Kitchen cabinet clutter is a common problem and stems from the wide variety of appliances and gadgets supposedly designed to make our lives easier. Why cut an onion with a knife when you can chop it with the Slap ChopTM? Just ask anyone who’s recently registered for a wedding or purchased a gift from a wedding registry - you can fill your kitchen with things that seem like a great idea (think seasonal cookie cutters, waffle irons and apple slicers) at the time, but you don’t actually have space for or use. These specialized kitchen items can be great if you use them, love them and have the space for them, but let’s face it, most of us have things that don’t meet those criteria.
You can reclaim your kitchen cabinets by going back to basics. Clear out your cabinets (or one at a time if you don’t have time or space to do the whole kitchen), sort like with like and weed out the items you don’t use or love. Alternatively, you can take the opposite approach and set aside the items you use regularly, at least once a week. Allocate prime cabinet real estate for these items to make meal preparation easier. Then pick out the items that you use, but less frequently - like cake pans or a stand mixer - and store them in less accessible kitchen cabinets or additional storage space, like the pantry or basement. As for the rest - the items that you really don’t use - sell, give away or donate them. Whatever you do, get them out of your space ASAP.
If you are lacking some versatile kitchen basics, the good news is that there are a variety of nesting and multitasking items that provide more function in less space. One example I love is Nest 8 by Joseph Joseph. This set of fun-colored, dishwasher safe nesting kitchen basics includes 2 mixing bowls (large & small), 4 measuring cups, 1 colander, and 1 sieve. How neat is that?! Other great examples of kitchen basics are a great set of knives, sauce pans or pots with self-straining lids, and adjustable measuring spoons.
Bottom Line: Resist the temptation to fill your kitchen cabinets with lots of specialty gadgets and appliances and instead focus on making sure you have versatile space-saving basics.
You can reclaim your kitchen cabinets by going back to basics. Clear out your cabinets (or one at a time if you don’t have time or space to do the whole kitchen), sort like with like and weed out the items you don’t use or love. Alternatively, you can take the opposite approach and set aside the items you use regularly, at least once a week. Allocate prime cabinet real estate for these items to make meal preparation easier. Then pick out the items that you use, but less frequently - like cake pans or a stand mixer - and store them in less accessible kitchen cabinets or additional storage space, like the pantry or basement. As for the rest - the items that you really don’t use - sell, give away or donate them. Whatever you do, get them out of your space ASAP.
If you are lacking some versatile kitchen basics, the good news is that there are a variety of nesting and multitasking items that provide more function in less space. One example I love is Nest 8 by Joseph Joseph. This set of fun-colored, dishwasher safe nesting kitchen basics includes 2 mixing bowls (large & small), 4 measuring cups, 1 colander, and 1 sieve. How neat is that?! Other great examples of kitchen basics are a great set of knives, sauce pans or pots with self-straining lids, and adjustable measuring spoons.
Bottom Line: Resist the temptation to fill your kitchen cabinets with lots of specialty gadgets and appliances and instead focus on making sure you have versatile space-saving basics.
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