Decluttering Tip: Use It or Lose It!

Having trouble parting with that old potato peeler? Or the cute egg separater you use twice a year? Well, here's an easy, low-stress way to wean yourself off your "occasional use" kitchen utensils and determine whether they're really worth keeping...

We've seen this trick recommended here and there around the internet, and we can honestly say that it's worked for us:

1. Put everything you're not sure about in a box. In fact, go ahead and put all your utensils in a box!

2. Take utensils from the box as you need them, and then return them to their drawer (or cupboard, or rack, or jar...) once you've finished.

3. At the end of the month, everything that's still in the box gets donated to charity.

This has worked for us because we can really see what we use and don't use. Plus, the fact that the utensils have been out of sight, out of mind for a month makes it somehow easier to part with them.

Has anyone else tried this method for decluttering?

(Image: Emma Christensen for the Kitchn)

Comments (12)

I'm sorry, am I the only one who thought that ice cream scoop was... not an ice cream scoop on first glance?

posted by kestrel127 on April 23rd 2009 at 1:00pm
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Lol! Kestrel127 - I didn't notice that, but now that you've pointed it out..... ;)

posted by digigirl on April 23rd 2009 at 1:11pm
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Haha I love the kestrel127's comment-I can see what you mean?

I've used this method (putting things in boxes prior to getting rid) and it is ace.

posted by Sian on April 23rd 2009 at 1:12pm
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yes the box methood works well

i have been doing the AT home cure and outboxxing has been really helpful. Ive found once things go in they rarely come out - which is usually a good thing

posted by adamwa on April 23rd 2009 at 1:25pm
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i have no idea what else the ice cream scoop could appear to be... ::feels clueless::
My problem with the box method is that some things are so seasonal! I don't use my apple peeler or my apple slicer regularly, but in the fall, when it's time for gallons of applesauce, it's super-helpful. Same with the ice-cream scoop...who eats ice cream in the winter?

posted by zachs on April 23rd 2009 at 1:57pm
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Hee, hee, hee!

I recommended this to you guys like two days ago! WOOT.

posted by bfootnovellista on April 23rd 2009 at 1:57pm
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I use that method for clothes, shoes... pretty much anything cluttering up the house.

I wish it worked for bills :D

posted by Married ...with Dinner on April 23rd 2009 at 2:32pm
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I really like everyone's sense of humor. One of many reasons why this is my favorite website.

But great idea, I will be trying this for other areas of the house.

posted by rosebud on April 23rd 2009 at 3:24pm
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Yup. I keep a bag of clothes, too (an old pillowcase) and periodically put things I think I can live without into it. As well as thinks I know I can live without -- if it didn't fit the last eight times I tried it on, what is going to change?

With kitchen stuff, we actually just put a ton of things in cold storage. Boxed them up. There's a lot of stuff we'll never miss in that box, but stuff it was hard to agree to throw away (how many espresso making pot type devices do we need???)

I'm not sure it would work for day to day tools. We go weeks without eating hard boiled eggs but we definitely use the egg slicer. Same for a lot of baking tools. My springform pan doesn't see much use but I'm not getting rid of it. When I do need it, I need it!

posted by amanda bee on April 23rd 2009 at 4:37pm
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Ill probably end up keeping a shoebox or something with a few occasionally used holiday and specialty items that I know I will be using, just not often/soon. Which is fine I think, the key is streamline your day to day cooking, so remove these items to somewhere else where they are accessible but out of the way.
Looking back on it its silly that I keep my rolling pin and tava so close at hand when we only make flat breads every few months at the most. But at the same time im not going to get rid of them because I know we will be making them for entertaining this summer.

posted by adamwa on April 23rd 2009 at 6:49pm
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Interesting! When we moved house about 10 months ago, I put all my "might use one day" utensils in a box and put them in the cupboard and only fish stuff out when I needed it. I guess it's safe to say that I can donate this whole back to charity now.

posted by buda on April 23rd 2009 at 8:24pm
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I eat ice cream all year long! LoL!
Katy
http://fengshuibyfishgirl.com

posted by fishgirl on April 26th 2009 at 9:04pm
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