It’s time for our second challenge of the year! I thought it might be fun this year to start off with some challenges to help us all get organized, and make managing our homes just a wee bit easier! I used to do these regularly with a group of friends of mine and the camaraderie and accountability really helped. Each Tuesday I’ll post different assignments in our challenges and I hope you will join us! (Need to catch up? See previous posts in this series HERE).
ASSIGNMENT 14: Kitchen
I’m sure you all thought I had forgotten about the kitchen, right? Nope. Just saved it for last! In my experience, folks always get hung up here. And by now, you should all be fully in the purging mood, which will help this go so much more quickly!
So remember, our basic steps are:
1) Purge – Toss or Donate
2) Sort and Organize
You will need to go through every single cabinet you have in your kitchen and dining room area. You need to go through your plates, pots, fine china, etc. This is where I notice that a lot of “stuff” gets accumulated: contraptions and miscellaneous extras.
Think hard – do you really need 60 different kinds of machines in your kitchen? When was the last time you used that juicer or bread maker? This is the time to think realistically about all those well-meaning ideas that never got implemented or ended up being more trouble than they are worth.
Of course, some of you do make your own bread, or create funky, healthy juice mixes. Many years ago, I actually had my own machine to make almond or rice milk, because overseas I had to do that due to my youngest’s allergies. (Personal Note: it tastes nothing like what you buy here in the grocery stores in the US. And is a COMPLETE pain to make. I’m not kidding. Stick with the store-bought, you will be much happier.) So, I’m not saying you should get rid of everything, but think hard about what you actually do use, and if there is stuff that hasn’t seen the light of day in over a year and is just collecting dust, by golly, get rid of it and gain more cabinet space!
Oh and plastic tupperware type items. If you can’t find the top to it, toss it!
The other is the miscellaneous – which can be my own personal downfall. In this section, I would put all my husband’s “bar” items and random cups and wine glasses. I would also put all of our hostessing items here. We host parties quite a bit, so my collection of “miscellaneous” has grown quite a bit in the past few years. Still, every move I reevaluate. Plus, if I make room, that means I can pick up cool new serving pieces at our next home!
Oh, and if you have those random pieces that were given to you as a wedding present that you hate and will never use, but don’t feel like you can get rid of because Aunt Bertha gave it to you, consider this my permission to do so. If it’s regiftable, you can do this (as long as Aunt Bertha won’t find out), or just get it out of your home. Unless it’s from your Mother-in-law and she expects you to use it every time she comes over!
Remember, the less you have, the less you have to pack and unpack later!
Feel free to post in the comments, or link up! I’d love it!
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