Clutter has a way of overwhelming us. It can make us stressed and irritable. It even stops us from moving forward with other things in our lives.
You know that feeling when you clean out your fridge and you feel like you could take over the world?! Imagine if you decluttered your whole kitchen....sounds overwhelming right? It doesn't have to be. Try these easy steps to create a clutter-free kitchen.
1. Allocate a block of time
Block off time in your calendar to keep you accountable. Yes, there are always other things you could be doing, but if you are serious about creating a calm, uncluttered kitchen, block off the time and put other jobs aside. Pour yourself a glass of water and put on some music to get you motivated. Lets begin. Do all of your washing up and wipe down counters so that you have a clean space to work in. Find a box for items you plan to donate.
2. Set your goals.
What are you trying to achieve in the set time? How do you want your kitchen to look? How do you want to feel when you walk into your kitchen each morning? Write the answers down so you can refer back if you start to feel a bit overwhelmed.
3. Take everything out.
Take everything out of your kitchen cupboards. Yep. Everything. That way you will can really assess what you have and whether you really need it. If that feels too overwhelming, start with a category (crockery for example) and take out all the things that belong in that category. Discard items that are chipped; broken; or have have missing bits. Decide how many pieces you need in your dinner set, based on how many people you have in your house and how often you entertain. Any bits that are surplus can go in the donate box.
4. Questions to ask yourself.
Do I love it? Would I buy it again today? Have I used it in the last year? Do I have have several of the same thing? All of these questions can help you identify if you really need an item or if it can be passed on to someone else. Does everything that sits on the kitchen counter top really need to be there? You can create space by putting away the things you don't use every day, like large gadgets, and putting random objects and paperwork where they should really be.
5. Use the fine china.
You've heard the expression 'life is short, use the fine china'. Get out the good stuff and use it. If we are too scared to use the nicer things that we own, they own us. Make your mealtimes special by lighting a candle and using the posh plates and the cut glass tumblers. If you really don't want to use your special dinner set, consider displaying it somewhere. There's no point hiding lovey things away where you can't appreciate them.
6. Take stock.
Sort through your dried goods and check all sell by dates. Anything way over the date needs to go in the bin. Any dried or tinned foods that are still in date but that you know you won't use, can be donated to a local food bank.
7. Get organised.
When you have finished decluttering, put back the items that you have decided to keep in the cupboards. Make sure cooking implements, spices, oils are close to the cooker and keep mugs near the kettle. When arranging your kitchen counters, keep only the things that you use often (daily) in an accessible place (kettle, toaster, washing up equipment etc).
The decluttering process is about discovering what things you value and what is getting in your way. If you love to cook and bake and each item is useful to you and brings you joy, you should keep them. But if you have items that you rarely use and they are getting in your way, these tips should help you let them go.
Good luck!
