20 Things in Your Kitchen You Can Purge Right Now

updated May 3, 2019

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White kitchen with hex tile backsplash, open shelves, green step stool, copper mugs, and a colorful rug. — (Image credit: I Spy DIY)

(Image credit: Kath Nash)

Kitchen clutter is like a gas: It’ll expand to fit the space allowed.

If you have a small kitchen, you probably feel like there’s never enough space for your stuff. Well guess what? Big kitchen people have that same problem, too. No matter how many cabinets you have, or whether your countertop is better measured in inches or acres, your kitchen can probably use a little slimdown.

So that’s what we’re going to do today.

(Image credit: Ellie Arciaga Lillstrom)

Today’s Assignment:

Do a 20-minute decluttering sweep of your kitchen.

Set a timer for 20 minutes, then grab a bin or basket and pilfer through your kitchen, swiping as many things as you can bear to get rid of. You don’t have to totally overhaul your space—just do as much decluttering of needless things as you can before the timer runs out.

But first… there are a few places not to look: The fridge, freezer and pantry can be spared today, because we’ll be coming back for a sweep of those food storage spaces next week. I also suggest skipping your junk drawer during this timed sweep; I’m a firm believer that every room should have a catch-all junk area that can be stocked without judgement. If it can close, it’s fine and good. I promise.

Where to Look:

cabinets
drawers
on the counter
on top of the fridge or cabinets
any freestanding furniture, like a hutch or island

What to look for:

anything that belongs in another room
broken cups, mugs and plates
multiples you have too many of
the fifth and sixth water bottles you never get to
kitchen tools and appliances you never use
baking sheets, pans, and pots that sit untouched
duplicate kitchen tools
old, gross cleaning supplies
old, stained, or extra plastic containers
takeout condiments, plasticware, and stray menus
out-of-date invitations or event announcements
expired coupons
excessive collections of paper or plastic bags
expired medication
cookbooks that haven’t been cracked open in a year

When the timer stops, you know what to do: Grab your basket and sort everything in it. Anything that’s in good enough shape should get set aside into “sell” or “donate” boxes, and the rest can get tossed into trash or recycling.