Are you holding onto those old treasures in your kitchen because they might become collectible vintage items? Why discard what might be a priceless artifact in a few decades, right? Well, that sounds charming. Just remember: Many who found themselves in hoarders’ quarters started off thinking like you.
They wouldn’t throw out their old junks because they’re sentimentally attached and/or did not even realize their uselessness as long as they still work. One person’s trash is another person’s … well, still trash. We know.
While it’s easy for the cookhouse to become a catch-all for the essential and expendable, a well-organized scullery is calming, ultimately enhancing your cooking experience. To help you identify unnecessary ‘useful’ items and reclaim precious space in your kitchen, we’re pretty sure you can live without these 24 items.
Expired Spices
Spices become pointless to keep around after a year or two. Your reward for using expired spices is bland dishes with no aroma. While they typically feel safe to eat after their expiry dates because they don’t “go bad,” they can still develop mold or attract roaches – which is bad. If they don’t make you sick, the pests certainly can. Insist on fresh spices with more potent antioxidants.
Old Plastic Containers
We understand the temptation to hold onto old containers you’re sure of their potential usefulness (To trap tarantulas, maybe?) in the future, even when you could never wash off the stink from all the odors they’ve absorbed over time. Throw them out, regardless, especially those with no lids, warped lids, or stains.
The likelihood of older plastic containers, particularly the ones manufactured prior to 2010, to contaminate your food is unacceptably high. BPA (Bisphenol A) or phthalates leaching into your food is certainly not worth the sentimental attachment to those old containers.
Duplicate Utensils
Do it for the same reasons deleting duplicate files is one of the first recommendations when your computer or phone is running low on memory or storage space. Do you really need more than one spatula or whisk? We say it’s time to downsize.
Letting go of duplicate utensils, even when they’re perfectly fine, can go a long way in transforming your kitchen drawers and countertops. In fact, fewer utensils can actually streamline your cooking process better than the clutter since you won’t need to sift through multiple items to find the ‘right’ tool.
Chipped Or Cracked Dishes
Damaged dinnerware, including chipped plates and cups, can be just as unsightly as it is hazardous. We understand the perceived need to hold onto dishes in relatively good condition, but replacing, donating, or recycling them is better than the bacteria they harbor in those seemingly minor cracks, let alone the risks of cuts to your hands and mouth. They’re not getting better again once there’s a crack or chip; they only break further.
Old Cookbooks You Never Use
We don’t need a soothsayer to know cookbooks we haven’t used in years are most likely going to decorate our shelves forever. They’re just there taking up space, collecting dust, harboring tiny crawlers, and contributing to the clutter on our overflowing kitchen shelves.
The fact you haven’t used certain cookbooks in years might be a good sign they don’t and will likely never fit your current lifestyle and dietary preferences. Could it be you haven’t touched or used that book in a long time because it’s full of elaborate, time-consuming recipes when what’s practical for your current lifestyle are quick, easy meals?
Single-Use Appliances
Identify those appliances like bread makers and juicers you rarely use and throw them out. More versatile, frequently used appliances take up valuable counter and storage space enough, and you don’t need them competing for space with single-use items like quesadilla makers or hot dog cookers you rarely use.
More importantly, choosing multi-functional appliances is a smarter investment in the long run compared to their single-use counterparts. Instead of buying multiple gadgets, consider getting one high-quality appliance that serves multiple purposes.
Worn-out Nonstick Pans
Nonstick pans typically get their nonstickness from chemical coatings like PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) and PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), commonly known by the brand name Teflon. What many don’t realize is that these chemicals aren’t safe for human health and can leach into your food if the coating is damaged.
In other words, worn-out nonstick pans are as much a health hazard as they are an unsightly sight. There’s a reason PFOA, which has been historically used in the manufacturing process of PTFE, has been largely phased out since around 2015.
Besides leaching into foods, worn nonstick pans can release toxic fumes when overheated, which can be toxic enough to kill your pet birds and cause flu-like symptoms in humans.
Takeout Menus
Do you have more takeout menus than you can count at home? We bet you stash them in your kitchen. Besides the glaring fact that most places have their menus online these days, you might want to consider getting rid of old takeout menus for the simple reason they can quickly pile up and create unnecessary clutter in your kitchen.
Remember, restaurants frequently update their menus, prices, and offerings, ultimately making your ‘collection’ outdated information. So, unless you enjoy confusion or disappointment when ordering, do everyone a favor and trash those menus.
Excessive Mugs
Mugs, what are they for? Drinking coffee and other hot beverages, cold beverages, soup, broth, and even for decorative purposes. Did you notice all of these are things we do to sharpen, clear, or enrich the mind? In other words, mugs are symbolic of mental clarity, but an excess of them does the exact opposite.
Yes, we all love our mugs, especially those with expressive prints on them. We still say, in the name of decluttering your kitchen, keep a few favorites and let go of the rest. After all, the extra pieces just get in the way of finding your favorite ones, and more mugs mean more kitchen stuff to clean and manage.
Old Cleaning Supplies
Spices aren’t the only kitchenware with a shelf life: Cleaning products do too. We often buy them in bulk and don’t even realize it as they gradually lose their potency with time. Besides not working optimally as before, expired cleaning supplies are bound to have chemicals that degrade and bring on harmful reactions.
If you have old cleaning products sitting or still serving in your kitchen, we recommend replacing them with newer, eco-friendly alternatives like Dr. Bronner’s plant-based Sal Suds biodegradable cleaner and Blueland’s dissolving, multi-surface cleaning tablets.
Stained Dish Towels
We may not like it, but the code of proper hygiene states old dish towels do not belong in the kitchen anymore. That code exists because stained or torn towels harbor bacteria and germs, ultimately posing a risk of cross-contamination and foodborne diseases.
If that’s not convincing enough, maybe you’ll finally get rid of them if we remind you that old kitchen towels do not look good on you or your kitchen, and they often develop unpleasant odors that won’t go away even after washing them.
Outdated Food Storage Containers
No matter how gently you try to use them, plastics eventually accumulate stains and scratches with time. Besides the real risk of harmful chemicals from worn or damaged plastic leaching into your food, they can also harbor bacteria and germs. Yeah, they’re still useful because they still hold stuff, but they need to go.
The clinging odors and stains from foods they’ve contained over time can affect the taste and smell of your food. The same applies to old water bottles, especially if they’re warped or worn. When they become brittle and prone to breaking or leaking, don’t delay their retirement any further.
Unused Specialty Gadgets
According to a survey by the Pew Research Center, “More than nine-in-ten Millennials (93% of those who turn ages 23 to 38 [in 2019]) own smartphones, compared with 90% of Gen Xers (those ages 39 to 54), 68% of Baby Boomers (ages 55 to 73) and 40% of the Silent Generation (74 to 91).”
While Millenials lead the adoption and use of technology, technostress is no respecter of generations. Even if you have no business with digital fatigue, no one needs a litany of useful unused gadgets taking up valuable counter and storage space in their kitchens. The same applies to specialty glassware like cocktail or wine glasses you never use.
Dull Knives
Here’s one for you: “Why do people keep dull knives in their kitchen? Because they love a good slice of danger with their dinner!” Dull knives are actually more dangerous than sharp ones. The irony, right? They pose a heightened risk of slipping and hurting someone because they require more force to cut. Ditch them now.
If you still need convincing, consider your meal preparation routines are quicker and easier with sharp knives. Your cuts are more precise too. If you need to crush or tear food, well, get the dull knife, then.
Expired Pantry Items
If you’ve ever dealt with pantry pests, such as ants (the most common kitchen nuisance and often live in large groups), roaches, rodents (the worst kitchen nuisance), and weevils, you wouldn’t need anyone to tell you about getting rid of expired pantry items.
In fact, a pest problem can make you throw away the baby with bath water. Hopefully, throwing away expired food will be enough. Plus, the stink from expired food can permeate your pantry and kitchen. Besides odor and pantry pests, you don’t want to eat expired food to avoid foodborne illnesses.
Decorative Items and Promotional Water Bottles
Think about the purpose of the decorative items in your kitchen and decide if you really need to hold on to them. Everyone and every kitchen is different, but decorative pieces with no real functions, such as extra vases and knick-knacks, only steal valuable counter and storage space from more practical kitchen tools and appliances.
The same applies to promotional water bottles. Decluttering them frees up space for more frequently used kitchen tools. Besides, reusing plastic bottles is often an invitation to bacteria. Consider switching to reusable glass or stainless bottles.
Broken or Stained Cutting Boards
Worn-out cutting boards are not treasures worth holding onto, no matter who gave them to you as a wedding gift. You may have heard some call those deep grooves battle scars or honor marks but that won’t change them from being a harbor for bacteria.
In fact, the visible stains, particularly from raw meat or fish, are telltales of bacteria buildup, and you’ll never be able to get rid of them no matter how regularly or hard you scrub. Besides the risk of bacteria and foodborne illnesses, you risk injuring yourself or your kitchen partners using broken or warped cutting boards. They’re typically unstable and likely to slip or move as you cut.
Plastic Bags from Grocery Stores
As of July 2024, 91 countries and territories in the world have passed some sort of full or partial ban on [non-biodegradable] plastic bags. The US does not yet have a federal ban on single-use plastic bags, but twelve US states, most recently Rhode Island and Colorado, have placed restrictions on them.
Obviously, the fatwa has spread to African regions like Rwanda, Mali, Mauritania, Kenya, Uganda, Somalia, South Africa, and Tanzania. Italy was the first European country to bite the bullet.
So, what’s the bone of contention with plastic shopping bags? They’re responsible for many negligible and non-negligible ecological and environmental issues, most notably the sheer amount of waste they constitute, ending up on streets and polluting water sources, rivers, and streams.
Consider switching to cloth-based reusable bags or ones made from more sustainable, environmentally-friendly materials. Besides plastic bags, you don’t need a clutter of mismatched lids and containers in your kitchen.
Old or Unused Baking Sheets
Baking sheets tend to rust or warp over time unless yours is made from some sort of anti-wear material. They’re not fit to keep around with rust and scratches, especially if they have a peeling coating that could leach harmful chemicals into your food. Another reason to consider ditching old baking sheets is their tendency to not heat evenly. That’s a problem when you’re baking delicate foods like pastries and cookies.
Worn Oven Mitts
Here’s another one for you: “Why did the worn oven mitt refuse to retire? Because it couldn’t handle the heat of being replaced!” Well, better them than you. You don’t need to take the heat from porous oven mitts. If they’re full of holes, it’s time to ditch them for new ones, or you risk burns from handling hot cookware.
Worn mitts don’t necessarily have holes. If the surface has become smooth, they are less effective at their job of gripping hot cookware, ultimately putting you at risk of spills and injuries. Additionally, old mitts typically harbor germs and food particles that could contaminate your food and kitchen surfaces as well as pose a fire hazard from making contact with high heat.
Unlabeled Spices and Expired Condiments
Unlabeled spices like cumin, cinnamon, and turmeric have to go with the expired ones if you’re serious about decluttering your kitchen. They’re just as bad as the expired ones if the missing labels make it difficult for you to know if they’re expired or contaminated.
It’s also easy to make mistakes with your recipes by accidentally using the wrong spice. The same goes for expired condiments like ketchup, mayonnaise, relishes, and mustard. Check your fridge for old or forgotten sauces and clean them out.
Outdated Gadgets or Broken Small Appliances
Decluttering 101 calls for the banishment of old blenders, mixers, or other small appliances that no longer work properly. Besides cluttering your kitchen, outdated gadgets have a way of making the kitchen feel less functional, similar to how modern gadgets imbue the space with a lively atmosphere.
Considering newer gadgets are often more efficient at their jobs, upgrading can make you more efficient and save you precious kitchen time. If that’s not convincing enough to toss that 20-year-old mixer, consider that old appliances may fall short of current safety standards and be less energy efficient.
Paper Cookbooks
Yes, we’ve already recommended getting rid of cookbooks you never use. How about migrating from the paper to digital versions of the ones you do need and use? If you haven’t done this already, you’re in the minority.
The Progressive Grocer cited Chicory’s (a New York City commerce advertising firm) report in 2023, stating that 89% of consumers say they use digital recipes, and 43% say they are using digital recipes more often. You don’t have to trash or burn a perfectly fine paper cookbook. You can donate or recycle them and switch to digital recipes.
Reusable Shopping Bags
We did recommend switching from plastic grocery bags to reusable ones made from more sustainable, eco-friendly materials. However, too many of them in your kitchen somewhat defeats the purpose of switching to reusable carriers. Too many can overwhelm your space the same way single-use bags ‘overwhelm’ our streets and water sources.
Additionally, watch out for bacteria and mold, especially if used to carry raw produce. While governments recommend reusable grocery bags, don’t hesitate to ditch them when they’ve got holes and broken handles or the material has weakened too much to hold much weight.