4 tips for decluttering your kitchen

Whether it’s from the stockpile of dried food you’re yet to eat, the untidy stack of recipe books or the chaotic kitchen surfaces, getting your kitchen completely clutter-free can seem like a daunting task.

But, with so many proven physical and mental health benefits, including improved mood and a better diet, it’s important to give your kitchen a clear out. So, if you think your cooking space is due a declutter, read on to find our top four tips.

1) Look through your cupboards and drawers

As the contents of your cupboards and drawers are typically hidden by doors, it can be difficult to tell just how many tins, cans and other dry foods you’ve been collecting. So, start by checking these — you might be surprised at some of the use-by dates! Designate key meal components like rice, pasta and cous cous to a shelf of their own, while tins can go on another. You could even replace messy cereal boxes with transparent containers, like these ones from Plastic Box Shop, so you can clearly see what you have in. These will also be good for keeping your food fresher for longer, so you can save money as well: it’s a win-win!

And it’s not just satisfying to have your food cupboards organised, but being able to see everything will make it easy for you to plan healthy meals, so you’re less likely to grab a quick convenience snacks or order a takeaway.

2) Evaluate your appliances

Over time, it can be easy to continue buying new appliances to keep up with the latest kitchen trends. But, when it boils down to it, you probably don’t need all these gadgets and gizmos at all.

So, take a look around and think logically about what should stay and what can be replaced by manual processes — for instance, a bulky cake mixer can probably be replaced with a simple wooden spoon and some elbow grease, freeing up plenty of space on your worktop. But, don’t worry, if you paid a lot of money for appliances like this, you don’t have to lose out. Sites like Craigslist, eBay and Gumtree give you an opportunity to sell your unwanted things online. Or, you could donate these (and any unwanted recipe books) to a charity shop — find your nearest one here.

3) Don’t hoard spare cutlery and plates

In general, you should have enough of these for a daily family meal, with some spares to account for breakage or visitors. If you host large annual events, like Christmas, move these things into the loft to stop them cluttering up your kitchen for the rest of the year.

Go through your collection and make piles of things you use often, a selection of spares you’ll keep, and ones that you can get rid of or store in the attic: using a plastic box and some bubble wrap will ensure you’re storing everything carefully and safely.

4) Narrow down your cooking utensils and pans

It’s not necessary to buy all different shapes and sizes of pans, particularly if your cooking style is relatively straight-forward. When you’re going through your stash, think realistically about how many sizes you really need: there’s nothing a super small pan do that a larger one can’t. This 18cm saucepan from Robert Dyas is a versatile enough size to cook many dishes, and as it comes with a straining lid, you can reduce the amount of cookware you own.

When it comes down to cooking utensils, you won’t ever need 10 wooden spoons at once, so get rid of the ones that are looking worn. This can stop you from using more things when you’re cooking, reducing your washing up load. And, if that’s not a huge bonus, we don’t know what is!