Isn’t it funny how quickly you stop noticing the things that accumulate in your kitchen? Like the extra utensils crammed into a crock, the small appliance you haven’t used in over a year in the cupboard, or the kids’ “art projects” that inevitably become part of the kitchen.
Right now, I’m staring at my son’s takeout container wrapped in foil and covered in stickers. I don’t notice the clutter until I (quite literally) step back to look at it, especially right before having people over.
Fortunately, making a little more room in the kitchen doesn’t mean overhauling the entire space. I asked professional organizer Allison Weigensberg of Everything in Place what she’d recommend clearing out and paring down before holiday guests arrive. She points to five simple places to start.
1. Expired Food
Before stocking up on holiday groceries, Weigensberg recommends taking a quick look through your fridge and pantry. Those holiday groceries need somewhere to go! Check for anything that you don’t reach for or is expired.
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Then ask yourself, honestly, whether you’re going to eat it, cook with it, or serve it soon. Toss any spoiled or unusable items, and consider donating anything shelf-stable and unopened that you won’t use to a local food bank. You don’t have to clear out every shelf. Even a quick purging session can free up much needed space.
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2. Mismatched Food Containers
With holiday leftovers all but guaranteed, Weigensberg suggests sorting through your food storage containers. Get rid of lidless containers, orphaned lids, and anything that leaks or warped. “If you don’t trust it to hold food, it doesn’t need to take up space in your kitchen,” she says.
Keep the ones that stack well and get used, then set aside a few usable extras (not your faves) to send home with guests—no return required.
3. Countertop Clutter
Counter space is especially valuable when you’re preparing a big meal. Yet things like overflowing utensil holders, rarely used appliances, and other odds and ends can easily take over.
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Weigensberg loves the idea of keeping frequently used utensils within reach. But she says to edit out the rest, and tuck any appliances you won’t need for the meal into a cabinet or storage space. “You’re not trying to strip your kitchen bare; you’re simply reclaiming some of the most useful prep and serving space.”
4. Single-Use Kitchen Gadgets
Avocado slicers, strawberry hullers, and specialty choppers love to take over drawers (mine included). Weigensberg isn’t anti-gadget, so if you use something regularly and it makes life easier, keep it. For everything else, ask yourself whether a knife, spoon, or other tool you already own could do the job. If you haven’t touched it for years, that’s good evidence you can let it go.
5. Piles of Paper
Mail, school forms, and receipts have a way of piling up on kitchen islands and dining tables everywhere. However, you don’t need to turn holiday prep into a paperwork project. Keep it simple by recycling the junk, dealing with anything time-sensitive, and moving the rest to one designated spot to tackle after the holidays. These surfaces need to do their real jobs for when the guests arrive.
Read the original article on Simply Recipes