Decluttering is an essential part of keeping an organised and clean home, but not everything deserves to be chucked. Yes, regular decluttering is great and something we should all keep on top of, but sometimes we can take it too far – and it can cost us, literally.
Before you start rampaging through your home with hopes of creating minimalist perfection, take some time to consider what’s actually clutter and what is in fact useful. Often we jump to conclusions and end up chucking away items that might seem past their best but may just need some TLC, or things that are actually incredibly useful, as well as expensive to replace.
So you don’t make those costly mistakes, I’ve picked out a few items that should never be decluttered from your kitchen. They might seem like clutter on the surface, but they could really come in handy in the future.
Blunt knives
A lot of us end up throwing away knives and replacing them as soon as they begin to go blunt – a huge waste of money in my book. A good-quality blunt knife may just need sharpening rather than replacing. Instead of decluttering your knife collection, separate out the quality ones – knives made of materials like high-carbon stainless steel – and invest in a sharpener. A blunt knife can usually be restored with a whetstone or suitable knife sharpener, which removes a small amount of metal to recreate the edge. For expensive knives, consider professional sharpening rather than replacing them – your wallet, and your dinner, will thank you.
Appliance attachments and spare parts
We all have that one kitchen drawer filled with mysterious attachments that we’re too scared to throw away in case they belong to something important. These can quickly stack up and create clutter. But before you bin them, take the time to work out what they actually belong to. That strange plastic piece could be an essential part of your food processor, blender or coffee machine, and replacing it later could cost you unnecessarily, if you can even find the right part online.
That said, spare parts shouldn’t get a free pass to become clutter. Once you’ve identified them, group attachments together by appliance and store them in labelled zip-lock bags or small containers. I also like to write the appliance name and model number on the label, so if something does go missing or break in future, you’ll know exactly what replacement to look for.
Cast-iron cookware
Cast-iron cookware is another kitchen item you shouldn’t be too quick to give up on just because it’s looking a little worse for wear. Unlike some pans, a good cast-iron skillet can last for decades, so a bit of rust or a patchy surface doesn’t necessarily mean it’s destined for the bin.
In fact, most cast iron can be restored relatively easily. Light rust can be scrubbed away before the pan is thoroughly dried and re-seasoned with a thin layer of cooking oil. Even if the seasoning has become patchy or started to flake, you can strip it back and build it up again rather than splashing out on a replacement.
The exception is any pan with a serious crack or significant structural damage. But if yours is simply rusty, dull or has lost its lovely non-stick coating, give it a little TLC before you declutter it.
Ice cube trays
With lots of people opting to buy ice these days, I’m still a big believer in the value of an ice cube tray. These have an obvious purpose, but if you really want them to work double time in proving their place in the kitchen, there’s so much more you can do with them then just making ice.
Even if you prefer pre-made ice, you can double trays’ usefulness by freezing leftover stock, herbs, sauces, pesto, lemon juice or wine in usable portions rather than wasting them.
Seasonal cookware
If you only pull out your extra-large roasting tin once a year for Christmas dinner, it can be tempting to decide it’s not earning its cupboard space. But before you declutter cookware you rarely use, think about why you rarely use it. Turkey roasting tins, Christmas pudding basins, large stock pots and specialist baking tins might only make an appearance on special occasions, but replacing them every time you need them is a quick way to waste money.
Instead, move seasonal cookware out of your prime kitchen storage. Keep it on a high shelf, at the back of a cupboard or even boxed up elsewhere in the home, clearly labelled so you can find it when its moment to shine finally rolls around.
Takeaway containers
The key phrase here is ‘within reason’. Of course a massive pile of mismatched plastic lids and stained or broken boxes doesn’t deserve a place in your kitchen. But a considered, organised collection definitely does. While there are some great quality tupperware boxes and lunchboxes out there, cheap plastic takeaway ones can do the trick just as well – plus they're free. While personally I don’t trust them to carry my lunch safely in my handbag without spills, I do think they’re great for freezing leftovers. Simply write on the lid with a Sharpie to help you identify it later, and enjoy the freebie.
Jam jars
Again, don’t go crazy, but a couple of old jam jars or other glass jars can come in really handy. You can use them for storing dried foods, home-made dressings, leftovers and odds and ends, saving you from buying dedicated Pinterest-inspired mason jars with steep price tags. Pick ones with pretty labels for an added sense of style, or you can use our trick for removing those sticky sticker marks.
Old tea towels
A tea towel that’s looking a little too tired to hang proudly from your oven door doesn’t necessarily need to go straight in the bin. As long as it’s clean and still absorbent, simply demote it to cleaning duty instead. Old tea towels are great for wiping up spills, drying particularly messy jobs or tackling cleaning tasks where you wouldn’t want to ruin your nicer ones.
Keep a small pile with your cleaning supplies rather than mixing them in with your everyday tea towels, and you may find yourself reaching for disposable kitchen roll less often. Just don’t let the pile get out of hand – once they’re threadbare, no longer absorbent or impossible to get properly clean, they’ve earned their retirement.
