The kitchen is often one of the busiest rooms in the house, and one where space is at a premium. Because the kitchen serves so many purposes, it can quickly become crowded. That’s why it’s important to be intentional about what we store there. Let’s consider some common kitchen clutter culprits and how to manage them.
Protecting Your Prime Real Estate
Most families use their kitchens for much more than cooking. For example, they use them for:
- Temporarily holding mail and deliveries
- Eating and entertaining
- Doing homework and processing paperwork
- Crafting and working on the computer
- Charging devices
With so many activities competing for space, it’s easy for the kitchen to become a catchall. But the kitchen is the one area of the home specifically designed for food preparation. Its countertops, drawers, and cabinets are valuable real estate, and we need to protect that space for the tools and supplies we use to cook.
I often tell clients that in a high-use area like the kitchen, every item needs to “justify its real estate.” Even a genuinely useful cooking tool needs to earn its place by being used often enough to warrant the space it occupies.
What earns a place in your kitchen will vary from household to household. An appliance one person rarely uses may be essential to someone else. The goal isn’t to follow a universal set of rules but to make room for the items that genuinely serve you.
With that in mind, here are some categories worth evaluating:
- Broken items or tools that no longer work properly.
- Sentimental items you neither use nor enjoy displaying.
- Large kitchen tools that take up considerable space but are rarely used.
- Novelty gadgets you’ve tried once or twice and never used again.
- Gifts you don’t use and wouldn’t choose for yourself.
- Single-purpose tools you rarely reach for.
Common Kitchen Clutter Culprits to Reconsider
Now that we’ve looked at some general categories, let’s consider some more specific examples.
The following lists aren’t meant to suggest that these items are inherently clutter or that you should automatically get rid of them. Whether they are clutter depends on how much you like them and how often you use them. They are just some ideas to get you thinking.
If you have any of these items, consider whether they are worth keeping in light of how you actually cook and entertain.
Appliances
- Tabletop rotisserie
- Electric deep fryer
- Pasta maker
- Meat grinder
- Electric wok
- Juicer
- Tabletop grill
- Hot plate
- Electric kettle
- Electric knife
- Slow cooker
- Pressure cooker
- Electric skillet
- Instant Pot
Specialty & Novelty Appliances
- Sno-cone maker
- Hot dog maker
- Chocolate fountain
- Handheld pie maker
- Pizza oven
- S’more maker or indoor marshmallow roaster
- Quesadilla maker
- Waffle iron
- Electric fondue set
- Bread machine
- Crepe/doughnut/muffin maker
- Egg cooker
- Ice cream maker
- Rice cooker
- Iced tea machine
- Popcorn maker
Drawer & Cabinet Clutter
- Pasta serving size measurer
- Onion chopper
- Guacamole chopper
- Garlic press
- Potato masher
- Pineapple corer
- Egg separator
- Herb chopper
- Crank eggbeater
- Strawberry corer
- Plastic chopsticks
- Corn silk cleaner and corn cob holders
- Apple corer
- Candy thermometer
- Meat mallet
- Melon baller
- Recipe card holders
- Nut crackers
- Cookie cutters
- Cake decorating tips and tools
Extra Dishes, Drinkware, and Serving Pieces
- Multiple sets of dishes
- Sterling silver
- Extra glasses and stemware
- Travel coffee mugs
- Reusable water bottles
- Mugs
- Duplicates of cooking and serving utensils
If you aren’t sure what to remove, ask yourself, “When did I last use this, and how difficult would it be to manage without it?” Another question is, “How many backups do I really need?” Remind yourself that the space you free up may actually be more valuable to you than the item itself.
Alternative Kitchen Storage Options
After evaluating your kitchen supplies, you may find items you’d like to keep but don’t need close at hand. Some are used only occasionally; others are backups you want to have available when needed. Instead of giving them up, consider moving them to a less accessible location. Think of this as your “overflow kitchen.”
I’ve helped clients create overflow storage in butler’s pantries, basements, dining rooms, hall closets, attics, and garages. Do bear in mind that the space should be clean, rodent-free, and not subject to extreme temperatures.
The more frequently you use an item, the closer to the kitchen it should be.
Some items that can live in your “overflow kitchen” might be:
- Extras and backups (e.g., an extra set of measuring cups, overflow travel coffee mugs, bulk food supplies, and paper products).
- Serving trays and platters, especially seasonal ones.
- Holiday supplies, such as Christmas dishes, a turkey roasting pan, or a heart-shaped pan for Valentine’s Day.
- Extra-large cookware, such as a lobster pot, stew pot, or popover pan.
- Extra-large serving dishes, such as a soup tureen or punch bowl.
- Specialty linens, such as a tablecloth that fits your extended table for large group gatherings.
- Oversized food storage containers that you only use occasionally.
- Outdoor eating and cooking supplies when they’re out of season (e.g., grill tools, melamine dishes, plastic wine glasses).
* * *
A well-organized kitchen contains the tools you need, keeps frequently used items within easy reach, and leaves enough clear counter space to prepare meals comfortably.
Take a look around your kitchen. What might be taking up valuable real estate without truly earning its place?
I need to organize my kitchen. There are so many things I rarely use and doubt I ever will again.
And those rarely used items suck SO MUCH SPACE, right Amber? Sometimes we just get used to moving stuff around, and never take the time to actually clear out a space and get rid of stuff. Good luck!! It feels so great to free up some storage:)
Some of those things are just…so specific! I can’t imagine using them all year long. We do have a panini press but I can’t remember the last time we used it and it’s now in the basement.
And I’ve never heard of one person having success with a rice cooker!
Sometimes we receive these items as gifts because it is the holidays and they look cool and people don’t know what to get. But they take up a ton of space, and we just don’t ever realize “Hey, I can get rid of this thing!” I’ve never needed a rice cooker… maybe I’m strange, but rice, water, lid and I’m good to go!
My husband is a huge kitchen gadget lover and insists everything we have is essential. Recently I was frustrated with the crowded drawers so I took out everything I didn’t think we would use regularly and put it in an out of the way spot. It’s been MONTHS and we haven’t used anything in there! You can add “nut cracking tools” and “sushi rolling mat” to your list of drawer cloggers! =)
Oh “sushi rolling mat”.. I love that one! And nutcrackers… an item that used to be a staple and is now largely decorative at best. I’m smiling about your husband – out of sight, out of mind! Gadgets are fun – until they stuff your drawers, then not so much!
This is timely – I just started organizing my kitchen and pantry. I have lots of the above so I’ve got some decisions to make.
Good luck, Stephanie. This is one of those project where passing along even a couple of items can make a HUGE difference in your space. An uncrowded drawer or some freed-up shelf space just puts a smile on my face:)
I got rid of my breadmaker because I rarely, if ever, used it. I’ve moved the coffeemaker from the countertop to the cupboard under the sink for the same reason, because we prefer instant (it’s so much hotter). I know I should just let it go as well, but haven’t brought myself to part with it yet (you know… it was so expensive…)
Way to go on the bread machine!! I do understand that it is particularly difficult to pass along an item for which you’ve spent a lot of money, Janet. Getting rid of expensive items feels like a wasted investment. Do you perhaps use it occasionally (when guests come over?) If you actually NEVER use it, remember that the space it takes up is actually costing you convenience, ease, and storage space. It’s all a trade-off! Thanks for the comment:)
My husband and I are a terrible pair when it comes to kitchen clutter. He loves all the appliances and I tend to accumulate the utensils (yes, I have a pasta serving measurer, actually two!). We need to take a trip through the kitchen and evaluate each item to see if we really need to keep it.
Couples balance each other out in do many ways- I’m smiling at yours, Corinne! Must be some pretty delicious food coming out of that kitchen:) Sometimes just having the list of possible candidates to get rid of can be the spark to get you going. Good luck… Thanks for your comment!
I am guilty of buying gadgety kitchen appliances. I have the baby cupcake maker (which I do use) and the doughnut maker. I used to have the quesadilla maker too!
I totally understand, Carla – they are so fun to buy!!! And if you use them – like the cupcake maker – then I think they are terrific. It is the dust collectors that just aren’t earning their keep, right? Thanks for your comment!
I definitely need to go through my kitchen. I know there is a lot we don’t use…not so much gadgets but dishes! I’ve been thinking about doing this…thanks for the push!
Ah, dishes! Good thought. We often buy dishes for a special event, or inherit sets of dishes we don’t use. And dishes are the kind of thing that you can easily donate and instantly help a person in need! Thanks for the comment, Michelle!
UUUUGGGHHH! My hubby is the worst for collecting useless kitchen items and appliances that he only uses once or once a month. I can’t stand it, I actually only need a few items as we have such a TINY apt kitchen.
Sounds like the perfect opportunity for some negotiating… anything he wants you to do that might warrant a swap? (smile….)
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Great list, Seana! I have to say it’s just easier if you’re not much of a cook!
Fair point, Hazel. Often the clutter collects around any space we go to for fun: sports gear in the garage, craft supplies, etc. Of course, we often acquire kitchen gadgets as gifts, whether we wanted them or not:)
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Great post! As someone who loves spending time in the kitchen but struggles with limited counter and storage space, I appreciate your practical advice on decluttering and freeing up some much-needed breathing room. Your list of common kitchen clutter items is especially helpful in identifying items that are taking up space without serving a useful purpose. Thank you for sharing your insights and helping us create a more functional and enjoyable kitchen space.
Nice post.