I woke up this morning and immediately went the kitchen to get a cup of tea. As I started looking around, I noticed some things in my kitchen that I just don’t use anymore and items that are literally just taking up space.
Just a little background info. I don’t keep an excessive amount of “stuff” in my house. Do I have stuff in my house that I don’t use or haven’t seen light in over five years? Yes. If I find said item, do I throw it out? Nine times out of ten, yes. So with that being said, I am not attached to “things”. I am attached to memories, but I don’t need physical things to remind me of some of the best memories I’ve had in life. Most people will find my house relatively clutter-free and may even question what else is there to get rid of, but trust, I always find something.
So this morning, as I was going to grab the same mug that I grab every time I make a cup of tea, I noticed a mug in the back that has NEVER been touched since I’ve put in the cabinet. It looked new and dusty at the same time. This was the number one clue that it was taking up space with items that I would never use. So after I grabbed the mug and removed it from my cabinet, I started looking around for other things to get rid of.
Remove the Randomness
I started first by removing anything that didn’t belong in the kitchen. Our kitchen is our central meeting spot, so we tend to keep random stuff there. So, I proceeded with just putting things that didn’t belong back in their place (i.e. random hat goes back into closet, bags go back upstairs, etc.)
Ditch the Duplicates
Next, I started opening my cabinets and noticed I had duplicates of things I would never need…like that new/dusty mug. I started pulling out those items. Having four spatulas when you don’t cook like that, is useless. So, I started tossing extra utensils as well. Look for old pots you don’t use and get rid of those too. Oh, and don’t forget about those plastic food containers.
Dispose of the Old
Then I started going through our fridge and food cabinets and found some expired items or boxed food that I tried and will NEVER use again. Those were actually easy for me to toss. And don’t forget about those old soy sauce and ketchup packages!
Clear the Counters
Next, I started clearing my counter tops to make sure I used everything that was on my counter. If I don’t use the item, I removed it from my counter. Unless the item is beautiful or I use it daily, I don’t feel any need to keep a random appliance on my countertop.
Part with the Papers
Finally, I got rid of any old notes, papers hanging round the kitchen. Because we meet in the kitchen, we often have old reminders, appointment cards, etc. laying around, so I got rid of all of that, and gave our kitchen note board a clean slate.
I don’t bring too many unnecessary items in the house to begin with, but if I notice that my kitchen starts to look cluttered (by my standards), I tend to go on a decluttering rampage. I don’t like for things to stack up, so it’s easier for me to clean a little at a time. But periodically, I think it’s good to dedicate time to consciously declutter and get rid of things you don’t need, especially if you have been living in a space for years.
For me personally, a clear space helps to clear my mind (but that’s another post 🙂 When was the last time you consciously set aside time, and cleared out the clutter?
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