We’ve made it to week 3 of the 52-Week Decluttering Challenge. This week, we take another big step on our journey by decluttering our kitchen cupboards.
In the first two weeks of the challenge, we decluttered under the kitchen sink and cleared out our kitchen drawers. How are you finding the challenge so far? Are you feeling the benefits of less clutter yet? I know I am!
This post was originally published in January 2021 and republished in January 2024.
What is the 52-Week Decluttering Challenge?
In this year-long journey, we’re tackling one task at a time with the goal of cleaning up and organizing our homes. If you’ve just joined us, no worries. You can jump right in with this week’s challenge. Just check out the first two posts in the series to download your free checklists.
And, if you miss a post, no worries. You can get find all previous weekly posts on the main Decluttering page.
Are you ready for week 3? Let’s get decluttering our kitchen cupboards!
Week 3 – Decluttering our kitchen cupboards
One of the most common complaints about kitchens is “not enough storage space”. This is something I often complained about in the past.
When we renovated our small kitchen a few years ago, optimizing our storage and cupboard space was a high priority. We added an extra section of cupboards and removed the bulkhead so we could extend the cupboards all the way to the ceiling.
After the renovation was done, I loved the extra space. Before long clutter crept in, and our cupboards were bursting at the seams again. I’ll let you in on a little secret, cupboard space was not the problem. The problem was too much stuff.
In her book Decluttering at the Speed of Life, Dana K. White talks about the need to limit your belongings to the size of your container. This means deciding to keep your favourite items and getting rid of things that don’t fit in your container.
Although I did a first round of cupboard decluttering last year, I was more than ready for round two.
This week’s decluttering and organizing tips
Before we get to what I got rid of, here are my tips and learnings from week three. Some of these items are what I consider low-hanging fruit. Getting rid of these things will immediately free up space in your kitchen cupboards.
- Coffee mugs. Every morning, I drink my tea out of one my two large, pottery mugs. No-one else in my house drinks coffee or tea. So, the big question is…why do we have so many coffee mugs? Do they just magically appear? Or are they multiplying? Last year, I donated 16 mugs to a church fundraiser for a local homeless shelter. When my daughter left for college, I sent at least 8 mugs with her. Yet, I still found more mugs in this round of decluttering. Note to self: Think twice before buying anyone a coffee mug for a gift in the future!
- Rarely or never-used novelty items. I’m talking about those fancy shaped ice-cube trays, or mini one-egg skillets. We usually buy them because they’re cute, use them once or twice, and then forget all about them.
- Cookbooks. When I want a new recipe, I look it up online. I never think to open my cupboard and take out a cookbook. I got rid of a few cookbooks last year and kept only the ones I use. If you have cookbooks that you use for one or two recipes, scan or take a picture of your favourite recipes and get rid of the books.
- Duplicates of large items. For some reason I have more than one teapot. Last year, I found 2 coffeemakers of different sizes—and I don’t drink coffee.
- Promotional items. These are things you receive as giveaways—mugs, water bottles, souvenir glasses, and other similar items. If you’re like me, you bring them home and never use them. I have started to refuse these kinds of items, so I don’t have to deal with the guilt of getting rid of them down the road.
Maximizing your storage space
Since you’re clearing out your cupboards to declutter them, take this opportunity to make sure your storage makes sense for how you work in your kitchen. Some tips to consider:
- Put items you rarely use on the upper shelves. The cupboard over the fridge works great for Christmas items that I don’t need to access during the rest of the year.
- Store dishes and glasses that you use every day near the sink or dishwasher.
- Get some baskets for smaller items you store in the front of your cupboards, or on upper shelves. It makes it easier to get them out and access things at the back of the cupboard. And, before you go spending money on baskets, look around your house to see what you already have. I reused some small green produce baskets from the grocery store for this.
- Store spices and cooking utensils near the stove so they’re easy to grab when you need them.
- Simplify your morning routine by setting aside a shelf in a cupboard near the kitchen table for easy access to items like cereal, sugar, mugs, coffee and tea.
What I got rid of
Here’s what I got rid of this week.
- 4 decorative silicone ice cube trays
- 3 snack containers with icepack lids
- 4 mugs
- 1 small Thermos
- Teapot
- 5 mismatched wine glasses
- 4 drink cozies that my kids made when they were small
- 4 refillable water bottles
- Tea strainer from a travel mug I no longer own
- Expired hot chocolate pouch
- 2 packages of expired vitamin supplements
- 2 pop can lids
- 1 egg cup
- 1 small plastic bottle
- 3 cookbooks
And…here’s this week’s candidate for strangest or most useless item. I found a package of Reese’s Snacksters buried at the back of one of the cupboards. It expired in 2016! I don’t think they even sell them anymore.
Despite the fact that I had done a first round of decluttering last year, I found 38 items I don’t use and don’t really need.
Things I’m not ready to part with
When I started this challenge, I promised to share failures as well as success stories. I’ll be honest, as I cleared out my cupboards, there were lots of other things I could have ditched. I have some old serving platters that belonged to my grandmother that I never use. Then, there are the Christmas items that are tucked away in a cupboard 11 months of the year.
This is the kind of sentimental clutter that Marie Kondo has no tolerance for. But I’m not ready to part with them. I have the space in my container, so I’ll keep them for now. Maybe I’ll be ready to tackle them in round 3!
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2024 Update
It has been three years so I’m rebooting the 52-Week Decluttering Challenge to see how much I can get rid of in 2024.
I was pleasantly surprised when I went through my cupboards this time around. Even though I haven’t gained any new clutter, I was able to remove 19 items. I even have an empty top shelf in one of my cupboards.
So that’s week three done. Now that we’ve finished decluttering our kitchen cupboards and drawers, we’ve freed up some space for next week’s challenge—the kitchen counters.
How are you finding the challenge so far? Tell us below.
If you have friends or family members who could benefit from a little less clutter in their lives, please share this post and spread the word!
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I definitely need to tackle some decluttering, especially as my actual kitchen is so very, very tiny it can get overwhelmed really quickly. I think I will have to really get into a challenge like this and get my husband on board as he is the one who likes to keep and clutter, haha!
What is it about men and clutter? My husband has unopened boxes that he brought with him when we got married. And we’ve been married 30 years in July. 😂 If you figure out a good strategy to get him on board, please share!
I’d been planning to try decluttering along with your series, but the kitchen is strictly my husband’s domain. I would be in big trouble getting rid of anything on him. If closets are coming up next, that’s something I can work on without friction.
Well, I wouldn’t want to cause any martial strife. 😂 One more week in the kitchen and then we’ll start on closets!
Good for you!! My kitchen is in decent shape. I’ve been working on closets and living area spaces
Closets are coming up next for me. I’m not much of a clothes horse and I did a major declutter a couple of years ago, but there’s always more to do!
That’s just it! There’s always more!
Oh…when it comes to kitchen cupboards, I’m in good shape but it’s only because I had to move everything around with the remodeling circus. I can already see how some nooks and crannies might start filling up again, so your reminders and encouragement continue to be timely! Thanks, Michelle! (And thanks for the coffee mug giggles!) 🥰
Honestly, coffee cups are like rabbits. I swear they multiply.
I loved, loved, loved your observation about that! So true! 😜
Speaking of bunnies, there’s a huge one that has been feasting under our bird feeder this week. I think the babies will be coming soon!
Oh yay!! Ours are nestled under a big pine tree…hope they’re staying underground for warmth! 🥰
Unfortunately ours had their habitat disrupted when we lost on the trees behind our property during last weekend’s wind storm. When the city came to clean up the damage, the poor bunnies looked terrified.
Oh no!!! Let’s hope they find an alternate safe haven! ❤️
🐇🤗🐇
I didn’t declutter, but I did rearrange a bit 🙂
Rearranging and organizing works too! Some weeks, that’s all I do but it makes a difference.
I really have to do this, Michelle. I laughed when I thought about the fact that out of all the coffee mugs I have, there are really only three that I ‘go to’ every day! I agree with you about keeping some sentimental kitchen items. My grandma used to make puddings and ice cream with raspberry ‘preserves’ and use the little dessert cups I now have. They are green plastic but I wouldn’t part with them for the world.
Your cupboard looks awesome!! Well done! Cher xoxo
Ha ha. Thanks Cher. I will NEVER buy another coffee mug for a gift for anyone.
LOL I agree and won’t either!! 🤣💜
Perfect timing Michelle! Currently, Hubby is painting the interior of our kitchen cupboards, it’s contents are in boxes, makes shedding unused items into the “donate” box easier. Coffee cups and teapots are my big hang up, I have more “seasonal” cups than I care to admit…Christmas, Valentine’s, St.Patricks Day, Easter, Canada Day! Perhaps they reproduce in the dark interiors of our cupboards!
Cheers!
Yes…the reproducing coffee mugs. I am convinced that is what happens! LOL
My kitchen is the one place where I have trouble decluttering. I organize ona monthly basis, but since I have 2 girls and a hubby they like to place things wherever. These are some great tips, especially the coffee mugs! ☺️
Thanks Heather! With two daughters and a husband myself, I can totally relate. It’s even worse when my mum comes over and things end up in the strangest of places! LOL
I’m going to straighten my kitchen cupboards up tomorrow! With my husband and girls helping to put dishes away, I always find interesting things in interesting places. I’m sure I’ll find a thing or two to add to my donation box.
Ha ha. I can relate. When my Mum comes over, she always puts things away in the strangest of places. My husband and kids always laugh and say “looks like Nanna was here again”.
Things in the kitchen usually stack up the most! Loved seeing a big pile of decluttered items and those snackers? I have encountered half-empty packets of old candy on occasion too . . .
I love beautiful cookbooks but I rarely ever use more than the books I learned from. So, all other books are sold or given away. 🙂
Yes, the snackers. I honestly don’t remember ever buying them. Maybe they were a free sample I picked up somewhere. LOL
On a related note, I was cleaning out my freezer tonight and found a few unidentifiable items in there.
🙄 The secrets of the freezer are indeed secrets.
I keep reading these, thinking that I need to do some clearing out and then doing nothing. One day….
That’s okay. You have a lot on the go between work and home-schooling the boys. All this stuff will be here when you’re ready!
I’m keeping all my notification emails to come back to xx
38 items! I bet I have a similar amount of stuff in my kitchen that I don’t need. 😀
Ha ha. Where does it all come from, I wonder!
We recently renovated our small kitchen and already my cabinets are a hot mess. This is motivation for me to redo everything. I never thought about the baskets. What a great idea! I have a lot of those laying around.
Thanks Michelle. Yes, it doesn’t take long for things to get cluttered again. I’m glad you liked the baskets idea. They really help to keep the small things more organized.
Is Sentimental clutter really clutter? I think not and will keep it. The other stuff I call junk. I love cookbooks.
I agree with you on sentimental clutter. It’s one of the reasons I can’t embrace the Marie Kondo approach! Far too cold and calculated for me.