Decluttering Room by Room: Kitchen

I’m short on kitchen space. Until we get the whole durn kitchen gutted and redone, I have to find ways to make it functional. For now that means getting rid of the clutter and junk.

My first priority was to maximize useable counter space. There isn’t much to start with so it needs to be functional.

To start, I moved our kitchen knives closer to the stove. I had them previously beside the microwave, but I never actually cut or prepare food over there because theres no counter space. So, I made it more logical and I feel as if food preparation flows more smoothly now.

Then I addressed all the spices and cooking oils on the counter.

I had been keeping them out partly because I used them frequently, and partly because I didn’t have cabinet space for them. Not anymore!

To make space in the cabinet, I took a cooling rack that I was having a hard time storing and used it as an additional shelf for my overabundance of coffee mugs. The ones in this picture below were an anniversary gift from my husband by the way.

Sidenote- I’m a mug hoarder. I hate it. I know, it makes no sense because I love coffee and tea, so I use mugs a ton! Well, actually I have my most favorite mug (MFM) which was a teacher appreciation gift, and then the one that has a similar shape to MFM but with a travel lid which was a gift from my mother in law, and third favorite is my Wizard of Oz mug, which my grandma got me as a gift when I played Glinda in the Wizard of Oz. So really, I only use those 3 unless I’m having tea and would like something smaller. But I have so many I can’t store them all. And I don’t want to get rid of any because they all have some sentimental value. 99% of the mugs in my home were gifts, and I keep receiving more!! AHH!

I think I may just have to thin my collection and donate some to the thrift store… It’s just deciding which ones must go… 🤔

Anyway, that’s the progress that has been made in the kitchen so far. More to come!