Those Ancient Spice Bottles Collecting Dust
When was the last time you actually checked the dates on those little jars in your spice rack? According to the USDA whole spices can last two to four years, while ground spices can last up to three years at room temperature. But here’s the kicker – spices can lose much of their flavor and aroma and become stale over time. And while you can revive stale spices, there is a time and place to toss them—like after three or four years or if you have no idea when you bought them. That oregano from your college days? It’s probably doing nothing but taking up space. If you can’t remember buying it, or if it has zero smell when you give it a sniff test, it’s time to say goodbye. “I will be organizing a kitchen in Connecticut and see spices from New York City grocery stores—and the client hasn’t lived in New York City for 15 years!” says Urgo. (When I went to organize my own spice drawer while researching this story, I was ashamed to find a jar of bay leaves older than my youngest child—he’s nine.) Trust me, your taste buds will thank you when you replace them with fresh ones.
Mismatched Food Storage Containers
One of the most frustrating sources of clutter in kitchen cabinets: food storage containers. Where’s the matching lid? Wondering why you can’t keep the cabinet with plastic containers organized, no matter how hard you try? The answer is that you are simply saving too many. You know the drill – you open that cabinet door and get hit by an avalanche of plastic containers, half of which don’t have matching lids. There is no use keeping food storage that doesn’t have a top. Sort and match lids and get rid of any that don’t have a pair. While you’re at it, toss those that won’t seal tightly or are hopelessly stained, scratched or bubbling. That warped container from your microwave mishap three years ago? It’s not coming back to life. Throw away any plastic storage containers with pitting, or the white marks that often show up after microwave reheating.
Expired Condiments Lurking in Your Fridge Door
You may be quick to throw out moldy strawberries in the fridge, but what about the condiments taking up space on the door? It’s easy to overlook things when they get lost in the refrigerator. Refresh your condiment collection (and update your fridge organization) today by checking the used-by date on the marinades, tartar sauces and ketchup you forgot about. That bottle of salad dressing you bought for one specific recipe two years ago is probably still sitting there, judging you. Most people are diligent about tossing out moldy strawberries and past-their-sell-by-date cold cuts, but they will let a can of mustard linger in their refrigerator for a decade. “Your refrigerator doors are a good place to start when decluttering a kitchen, as dressings, sauces, and condiments tend to live in there longer than they should.” Sauces and other condiments, once opened, will keep for six months if properly refrigerated. After that, they’re just taking up valuable real estate.
That Collection of Takeout Sauce Packets
We’ve all been there – you order takeout and they give you enough sauce packets to feed a small army. Takeout orders sometimes come with an overabundance of sauce packets, straws and cutlery. Tossing them into the trash may seem wasteful, but if you’re not going to use them, they just take up kitchen space and create clutter. The condiment packets may also lose their flavor and color over time if left unused. Check their expiration dates and toss out those that have expired. If there’s no expiration date, throw out the ones that appear old and the ones that are unlikely to get used. That drawer stuffed with soy sauce packets from three months ago? It’s time to face reality. You’re never going to use forty-seven packets of duck sauce, and they’re probably not even good anymore. Most food banks accept wrapped disposable cutlery, so there’s no need to toss those items in the garbage.
Cutting Boards That Have Seen Better Days
Cooks tend to hold onto their cutting boards for too long, according to the experts. “Most folks wait until theirs are permanently stained or warped, but the second those deep grooves set in, they’re basically bacteria magnets,” Ingber said. Knife marks and divots can also leach microplastics into your food, which is why Ingber swaps his out every 6 months. If your cutting board looks like it survived a horror movie, it’s time to let it go. Those deep grooves aren’t just unsightly – they’re actually dangerous. One recent study called plastic cutting boards a “potentially significant source of microplastics in human food” and found that a polyethylene chopping board could shed between 7.4 and 50.7 grams of microplastics per person per year. Cracks and crevices in your aged utensils make them harder to clean. Plus, those spots are known to harbor bacteria. Your health is worth more than clinging to that beat-up piece of plastic.
Kitchen Towels That Have Lost Their Absorbency
For nearly two decades, the culinary maven has urged home cooks to replace their kitchen towels more frequently. If you’ve been using the same dishcloths again and again, you might be surprised to hear that Stewart suggests switching them out weekly. Yes, you read that right – weekly! Those threadbare kitchen towels that you’ve been using since the Obama administration need to go. Dealing with towels that are thin, frayed, or no longer absorbent can be so frustrating. If they’ve seen better days, donate the ones still in decent condition and toss the rest. If your kitchen towel just smears water around instead of absorbing it, it’s basically useless. Think of it this way: would you dry your hands on a towel that’s been through the wash 500 times and looks like it’s been attacked by moths? Your dishes deserve better, and so do you.
Nonstick Pans with Compromised Coatings
Even the best nonstick coatings wear down. If your eggs are sticking or the surface is scratched, replace them. Don’t cook on compromised nonstick. That pan where your scrambled eggs stick like they’re superglued to the bottom? It’s not doing its job anymore. When the nonstick coating starts peeling or scratching off, you’re potentially eating those little flakes – and that’s not something you want to gamble with. A good nonstick pan should live up to its name, and if it doesn’t, it’s time to invest in a new one. If your current cutting board is scuffed up and indented, he suggests replacing it with this $19 model from OXO because it’s “affordable, durable, and dishwasher-safe.” Designed to last longer than typical nonstick cookware, this pan has a stainless steel base, a layer of hard-anodized aluminum, and three layers of nonstick coating. Think of it as an investment in your morning eggs.
Vegetable Peelers That Fight Back
Even the good ones get dull fast, and you’ll notice it when peeling something tough like a butternut squash. I always go back to this one — simple, sharp, and cheap enough to keep a few around. If you find yourself wrestling with a potato for five minutes just to get the skin off, your peeler has given up the ghost. A good peeler should glide through skin like butter, not require the strength of a weightlifter. This trio of Kuhn Rikon peelers is a smart way to get ahead of the problem, since you’ll always have a couple of backup blades when your current one dulls. These expert-approved peelers come in a 3-pack and are less than $5 apiece. When your peeler becomes more of a vegetable mangler than a kitchen tool, it’s time to retire it. Your carrots shouldn’t look like they went through a paper shredder.
Old Coffee That’s Lost Its Soul
If you’re a “My day doesn’t start until I’ve had coffee” type of person, there’s a good chance you have stockpiled coffee beans or ground coffee in your pantry. And while this is fine since whole-bean and freshly ground coffee can be stored for up to two weeks in a sealed container in a cool, dry, dark area, they will eventually become stale after opening. That bag of coffee beans you bought six months ago thinking you’d save money by buying in bulk? It’s probably flavorless by now. Stale coffee is a crime against humanity – or at least against your morning routine. If your coffee tastes like brown water and doesn’t give you that caffeine kick you desperately need, it’s time to invest in some fresh beans. Life’s too short for bad coffee, and your taste buds will know the difference. Coffee will [be used] much faster than other dry foods in your cupboard, so it is best to write the date of when you opened it on the container or bag.
Dull Knives That Are More Dangerous Than Sharp Ones
A dull knife is not only ineffective, but it can also be dangerous. If they can’t be sharpened properly or repaired, it’s better to replace them to ensure safety in the kitchen. Counterintuitive as it sounds, dull knives are actually more dangerous than sharp ones because you have to apply more pressure, making slips more likely. If your knife bounces off a tomato skin instead of slicing through it, or if you find yourself sawing through an onion like you’re cutting wood, it’s time for an upgrade. Since it’s the first kitchen appliance I touch in the morning, I appreciate its softer sound. I’ve accumulated a nice collection of knives over the past few years, but several of my blades have become dull because I’ve been intimidated by the sharpening process. I’m resolving to do better in 2025 with the help of this innovative tool that even pros are praising. Sharp knives make cooking a pleasure, not a chore.
Pantry Staples That Have Overstayed Their Welcome
If you’ve had your flour, nuts, sugar and cooking oils hanging around for a year or so, it’s time to swap them out for new ones. Check boxes, cans, bottles and jars for expiration dates and toss what’s necessary (or donate anything you won’t use by the expiration date to a local food bank). That bag of flour that’s been living in your pantry since the great baking boom of 2020? It’s probably stale and might even have unwelcome visitors. Flour will be good for nine months if stored in an airtight container and kept from heat; sugar for up to two years. Old cooking oils can go rancid and make your food taste terrible, while stale flour can ruin your baking adventures. So, flavors and colors might fade. Old almonds, for example, won’t be overrun with bacteria but will taste off as their oils break down. When in doubt, give it the sniff test – if it smells off, it is off.
Kitchen Gadgets You Haven’t Used in Years
Does your food processor double as a juicer? Or does your blender grind spices? Plus, she notes that appliances often come with lots of accessories, many of which you may not use. If you’re not going to be making bread in your food processor you don’t need to keep those attachments. That spiralizer you bought during your brief zucchini noodle phase three years ago? The one that’s been gathering dust in the back of your cabinet? It’s time to admit defeat. Let go of anything you know you’ll never use. We all have kitchen gadgets that seemed like great ideas at the time but turned out to be one-hit wonders. That egg separator, avocado slicer, or banana hanger that you used exactly once isn’t earning its keep. Your kitchen real estate is valuable, and every item should justify its existence. Say goodbye to your juicer. Tossing these items (or in some cases, donating them) will leave you feeling lighter, less stressed, and more inspired to cook. If you haven’t used it in over a year, someone else probably will.
Expired Baking Powder and Other Chemical Leaveners
Baking powder and baking soda have a sneaky way of losing their effectiveness without any obvious signs. That box of baking soda that’s been sitting in your pantry for two years might look fine, but it’s probably about as useful as regular salt when it comes to making your cookies rise. Food labels are confusing, but it is okay to eat a can of soup or eat from a jar of peanut butter once you hit its “expiration” date, and sometimes even weeks or months later, depending on how you stored it. But unlike shelf-stable items, chemical leaveners actually lose their potency over time, which means your baked goods will fall flat – literally. A simple test: drop a teaspoon of baking powder in hot water – if it doesn’t bubble vigorously, it’s dead. The quality of your olive oil or can of soup after two years will depend on how you care for it, though, even if they may be safe to consume. Don’t let expired leaveners sabotage your next baking project.
Appliance Manuals for Devices You Know How to Use
If you’re worried throwing away your microwave manual could set you up for an error warning you don’t know how to fix, don’t worry. It’s safe to toss owner’s manuals for most appliances and tech, since nearly everything is accessible online now. Don’t let owner’s manuals take up prime real estate in a coveted drawer or cabinet. When clients ask me what to do with their appliance and household manuals, I always recommend purging the manuals if it’s a small, easy-to-use device or if you can access the product information online. That drawer stuffed with instruction booklets for every appliance you’ve ever owned? Unless you’re planning to troubleshoot your 15-year-old microwave in a foreign language, you probably don’t need them. Most appliance information is available online now, and let’s be honest – when was the last time you actually consulted the manual for your coffee maker? The spice drawer is a nightmare of expiration dates. And countertops are storage spots because shelves are crammed with unused things. Free up that valuable drawer space for things you actually use, like your good kitchen towels or that one functioning can opener.
Your kitchen should be a place of culinary creativity, not a museum of expired ingredients and broken dreams. Every item in your kitchen should earn its spot by being useful, functional, and safe. When you clear out these 14 categories of kitchen clutter, you’ll be amazed at how much more space and peace of mind you have. What would you tackle first – those ancient spices or that drawer of mystery containers?
