De cluttering checklist Kitchen

In this four-part series, we give you a checklist for ensuring that your kitchen remains clutter free

When it comes to cutting the clutter in your kitchen, you might need to carve out a full day to get the ball rolling but once done, you will be able to keep the clutter to a minimum.
We break down the checklist for decluttering your kitchen interiors into one-time, monthly and yearly steps to make the process feel less overwhelming.

One-Time Overhaul
·         Invest in pull-out cabinets/shelves, they provide easy access to hard-to-reach places (see our story ‘Organise the supplies you buy in bulk’). 
·         Invest in corner-shelves to store items like a spice rack, a spoon stand etc.
·         Make your own kitchen peg-board, perfect for hanging things you use often (see our story ‘DIY: Kitchen pegboard’).
·         Make use of all vertical surfaces including your fridge door. Get a multipurpose, magnetic kitchen paper towel holder and
           dispenser.
·         Keep your recipes and menus organised according to cuisine type in D-ring binders.

Yearly/Half-yearly checklist
These tips undertaken once or twice a year help reduce the amount of crockery that piles up (see our story ‘Organise your crockery’). 
·         Broken handles, chipped crockery and old dishes that cannot be repaired should be disposed off or upcycled for other uses.
·         Take a look at your pots, pans and other crockery – what is never used or has multiples should be donated.
·         A great de-cluttering tool is a wire rack used to stack plates and pot lids.
·         Stack away crockery, cutlery and ingredients in cabinets and drawers to keep your counter tops free, making your kitchen look
           neater.

Monthly checklist
Once a month, focus on de-cluttering your pantry (see our story ‘Organise your pantry’)
·         Get rid of all expired food items. 
·         Using clear, rectangular bottles and see-through storage containers helps save space and time.

Weekly checklist
Focus your efforts on the contents of your fridge once a week.
·         Get rid of old and expired products. 
·         Clean out your fridge and give it a good wipe down. Remember to clean your microwave oven as well (see our story ‘Dirty
           secrets: Kitchen’).
·         Place a fridge de-odourizer in one of the door shelves.  
·         Write down a shopping list for the next week’s supplies checking what you already have. This ensures you don’t buy extras.

Daily checklist
A few daily habits can really help cut the clutter (see our story ‘How to spring clean your home in 8 hours’.) 
·         Put spices and sauce bottles back in their allotted place after use. 
·         Take a quick look around at the end of the day to replace what isn’t in its spot.