Chicago Home and Lifestyles – Seven steps to a decluttered kitchen

Fall is finally here! It’s time to tackle some of the household chores that have been neglected throughout the summer season. As you spend more time indoors, you’ll probably notice a lot of clutter, especially in the kitchen. Now’s the time to tackle that mess and make your kitchen more efficient and more pleasing. 

Step one: pick a space for the discarded items. Perhaps a kitchen or dining room table will do the trick. Use three boxes labeled “keep”, “donate”, and “trash”. 

Step two: pull everything away from the walls (like small appliances). Only keep out things you use every day like the coffee pot. All other appliances should be stored to reduce visual clutter. 

Step three: tackle the drawers and cabinets. Remove everything before sorting, including utensils and old appliances, then group similar items together. Haven’t used something in a year? Get rid of it, as well as any duplicates or anything broken! This will free up space for those appliances taken off the counters. 

Pro-tip—invest in a utensil caddy to keep on the counter so you have them at hands reach. 

Step four: rotate the food pantry. It often gets neglected as we keep adding new products and not getting rid of the old. So, pull everything out to see what you have. Throw out anything that’s expired. Take a good look at things you haven’t used recently or perhaps used only once for a special recipe. Consider giving it to a friend that could use it. If you have a lot of extra canned goods, you can always donate. Most grocery stores will take non-perishable items for food pantries. 

Step five: clean out under the sink. This space often ends up being the depository for anything devoted to cleaning. But cleaning supplies do have an expiration date. If it’s more than two years old, it’s probably past its prime and effectiveness. I date everything before storing. Old sponges and brushes past their usefulness can go too. 

Step six: get into that fridge and freezer! Throw out everything expired or past its prime. Wipe down shelves with soapy water and rinse with water containing a little baking soda to remove odors. Pay special attention to the freezer. Most frozen meats and vegetables should be consumed within six months of freezing. Saving money on that big pack of meat doesn’t pay if you throw it out because its freezer burned. Always date everything you freeze and wrap it well. Make sure to rotate! 

Step seven: Once you get organized, try your best to stay that way! Follow the “one in, one out” rule—if something comes in something old needs to go. Invest in easy to maintain storage solutions like clear bins, drawer dividers and turntables. Label everything. When every bin, drawer, shelf and cabinet has a label, everyone knows where to find things and where to put them back.

Kathleen Weaver-Zech and Dean’s Team Chicago