Today’s Clear Out the Clutter Challenge is the Kitchen and Stockpile. Just like the living room challenge, I thought I had done a pretty good job of decluttering the room earlier in the year. However, I have approached our possessions a little differently since my husband shared an experience at work.
A while back some Senate staffers visited my husband and asked him what he wanted. He told them he would rather receive nothing than receive an item that he did not have the manpower and resources to operate and maintain. I liked that philosophy so much that I have applied it to my “gift giving” making sure that the gifts I give add value to the recipients life, instead of adding stress by creating work. And with that new attitude I have taken a fresh look at our belongings. Do I have the manpower and resources to operate and maintain all the things in my house? Or to put it another way: Is the time I spend cleaning, dusting, organizing, and rearranging unnecessary items draining me of time and energy that could be better used elsewhere?
When you look in my cupboard, you are going to say, “Obviously you do not have time to maintain your belongings!”, but please keep in mind that my dishes double as toys for my toddler.
I followed the same principle that I used on my living room: work quickly and don’t debate the benefits of each item with myself! I also did not stop to wipe out the cupboards, though I was sorely tempted. I will go back and do that next week. My goal was to remove as much as I could as quickly as I could. It is the ripped bandage approach to decluttering! This is what the cupboard looked like after I pulled the items that I don’t use out of it:
Then I went and tackled every other cupboard in the kitchen, tossing unnecessary items in my box. Here is a picture of most of the items that I removed from the kitchen:
I also added a juicer and an extra waffle maker to the garage sale pile. There are a couple of items that I am debating: a tea cakes pan, a mini muffin pan, and an ice shaver. If they are not used before I hold my garage sale, I will add them to the pile.
Has your philosophy towards possessions changed over time? Have you found a way to make clearing out the clutter easier for you?
This post is shared with Clear Out the Clutter Challenge: Kitchen and Stockpile.
Beth @Aunt B's kitchen says
Now that we are living in a much smaller space, decluttering is an on-going process for us, and especially for me because I buy dishes to use as photo props. We are both “crafty” folk too and have to fight against the temptation to stockpile items that we might reuse in a project. Space limitations have changed our approach though because we simply have to limit our belongings in order not to trip over them. The payback? Far less time spend on maintenance and cleaning. Far more time to do the things we enjoy.
Vicky says
I love this post because I like to declutter and my husband likes to hoard! My philosophy is – if I haven’t used something for a couple of years then I don’t need it to be gathering dust! Out it goes, usually to a Charity Shop!
April @ The 21st Century Housewife says
What a great way of looking at it! I’ve been considering some more de-cluttering and I will definitely bear this in mind when I do 🙂
Julia @ juliecache.com says
remodeling has forced me into decluttering. additionally, i’m entering a new phase of life since my youngest is now 12 and the only one doing home school. why did I keep that school stuff? probably didn’t know I had it.
Struggler says
Really interesting point about possessions draining time; I have never forgotten Shirley Conran's book where she shares her view that the more 'stuff' we have, the more there is to go wrong. She suggests that houseplants, pets, and even the car, are sources of maintenance and frustration! It's a bit extreme, but her general point is similar, I think, to what you're saying here.
Sheila says
WOW–I have whole cupboards of things I haven't used since we moved into this house–4 years ago–so I really need to do this. I worry that I'll need something as soon as I get rid of it though–how do you deal with that or is this where I get ruthless and don't debate with myself? See, I tend to over think things!!