For shopaholics and those addicted to getting a kitchen gadget that they swear will make life easier for them—clutter is inevitable. It’s a far more common problem than many of us admit, but that doesn’t mean you should let it be.

Clutter can lead to loads of problems and accidents in the kitchen. If your cabinets are full of junk and your countertops are a mess—here are five tips to help you declutter your kitchen.

 

Keep the Tools that are Great at Multitasking

You shouldn’t just assign one job to each of your kitchen tools. Most of the time, many of your utensils, tools, and appliances are capable of being used in ways that render your other tools useless.

Take a look at what you currently have in your kitchen and throw away or sell the things used for one specific purpose. You don’t need to have ten different types of knives, nor do you need both a dutch oven and a braiser. Avoid buying and displaying single-use gadgets like mango slicers that you probably won’t use as often as a trusty chef’s knife.

 

Take a Quick Inventory of Your Kitchen

We agree that having to list down everything in your kitchen, from your collection of spoons to everything in your pantry, can be a hassle. However, listing down your kitchen’s stock can show you some glaring issues that you have to address if you want to declutter your cooking space.

You don’t necessarily have to list down everything in your kitchen in one go—start small by checking your cabinets and work your way through other parts of the kitchen throughout a couple of days. After you finish taking your kitchen’s inventory—you’ll have a clearer picture of what you have, what you need, and what you can throw away.

 

Toss Away Useless Tupperware

We’ve all been there before. The convenience of buying a set of Tupperware every few months is too good to pass up. However, if you have Tupperware containers lying around without lids, you should probably toss them away. After losing its lid, a Tupperware container is just a sad bowl taking up a lot of valuable room in your cabinets.

Beyond saving, containers with cracks, dents, or stains should be removed from your kitchen and recycled. If you don’t want to deal with how easily damaged Tupperware containers are, consider investing in high-quality glass containers that are less likely to be used and abused.

 

Empty Those Cupboards

You don’t need 20 glasses in your cupboard. Especially if you’re living on your own or have a small family, 10 or 12 should be more than enough cups to accommodate you and your guests. Dump out the plastic cups you got for free during an event or reunion; losing a perfectly functioning drinking cup is a fair tradeoff for having a cleaner kitchen. Having fewer glasses also lessens the likelihood of your family leaving 15 glasses on the sink every day.

 

Swap Around Your Cookware With Your Friends

If you want a fun way to get rid of any cookware that you don’t need anymore after decluttering your kitchen, try hosting a cookware swap! Throwing away your unused kitchen items is a waste, and maybe one of your friends can use your at-home pasta maker or dutch oven a lot more often than you ever did. If your friends have any gadgets that you can use in your kitchen, you can accumulate tools that you need instead of being stuck with unnecessary gadgets.

If you have any tools leftover that you don’t need, donate them to a second-hand shop or maybe even a culinary school if there’s one near your area.

 

A Clutter-Free Kitchen is a Safe Kitchen—Final Remarks

Having a clean and orderly kitchen is not just for aesthetics—it can make cooking a lot more fun and efficient. Keep these tips in mind the next time you want to declutter and clean your kitchen.