Top Tips for Decluttering the Contents of Your Kitchen Cupboards
The kitchen is often the busiest room in our home and over time, our kitchen cupboards can become cluttered and disorganised. If you've ever struggled to find the ingredient that you’re looking for or felt overwhelmed by a Tupperware avalanche, it might be time for a kitchen cupboard decluttering session.
In this blog, we'll talk about the benefits of decluttering your kitchen cabinets and share our top tips to help you get started.
The Benefits of Decluttering
Decluttering your kitchen cupboards may seem like a huge and daunting task, but the benefits can be well worth the effort:
Increased Efficiency: A clutter-free kitchen allows you to work more efficiently. You'll be able to find ingredients and utensils quickly, cutting down the time it takes you to prepare food and drinks.
Improved Safety: Cluttered cupboards can be a safety hazard, with the risk of items falling out when you open the door. We’ve all been witness to a Tupperware avalanche or tumbling tower of pans. By decluttering, you reduce the chance of accidents in the kitchen happening in the first place.
Appeal: A tidy, organized kitchen is more visually appealing and therefore more appealing to spend time in.
Reduced Stress: A clutter-free kitchen can reduce stress and frustration. You won't have to sift through piles of pots and pans or expired food items when you're in a hurry.
Less Food Waste: By decluttering your pantry, you'll be more aware of the food you have and the food items you ACTUALLY USE. This actually reduces the chances of items going to waste because they have been hidden in the back of the fridge or cupboard.
Now that we’ve shared the benefits, let's dive into some practical tips to declutter your kitchen cupboards.
1. Make a Plan
Before you start decluttering, take some time to plan your approach. Consider which cupboards are the most cluttered and prioritize them. If you don’t have lots of time to dedicate to decluttering your entire kitchen at once, take it one cupboard at a time. Having a plan of action will help you stay focused throughout the process.
2. Empty Everything
To get a clear view of what you have and assess the contents of your cupboards, empty them completely. This may seem like a mega task, but it's a crucial step in the decluttering process. As you empty each cupboard, use the opportunity to wipe down the shelves and give them a good clean.
If you don’t have lots of worktop space to empty your cupboards on to, use a crate or box to put the contents of the cupboard in while you clean the cupboard interior.
3. Sort and Categorise
Once everything is removed from the cupboards, start sorting items into categories. Group similar items together, such as baking supplies, pots and pans, dishes, utensils, and food items. This will make it easier to see what you have and decide what to keep, donate, or discard.
It’s worth making note of the items which you use most often too as you will want these to be in an easy to access place once you start to place things back in your cupboards.
4. Keep, Donate, Discard
As you go through each cupboard, use the "Keep, Donate, Discard" rule. Keep items that you use regularly and are in good condition. Be honest with yourself and donate items that are in good condition but you never actually use, and discard items that are damaged, expired, or no longer needed.
If you have multiples of the same item ask yourself why and if you actually need to have more than one.
For example if you have multiple bottles of different cooking oils, ask yourself if you actually need to keep so many different bottles. Instead of having a bottle of Extra Virgin Olive oil for dressings and drizzling AND an everyday cooking oil like sunflower oil, consider swapping these for an Extra Virgin or cold pressed rapeseed oil. This oil is more versatile and can be used for drizzling, dressing, roasting, baking and frying. Instead of having multiple bottles for different tasks just use one cooking oil that does it all.
Be ruthless!
5. Get organised
To keep your cupboards organised in the long term, invest in some useful organisational tools. Consider using shelf or drawer dividers, clear storage containers, and cutlery trays to keep everything in its place.
6. Keep on top of the clutter
Once your kitchen cupboards are decluttered and organised, make it a habit to regularly check your cupboards to ensure that items haven't crept back in and that everything remains in its designated place.
Reap the rewards
Decluttering the contents of your kitchen cupboards is a really rewarding process that can transform your kitchen into a more efficient and enjoyable space. By following our top tips and taking on board the "Keep, Donate, Discard" rule, you will be well on your way to an uber organised and clutter-free kitchen!