Do you purge your tools and gadgets during spring cleaning? That may seem like the best time to get rid of clutter, but I want to state that it's more worth your time to do so now. Why? Because January is all about honesty and you're out of excuses.
By excuses I really mean that you've lost the, "But I'll use that at ___insert holiday here___" excuse for holding on to extra tools and dishes you never use.
In my own life I have many things that I use frequently at certain times of the year. Or so I thought until I really examined the tools I possess and how often I was truly putting them to use.
I used to have lots of inexpensive clearance finds — silicone molds or ice cube trays, specialty cookie cutters, baking bits and tips that were all just really sitting there. I would tell myself that I would really put everything to use during the holidays. Why? Because that's when you pull out the big guns and put aside exhaustion in the name of elaborate spreads, baked goods galore and all sorts of frosting and icing ideas that you'd normally blow off for something less fussy or time consuming.
It was last January when I really came to my senses and noticed all those things that I really wasn't using. I thought I was, and I had acquired many of them on sale, so saying goodbye was harder than I expected. Maybe it was the realization that I wasn't really using the items I had purchased or maybe it was the feeling tjat I had failed at time management. If I had only watched one less episode of Firefly, then maybe I would have had time to put said items to use.
January is a time where the weather turns a bit colder, the holiday decorations have come down and it feels like a natural time to want to reclaim your house. It's time to be a bit harsh and have a critical eye. Do you have supplies you're holding onto like I was? What do you find the most difficult to donate or get rid of? Utensils? Specialty items? Old decor? Let us know below!
Related: The Great Appliance Purge: An Update
(Image: Emma Christensen)
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You know what? I'm going to go clean out my utensil drawer right now!
It's funny, but I can purge through all sorts of kitchen equipment, but I can't throw one cooking utensil out! I'm sure I have more than I need, and maybe I'm a utensil hoarder, but even if I use this one utensil once a year, I need it accessible, you know??
My mom gave me a parmesan grater I have never ever used. I just use my microplane, although the long shreds of cheese might someday be useful. Other than that all I have is an apple peeler I rarely use, and only because I haven't canned applesauce like I keep promising myself.
I do find it exceedingly useful to have two sets of measuring cups. Then if you need a cup of liquid and a cup of dry ingredients, you don't have to wash the cup between additions. Ditto teaspoons and tablespoons.
We did a big time purge of gadget drawers a couple of years ago and after reorganizing them and containing all the elements within the drawers, we have not lost control of them again. I guess that old "a place for everything..." saw is true!
I just went on a rampage in the utensil drawer...it took me all of 5 minutes. Why did I not do this ages ago?
I need to do this not only in the kitchen, but in my walk-in closet.
I have three sets of measuring cups plus some cool All-Clad odd size cups, plus three sets of measuring spoons. And I do use them all...but I will go and clean out the box of implements that includes three veg peelers, only one of which I like, and several spatulas I never use, and...
I just did one drawer a few days ago...but only managed to purge two items. It is now nicely organized, though! I should try to hit few more drawers this week, at the very least they need a vacuuming out.
I tend to follow Alton Brown's concept of everything having to multi-task. Unfortunately, my husband does not.
Hah - I did this over the weekend! I actually didn't get rid of all that much beyond duplicate items, but I did put the cookie cutters, piping bags, and other specialty baking tools in a labeled bin that now lives in the closet (which I also cleaned out and organized last weekend), since I use them all but don't use them frequently. And the tools that get used all the time were moved to a container on the counter.
I'm in the middle of a major, house-wide spring clean (I know it's not spring yet, but why wait? New Year and all that), and clearing out the utensil drawers was pretty easy, especially now I've put a magnetic knife strip on the wall.
But one of the best things I've done kitchen-wise is get some office drawer organizers
(http://www.target.com/p/5-Pc-Metal-Mesh-Drawer-Organizer-Set-Silver/-/A-13429669#?lnk=sc_qi_detailbutton)
for my non-utensil drawers...all those things-I-need-to-find-a-place-for like various batteries, playing cards, tea lights and scented oils...now my drawers are all neat & tidy, I can find everything in a nano second, and I can't quite believe I didn't do this years ago!
I have later regretted throwing out every utensil at some point. Either something breaks, or doesn't quite do the job.
I did donate my old set of dishes when I got new ones.
Weren't there only 14 episodes of Firefly? Are you re-watching several episodes a day, or what?
I LOVE my stick blender - it's a Miallegro 9090 which has a beater, meat grinder, and blending attachment as well as a small food processor container (unfortunately, plastic). It replaced the food processor and hand mixer. Can't decide if it'll supplant the blender, when that goes, since I like my glass container blender. As for coffee, replaced the grind/brew monster with a hand grinder (a flea market score) and a French press...and the coffee tastes better when not filtered through all that plastic!!! Check out www.orphanespresso.com for great coffee info and a peek at their hand grinder museum...Still clutching my rice cooker w/both hands, but when it finally dies, who knows? AND, got rid of my non-stick skillet, which I wasn't using since I have 2 well-seasoned cast iron ones. Basically, purging the kitchen of plastic is giving me more space, and healthier food prep tools.
The other day I realized my corkscrew has a bottle opener on it. There's one down!
I tend to keep all of my seasonal cooking and serving items stored in the cabinets in the breakfast nook instead of in the kitchen in the way of everyday items. Things like nice serving spoons, cheese spreaders, the cookie press, icing tips and bag, etc.
If you can stand Walmart, they have great plastic kitchen storage and organization pieces for so cheap. I buy the packs of plastic baskets and have them in my drawers secured on the bottom with a dab of museum putty or the Velcro 3M strips and they work wonders for organizing and paring down the gadget drawers.
If the things you are eliminating are not thrift store quality, see if the local shelter for homeless families will take them, to give out as families move out. I just cleared out everything extra to give to a woman at work whose apartment burnt down and it will be a long time before she can buy what she needs. There are lots of families like hers.