How to Survive Kitchen Clutter

Easy steps to clear-up kitchen clutter

My three-year plan to work out of state turned into 13. When my husband and I finally retired and moved back home, we brought with us an apartment full of stuff and added it to our house (that was already full of 14 more years of stuff). Even though we had sold and given away most of the apartment furniture and our clothing, we still found ourselves bogged down in books, mired in minutiae, and choking on kitchenware. We did not know quite where to start! However, since the kitchen is such an important part of life and daily necessities, we decided to start there. We came up with a plan to help us survive our kitchen clutter.

We narrowed down the overall plan to four basic steps: purge-organize-reconsider-add storage. Of course, it would have been more fun to just start with new kitchen cabinets and countertops, but it would not have addressed the fact that there was just too much stuff!

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Step one: Purge the cookware and dishes. Get rid of old pots and pans that are aluminum, scratched non-stick, or ugly. These are potentially unsafe and unwanted. Also, give away duplicates. Someone else could use a starter set. We ended up with a nice set of cast iron skillets, a cast iron Dutch oven, a favorite stainless steel saucepan and enamel coated stock pot. We were more vicious with the bake ware and kept only the newest Teflon coated or glass pieces.

Step two: Organize pots and pans. When you are down to just your favorite pieces, it does not make any sense to stack them inside each other in a cupboard. Not only will they get scratched, but you do not want to search for a skillet in the back of a dark cabinet. A good solution, purchase a pot rack. Depending on your kitchen size and layout, you can choose a ceiling or a wall mounted style. For example, a pot rack could hold eight favorite skillets and have a rack for cookbooks. Double duty! But wait a minute before you put it up.

Step three: Clear and reconsider the kitchen walls. Depending on a person’s decorating style, many things may end up on walls. Knick knacks, photographs, children’s art work, a rack for shot glasses, and pot holders are just a few of the items that may be adding clutter to the walls. Reflect upon your kitchen’s style, what things really belong on the walls? Be brave and take everything down. Clean the walls thoroughly. Choose carefully what you put back and pack the rest of it away. You might even find something from another room that will be more appropriate and attractive in the kitchen. Also, remember the pot rack from step two? Now would be a good time to install it in the perfect place.

Step four: Add storage. After eliminating the clutter and changing what is on the walls, you may feel differently about buying new cabinets and countertops. You should have a better idea of how much space you need and how many things you need a place for. You may have even changed your mind about your kitchen color and style. This should save you time and money in choosing what other storage you may need.

You do not need to let kitchen clutter get the best of you. Organize the uncluttering task into four steps. Purge first. Get rid of cookware and other items that you do not like or that are not in good condition. That is the most important step. Then cleanup and reorganize your kitchen so that it works better for you. Add a pot rack for skillets and put up more shelves. You may want to change your cabinets. Or, you may decide they are just fine now that you have completed steps one-three!

Yvonne Crooker is the author and can provide more information about kitchen organization with handsome stainless steel and wrought iron kitchen accessories, including wine racks, pot racks and counter stools, at Pot Rack Place. Yvonne is a retired school administrator who now devotes her time to her creative talents, including decorating, and writing, and her on-line business.

By: Yvonne Crooker

Watch this video about eliminating kitchen clutter today!