The kitchen is just one of those places that attracts clutter. One day, you open a cupboard, and you’re hit with an avalanche of baking trays and pans you don’t remember buying. A great way to approach decluttering your kitchen is to make sure the space and everything in it make your life simple. If you use it often, make sure it’s in an accessible location. If you use it occasionally, tuck it away somewhere close to hand. If you use it rarely, pop it out of the way. If you never use it, it’s time to get rid of it. 

WHAT TO KEEP

 + Your nicest dinnerware set. Life is too short to leave beautiful dinnerware collecting dust on a shelf. Make use of them, share meals over them, and enjoy the life they bring into your kitchen. If all your dinnerware looks dated, why not pop into Jardan on James St and treat yourself to a new set? You’ve earned it. 

 + Any high-quality cookware that brings your inner Masterchef to the surface. Get out your La Creuset and Staub dishes, pots, and pans and bring the magic back into cooking. 

 + Hold onto a handful of well-used cookbooks. If you regularly use a cookbook or two, keep it somewhere you can easily see, like on a cookbook stand. You can get one at Wheel & Barrow on James St if you don’t have one. 

WHAT TO LET GO

 + Any spares or double-ups you might have stowed away. No one needs three spatulas, so keep the highest quality one and let the others go. 

 + Whittle down your mug collection a bit. While some mugs hold sentimental value, like that clay piece you bought in Tuscany, others are just taking up space. So cull your collection and watch how quickly you’ll feel lighter. 

 + Gimmicky, unused appliances take up far too much space. The popcorn machine you received for Christmas a few years ago was cute the two times you used it, but let’s be honest; if you want popcorn, you’re just going to cook it the old fashioned way. 

 + Lidless tupperware or tupperwareless lids. It’s time to come to terms with the fact that the other half is lost, and holding onto half a dozen lids won’t bring the container back.