Kitchen Declutter - part 6

Day 6

empty and clean root vegetable drawer

declutter vegetables

return retained vegetables

empty and clean kitchen linens drawer

declutter kitchen linens

return retained linens

empty and clean foil and wraps drawer

declutter contents

return retained items

Kitchen Declutter - part 5

Day 5

empty teas and coffees drawers

clean drawers

declutter teas and coffees

replace retained teas and coffees

empty cutlery drawer

clean drawer

wash cutlery

replace cutlery

Kitchen Declutter - part 4

Day 4
Metal utensils drawer and wooden utensils drawer emptied
Drawers cleaned
Utensils decluttered
Remaining utensils replaced
Clear and clear worktops
Clean stove top

Kitchen Declutter - part 3

Day 3

emptied baking cupboard

cleaned cupboard

decluttered baking ingredients

replaced retained ingredients

Kitchen Declutter - part 2

Day 2

emptied under sink cupboard

cleaned cupboard twice

tidied away saucepans

found space for baking tins

Decluttering in 2026

We're back in the kitchen at the start of another year. It's a very fine place to start.

wash dishes

dry dishes

wash sink

clear worktop around sink

clean worktop around sink

clean window sill and attend to herbs

clear out baking tins cupboard

clean the cupboard

declutter unused plastic food containers

put away air fryer into cupboard (its new home)

put away mandoline, grater, kitchen scales and weights

Decluttering: Pantry 2024

 

Each January, I like to give the kitchen a systematic declutter, clean and tidy. Yesterday, the mood took me. As I am in the recuperation of Covid, I had to restrict myself, and only do a little bit. The bottom shelf was D, C and T. Only two cans were evicted (tomatoes and pears) - the crime, remaining in the pantry beyond their 'Best Before' date.

Today, it was the turn of the second shelf. It appears we like the idea of spaghetti, and spring rolls, but not the making of them. 

I now know everything that's in these shelves, and it is food that will be used. 

Back to Decluttering

The time has come to get back to decluttering. I have attacked the dining room. Amongst the haul were 10 fat quarters. All were bought from Joan's, and now they are returning home.

Work in the dining room yielded  around 91 items, and I scoured the house for other items to bring the total up to 100. In a group I belong to, there's a challenge to declutter your pantry. This I did and found an empty jar waiting to be returned to the farmers market, two items way passed their use by dates, and a small bottle of oil. Nope of us were happy with the flavour of the oil, and so it was ditched.

Christmas Under the Stairs

 

Whilst the Beloved was taking the decorations of the Christmas tree, I was busy under the stairs decluttering, organising and tidying.  This large cupboard is used to store the Christmas tree, all the decorations, the recycling boxes, cake decorating supplies, and a number of  small kitchen appliances. 
The space has been re-organised - the items used most frequently are now most easy to reach.  

The Christmas tree and decorations have been decluttered and put away too. 

Decluttering Clothes

From July 2020 for a year, I took part in a challenge not to buy any new clothes. There were a couple of exceptions, underwear and emergencies. The challenge went well, and I only bought two items outside of the exceptions - a party dress and a wrap.

In August, I bought 10 new tops, and two pairs of trousers. These were to replace worn out clothing. The worn out items have yet to be disposed of. That's what happening today. I'm going to go through my clothing and declutter.

In the past, I've asked such questions as:

• do I like it
• do I wear it
• does it fit
• does it need to be repaired

This year, I'm going to take a different approach. I shall be thinking about what I need and want, and whether my current wardrobe meets those needs.

I need 3 pairs of pjs, 2 night shirts, 3 bras, 14 pairs of knickers, 14 pairs of socks, 5 pairs of woollen socks, 5 pairs of tights, 2 slips, 2 strappy tops, 1 swim suit, 14 tops, 4 pairs of trousers, 4 winter skirts, 1 party outfit, 3 jackets, 5 sweaters, 5 cardigans, 5 pairs of shoes. (Closer to summer, I'll look at what I need for warmer weather.)

My clean clothing has been sorted and decluttered. As I work my way through Mount Washmore, I'll declutter as I go. 

Back to Decluttering

Decluttering isn't a 'once and done' event. It needs to be done again and again until people can find a balance of things entering the house, and leaving it. I'm good at decluttering, but woefully bad regarding bringing new items into the house. 

Being the boss, means I decide when the shop opens, and closes. This means the shop closes between Christmas and New Year to allow the staff to have a good long holiday. For me, this is 10 days. Three of these days have been used. One day for Christmas celebrations, and two days doing very little apart from resting. Now, my need to 'accomplish stuff' has kicked in, and it's time to turn my mind to decluttering.

• declutter DVDs
• declutter games
• declutter jigsaws

The grand total from this round of decluttering is 12 DVDs. In previous years, it's been far more. The objective is not to simply get rid of stuff, but to get rid of the things we don't need. I would happily have said goodbye to much, much more, however, I'm not the only person in the house who has a say in it. 

Bye Bye DVDs

 

More DVDs have been decluttered. One of the cupboard in the sideboard is now free of DVDs. This is going to be used for jigsaws instead.

As I was choosing which DVDs to keep, I started thinking about the last time I played them.  I know we haven't used the television and DVD player this year. Part of me is thinking that if we don't use them in the next year, then perhaps we don't need the television, DVD player, or the DVDs. But that's a bit too advanced thinking for the rest of the family.

There's one section of DVDs we haven't yet looked at, the box sets. Many of the films and television program DVD we have said goodbye to are readily available online. I wonder about the box set ones, are these available. If they are, do we need to keep the physical copies if we can use download them as needed.

A Spring Declutter

 

The Spring Declutter has begun!  And I'm feeling great.

Today, I'm in the sitting room. Half of the DVDs stored in the coffee table have been checked, and the ones we no longer want to keep have been boxed up ready for donation once the charity shops re-open. One (of four) drawers in the sideboard have been decluttered. 

Decluttering - Hot Drinks

 

In a previous round of decluttering and re-organising, we decluttered, and transferred the remaining items from the kitchen junk drawers (yes, there were two) into the top drawer of the set of drawers where I keep my candle and soap making supplies. This left two empty drawers in the kitchen. These were then turned into storage for teas, coffees and hot chocolate. It's right beside the kettle, the teapot, mugs, and an arm's reach from the fridge. These two drawers have now been decluttered, cleaned and tidied.

The baking cupboard, and the herbs & spices have also been done.

It's great walking into the kitchen and seeing the difference. It is so much tidier! I love it.

Decluttering - Old Kitchen Cupboard

 

An old, heavy, wooden wall cupboard has been removed, and it has been replaced by a set of metal wire shelves. There is more usable space, AND I can reach everything!

Another decluttering task have been ridding the fridge of unmentionables. Decluttering, cleaning and tidying has happened in the sink area, the pantry, the cutlery drawer, and the wooden implements drawer. The kitchen is looking a great deal tidier, cleaner, and also a bit bigger. I'm delighted by how little food had to be thrown out.

Dining Room into Office

The dining room had morphed into a 'stuff it in there, and we'll put it away properly at some point room' as well as being the space where we store items being given to charity shops. It was the place where I sewed and quilted. Now, it's the Beloved's office during the week. At this moment, it's where he is putting together a wooden model.

It has a laminate floor, and his office chair was slipping. This morning I bought a rug to prevent 'wandering chair syndrome'. I had looked online, and checked stock levels regarding a particular run in a dark mottled teal. When I saw it in the shop it was very obvious the pile was far too long for an office chair to roll over it. However, the chosen rug has colours that tone in with the curtains, and the art in the room, as well as having a suitable pile for a chair to run over it.

After 2 months working from home, we've changed the room around to reflect its new purpose. Instead of the table being in the middle of the room, it's up against a wall. It means the clutter is now at his back, and he doesn't have it in his vision all day. It also gives more space. The dog has discovered the space, and the new rug, and has decided she should spend time there.

By creating space, I can more easily get in and perpetrate decluttering. It feels good to be back to decluttering. I like restoring order. If only I could get my head around maintaining order too!

I've just realised the rug is the first non-consumable I have bought in 2 months! (I'm counting wool as consumable though - it is consumed by the knitting/crochet process, and useful items pop out of the other end.)

Gardening and Laundry

A friend dropped off some strawberry plants yesterday. The Ava loves them, and thinks the addition of a salad bar to the garden is awesome. Today’s task is to find a place where I can put the strawberries away from the canine snacker! 

Decluttering proper is happening in the laundry room. I’m now up to four half-used cans of paint to go out, along with various random bits and pieces. The plan had been to declutter, clean and then to tidy, but I’m now seriously considering adding painting onto the to-do list. Most of the room is tiled, so it will be a little bit of wall, a the ceiling. The room is small, and the ceiling low. It is something I could manage by myself. 

After Covid-19, I’m going to have to Belfast sink, dishwasher and washing machine removed. The washing machine is 16 years old, and is starting to make weird noises. We’ll put down some new flooring. A new washing machine will be bought, to match the dryer. The dryer isn’t current in that room as there’s no space. I’ll have a bench top put in above the washer and dryer (both front loaders), and this will provide a lovely surface for sorting and folding laundry. 

The laundry opens off the mud room, and it’s in the mudroom where the dryer is just now. It’s also where my husband stores his Civil Defence/mountain rescue kit, in boxes on top of the dryer. When the boxes have been newly tidied it looks great, but the rest of the time it gets rather messy. When the dryer has moved, I’ll get a clothes rail, and his kit will have a dedicated space. There will be a hanging rack, a place for boots and shoes, and also a couple of boxes (hard hard hat, ruck sack etc).

Black Friday

And all that money used to be time!

Black Friday makes some sort of sense in America, but not over here. It's just a pre-Christmas sale. Instead of taking part in the worship of consumerism, how about not bothering and just having a lovely "No Spend" day.

Declutter The Understairs Cupboard

It's time once again to declutter the understairs cupboard. It was done earlier this year, but quite a number of items were put back in the cupboard to be donated to a charity shop in good time for Christmas. This feels like a good time.

I've recently decluttered the sitting room again, and there's a pile of games we no longer play waiting to go to a charity shop. It would be good for this collection of stuff to leave the house tomorrow.

I love the feeling of space that's generated when things leave. Last week I was feeding a friend's cats. Her house is physically the mirror image of mine. She is also a maximalist. It was fun seeing so many interesting things in her kitchen, but I could not live with that much stuff. I greatly prefer a tranquil space.

Decluttering in August

Only one of the Declutter 365 tasks for August fitted with my needs (declutter guest room). Therefore, I headed back to the start, and began tackling the kitchen once again. It's been really good to see how many areas are working well, and bring me joy. And of course, it's good to revisit what's been done previously and give it a little more love.

The tasks completed in August are:
1. Declutter your kitchen sink and organize the sink area
2. Clear off kitchen counters
3. Declutter and organise freezer 

4. Declutter and organise fridge

5. Declutter or exchange excess coins from change jars

6. Declutter and organise herbs and spices

7. Declutter and organise cutlery drawer

8. Declutter and organize ziplock bags, foil, and plastic wrap

9. Declutter small kitchen appliances

10. Declutter and organise potholders and kitchen towels

11. Declutter shelf above radiator

12. Declutter food storage containers

13. Declutter and organize bakeware

14. Declutter and organise canned food
15. Declutter other shelf-stable food

16. Declutter front and top of refrigerator and freezer