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Every room is messy, but the kitchen is especially messy. From tossing mail and homework on the counter every time a family member comes through the door to hiding canned goods and baking supplies in the pantry and forgetting about them for years, “the kitchen tends to be the biggest source of clutter in most homes,” says professional organizer and housekeeper, Michelle G. Fits just right.
Some kitchen clutter is just a nuisance, while others can be bad for your health. Here are 15 items that are currently cluttering your kitchen. Throwing them out (or maybe donating them) will leave you feeling lighter, less stressed, and more motivated to cook.
1. Takeaway condiments and plastic cutlery
We've all got drawers full of leftover ketchup packets from McDonald's, plastic packets of soy sauce from Chinese takeout, little containers of sauce from Chick-fil-A, and unopened plastic cutlery wrappers. “It's OK to keep a small amount of these items in case you want to put a ketchup packet in your kid's lunch someday, but they shouldn't be front and center in the kitchen,” says professional organizer and homeowner, Michelle. SettlersUrgo recommends throwing out 90 percent of those cartons and putting the rest in a “to-go” basket in your pantry along with disposable coffee cups and other paper products.
2. Expired Food
While many of us are diligent in throwing out moldy strawberries and expired cold cuts, we leave a can of mustard in the fridge for a decade. “The fridge door is a great place to start decluttering your kitchen. Dressings, sauces, and condiments often stay in the fridge longer than they should,” says Fitzgerald. And while you're there, check the expiration dates on any oils (like canola, olive, or avocado oil) you keep in your pantry.
3. Out-of-season spices
Spice racks tend to become graveyards for condiments. “I was cleaning out a kitchen in Connecticut, and I had spices from a grocery store in New York City, and my client hadn't lived there in 15 years!” Urgo says. (While cleaning out my own spice drawer while researching this story, I was embarrassed to find a jar of bay leaves that was older than my youngest child, who is 9.) Eating expired spices won't make you sick, but they will lose their potency and flavor. “Some spices can be used a year past their expiration date, but if you find anything older than that, throw it out,” Urgo says.
4. Mismatched Tupperware
Tupperware was invented to improve kitchen organization, but it often backfires. “A lot of people are obsessed with Tupperware, even if they're missing the lids,” says Argo. Throw out the loose containers and stick to just three round and three rectangular containers. To prevent losing lids to your containers, “keep the lids on,” advises Fitzgerald.
5. Unused small kitchen appliances
The Instant Pot seemed like a good idea at the time. So did the Vitamix. And that air fryer! But how often do you actually use these devices? “In my experience, juicers are the most underutilized appliances,” says professional organizer and At home with Nikki and the author Beautifully Organized: A Guide to Home Function and Style. “Fueled by New Year's resolutions and a desire for healthy habits, people are enthusiastic to buy a juicer at the beginning of the year. However, that enthusiasm quickly fades when they realise how much work it takes to maintain and clean a juicer after use.”
For executive chef and co-founder Avi Sapiro, Gioia In New Haven, Connecticut, bread makers are another kitchen nuisance. “If you had an interest in baking and your passion only lasted a few months, now that bread maker is just taking up space.” Donate any appliances that are currently gathering dust in your cabinets to make room for things you'll use.
6Old cookware and baking sheets
Pots, pans, and cookie sheets are designed to last for years, but not forever. “It's important to throw out any pans or baking sheets that are scratched, as they can pose serious health risks,” says Fitzgerald. You only need one size of each (for example, one 8-inch, one 10-inch, and one 12-inch pan). Storing more sizes simply takes up cabinet space.
7. Bulky entertainment items
Do you often invite people over? If so, you might want to save extra wine glasses, cutlery, tablecloths, and oversized serving plates. But if you don't, it's best to donate these items and only rent party supplies if you decide to throw a party someday. “When you rent tables and chairs, it's easy to rent wine glasses, linens, etc. at the same time so you don't have to clean up all that stuff when the party's over,” says Urgo. Recently, when I was sorting through my table linens (again, inspired by writing this article), I realized I had some tablecloths that fit tables I no longer had, so I gave them to friends in need.
8. Inherited China
If you love your grandmother's china or your mother's silver tea set and have mementos, you can keep them. “But if you'll never use them and you're just holding on to them out of guilt, tell yourself it's okay to let them go,” says Urgo. She says her clients tend to look to her for the gentle encouragement they need to let go of these items. Depending on the value of the item, you can choose to sell or donate your heirlooms.
9. Water Bottle
Every organizer has their pet peeves, and for Fitzgerald, it's water bottles. “Why is that such a problem?” Fitzgerald says with a laugh. “Have one water bottle for every member of your family, and no more than two. Anything more than that is a waste of space.”
10. Mugs
People tend to stock up on mugs, but this is unnecessary as most people have a favorite mug that they use every day. “It's nice to have a set of eight mugs for when you have guests over and want to serve them coffee,” says Urgo. “But you need to stock up on them according to the space in your kitchen and the number of people in your family.” In other words, if you don't have a lot of storage space, aim for six mugs instead of eight. Teacups are another culprit. I have two sets of teacups and saucers, one for everyday use and one for formal entertaining, but in the 13 years I've lived in this house, I've never used one of them. I'm going to pack them up and donate them, and use the mugs when I feel like having tea.
11. Duplicate Items
Your kitchen is overflowing with stuff, and you often find yourself wanting soup but not being able to find a can opener, or cutting up a pie but not being able to find a pizza cutter. What to do? Go buy a new one, of course! “When my clients can't find what they need, they often buy a replacement, which can lead to a lot of duplicate stuff,” says Boyd. Keeping everything in its right place, organized by type, and easily accessible can help keep your kitchen neat and tidy, and reduce clutter.
12. Cracked or chipped dishes
It may sound obvious, but experts say you'd be surprised at the number of chipped dishes people leave in their cupboards. Broken dishes aren't just unsightly, they can pose a safety hazard. “They actually harbor bacteria,” says Fitzgerald. Check your dishes every few months for dents and cracks, and toss anything that looks damaged.
13. Empty Bottle
Zapiro says he often sees empty jam, marmalade, yogurt jars stored away in kitchens. These jars are too big to throw away, so people keep them in the hope they might find a use for them, which they rarely do. Don't feel guilty about putting them in the recycling bin unless you have a clear plan for how you're going to use them. Recycled glass can be used to make new glass bottles, jars, and building materials like tiles and countertops. This recycling process reduces carbon emissions and waste in landfills.
14. Frozen foods with freezer burn
Freezers buy you time, but frozen foods still spoil eventually. “We often find that clients have a lot of food in their freezers that has passed its expiration date and they forget that they have it in the freezer,” Boyd says. Different foods have their own frozen shelf life, but as a general rule of thumb, he says chicken should last nine months, shrimp six to 18 months, and vegetable soup two to three months. FoodSafety.gov)But a good rule of thumb is that if you notice something is covered in freezer burn, it's likely gone bad enough that its taste and texture are compromised.
15. Something you haven't used in three years
When organizing your kitchen, it's important to consider your lifestyle and cooking habits. If you're a vegetarian, you probably don't need that big turkey roasting pan anymore. If you don't bake, you don't need to store muffin tins or cake molds. “You want a convenient kitchen with space for the things you use often,” says Sapiro. “If you haven't used something in three years, it's time to throw it out.”
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