basis is tossed unless it is super sentimental. My kitchen is small and I cannot tolerate extra junk. The last round, I tossed the toaster oven, blender, and a small food processor. Everything has a designated spot so if I want to buy something new, something old must go.
post #7 of 44
4/25/10 at 4:35pm
We just moved and I decluttered everything then but I really need to organize it all. And I'm sure when I do I will end up decluttering again... amazing to need it again so soon after I just did it!
post #8 of 44
4/25/10 at 4:44pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by justmeandmybrood View Post
I cannot even get past #1 on my list - cleaning out the utensil drawer Silly things like a turkey baster - I may only use it once a year (if that), but when ya need it, ya need it, right?

For those of you with younger children, what type of plates do you keep around? We have some multi-colored IKEA plastic bowls, plates, cups, and utensils. I would like to get rid of them b/c they take up precious space, but now that we are expecting #3, they will come in handy, not to mention when my preschooler's friends come over and eat with us. From the research I did, I do not believe these have BPA, so that is not a concern thankfully!
I use a spoon to baste turkey, although sometimes I just putt slices of bacon on it and it sorta self-bastes as the bacon cooks down and adds oils to the outside of the bird my kids confiscated the turkey baster that I had, but really, I should just ditch it when i find it - I think I've only ever used it once...

We use glass for my kids - they get the salad sized plates, and we have pyrex custard cups and small thick glass juice glasses for them to use. We've only had a couple things break, but it was when I let the kids carry their plates back into the kitchen and wasn't supervising them closely enough - no one's gotten hurt.
post #9 of 44
4/26/10 at 8:44am
I gotta admit that I wouldn't recognise a turkey baster even if it hit me right in the face, but I am sure it must be a very useful item!

My youngest has just turned 8 so I suddenly realised that all the plastic bowls and plates are just a bit babyish for him now...the patterns that is rather than the fact they are made from melamine. My inner hoarder wants to hang on to them for grandchildren, but my new decluttering self tells me this is not a good thing to do!

I have quite a few different sets of china, because china is one of my things I have always loved to collect. However I find we are now mainly eating off the chipped faded plates over and over again....because I keep thinking that at least if they break it won't matter. But maybe it would be better to toss the chipped yucky plates and eat off the nice ones?

I have realised I seem to have a thing for garlic crushers and graters...as I have a few of each. It has crossed my mind that there isn't a lot of point holding onto extra stuff for my daughters to set up home with, as these sort of items are so cheap these days to buy, I am sure they won't want all my cast off things, just certain special ones I can pass on.
post #10 of 44
4/26/10 at 9:11am
Thread Starter 
Okay, so I am *this* close to getting rid of the turkey baster but then I wonder if I should put it with bath toys for baby #3 we are expecting...we have since gotten rid of our bath toys, and the baster would do the trick, right? Argh - I have been staring t this kitchen for 2 days now and not one thing has gone, lol!

Cee, I think your idea of tossing your chipped china pieces is a great one! I bet your family will be excited to have a little change in their dishware, and you will be excited to bring out some lesser-used pieces

I hear ya on the melamime pieces - my Mom saved my set for me (bowl, cup, plate, and larger bowl), which is what my son ate off of for the first couple of years. However, since those pieces have broken over the years and moves, I do not have to worry about that one, lol!

Juvysen, the bacon idea sounds right up DH's alley! Thanks for that idea, yum!
post #11 of 44
4/26/10 at 10:53am
Quote:
Originally Posted by justmeandmybrood View Post
Okay, so I am *this* close to getting rid of the turkey baster but then I wonder if I should put it with bath toys for baby #3 we are expecting...we have since gotten rid of our bath toys, and the baster would do the trick, right? Argh - I have been staring t this kitchen for 2 days now and not one thing has gone, lol!
I would totally put it in with tub toys, but then, my kid's fav tub toy is an old plastic dasani bottle...

Quote:

Juvysen, the bacon idea sounds right up DH's alley! Thanks for that idea, yum!
it works on chicken, too...
post #12 of 44
4/26/10 at 6:05pm
I did this this winter and it made a huge difference. I have a large kitchen with lots of cabinets/counter space. When we bought the house I thought to myself that there is no way I am going to ever come close to filling them...boy was I wrong! Anywho, I have 10 adult plates and about as many bowls, I have childrens bowls and plates as well. We have cups but not a ton, if you don't wash ever 2 or 3 days we run out. I do have another set of dishes displayed in a china hutch so if we need more for a gathering I can use those.

I have another kitchen in the basement so that is where I put all my serving dishes that we only use a couple times a year but they have been handed down in the family so I don't want to get rid of. I also store all of my canning jars and canner down there along with the extra colender and big bowels for making pickles. I have my mixer sitting on the counter along with coffee pot, toaster, serving utensil jar, and microwave.

I can post a pic if people want.

In the cabinets I have things like my baking pans pots and pans and food. They all have stuff in them, but some aren't full which I like because it is easy to see everything.

I hate that I have a old kitchen with ugly cabinets and counter top, but the size is awesome as I love to bake and cook.
post #13 of 44
4/26/10 at 6:31pm
Thread Starter 
Katie, I would love to see a pic, thanks!!
post #14 of 44
4/26/10 at 7:31pm
hmm....I need to declutter my kitchen. Maybe if I follow along with someone else it will get done I have never used our china that we got when we were married, but I hate the thought of letting it go. It seems crazy to donate and equally crazy to keep, lol. We've never had a house for entertaining and I stink at hosting anything.
post #15 of 44
4/26/10 at 7:45pm
Thread Starter 
MommaLura, I am right there with you on the china...our everyday plates are plain cream stoneware (nothing fancy - Pfaltzgraff special), and since most of our serving pieces are from our travels while living abroad and are mainly blues and creams, I tend to use our everyday dishes for company. I still have yet to use the china...literally in years. Yet it takes up the majority of our china cabinet! I would feel horrible getting rid of it, but if we do not use it, and already have everyday stuff as well as Christmas stuff, what to do what to do, lol?!

We used to do much more hosting of events pre-kids with my husband's job, but just do not anymore. It is hard to decide what to do with those pieces, isn't it?!

Maybe we can set a goal to tackle a crowded drawer or cabinet (for me, it is the utensil drawer, wowsa!). We should take before/after pics - giving ourselves 1 week to do it. Baby steps, right?!


Tina
post #16 of 44
4/26/10 at 8:01pm
Use it!! It's literally worthless if you don't bother taking it out of the cabinet! Or sell it, and use the cash for something worth your time! Things are meant to be loved... use it or ditch it!! Even if you're just using it for your everyday dinner (or you know... that "special" tuesday...). Why have things like that in your house if you're not going to use them, ever?? It's just china. Go for it.
post #17 of 44
4/27/10 at 12:42am
http://i896.photobucket.com/albums/a...kitchen002.jpg

http://i896.photobucket.com/albums/a...kitchen001.jpg

This is my kitchen. I would love to have the money to redo it, but it is layed out great!
post #18 of 44
4/27/10 at 1:16am
Well, I just had to declutter the spare room so our flatmate could move in, and I found a bag of "non-essential kitchen items". Apparently they were so non-essential I never got around to unpacking them when we moved six months ago. I kept a couple of things - a corkscrew and a spatula - and Freecycled the rest. Thinking about it, I could probably have donated the spatula too. It's a bit wimpy.

The thing I have trouble getting rid of is attachments for appliances. I have NEVER used the citrus juicing attachment thingy for the food processor... if I want to juice a lemon, I squeeze it! Nor have I used the egg holder that goes with our steamer, because if I want a boiled egg I boil it. And I'm not planning to resell those items, so I don't need a complete set... and yet! It just seems so wrong to get rid of them!
post #19 of 44
4/27/10 at 5:08am
Katie T your kitchen is rather like mine in the sense of it being an older style kitchen, except you have about double the bench space I have, and yours is way tidier than mine!

I am also hoping to renovate one day but at this stage I am just glad to have a reasonable size kitchen, after twenty years of managing with 3 children in the tiniest pokiest kitchen ever up until end of 2007.

Smokering...I know just what you mean! I have always kept all the blades, citrus juicer and bits and pieces that come with the processor but never used anything except its most basic function. However it never occurred to me to throw out the bits I don't use..
post #20 of 44
4/27/10 at 10:19am
I like the idea of the challenge, but I think I'd be embarrassed to show pictures I'm not sure why its so hard to keep clean. Katie T, I love the size and layout of your kitchen. We're in the process of looking at homes and the kitchen can make or break a house, lol.

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