Although shopping for a new kitchen can be a lot of fun but if you aren’t careful then you can often end up getting impractical and unnecessary things to keep in your kitchen. This can seriously affect the convenience and the usability of your kitchen by taking up valuable space especially if you’re renting an apartment.
This is why it is important that you only purchase things which are needed in your kitchen and remove any unwanted article which will prove to be a hindrance when you are using your kitchen.
Don’t worry, we have prepared a list for you so that you know more about the things which you don’t actually require in your kitchen. Here is a list of things that you can get rid of and make your kitchen more useful and easily manageable.
Those beautiful vases on the kitchen island
A lot of people like to decorate their kitchen by putting flowers and vases in their kitchen. They put it on countertops, kitchen corners, Kitchen Island, and a few other places. However, this tends to take a lot of working space which you could have otherwise used for cooking and preparing purposes.
Yes, it is undoubtedly true that a vase with flowers on a kitchen countertop or Kitchen island will give a more cozy and beautiful look to your kitchen but this something which can be skipped. You don’t actually need vases or flowers in your kitchen everywhere so avoid placing it on a countertop or a similar place.
Instead, use your Kitchen Island and your kitchen countertops as your workspace areas and use them for cooking and baking purposes.
The pre-filled spice rack
One of the most common yet unnecessary thing that everyone owns and keeps in their kitchen is a pre-filled spice rack. We all know that spices are important to make your food taste good but what a lot of us don’t know is that fresh herbs are better than dried ones.
Another thing to remember is that herbs tend to lose their flavor and aroma over time if kept stored in a container, regardless of the fact that they are whole or ground. This is why it is better to purchase herbs in small quantities instead of keeping them in a pre-filled spice rack.
The spice rack will not only take up an unnecessary place in your kitchen but will also offer you with stale herbs which can’t provide you with adequate aroma and taste. So, skip buying a spice rack and save some kitchen space to purchase something actually useful for yourself.
The rack full of mugs
One of the most important thing that you need to avoid in your kitchen is a clutter of unused mugs. We all know that it starts innocently with you buying a mug on a trip or someone gifting it to you for Christmas or birthday. You get it from office, parties, etc. and then one day your kitchen shelf is full of different types of mugs.
A lot of these mugs haven’t ever been used in life and will not be used in the future too but you still keep it. Slowly, your shelf starts stumbling under the weight of all these mugs and you lack the storage space to store other utensils.
So, make sure you don’t overflow your kitchen with mugs, only keep the number of mugs which are required. If you stay alone at your home then 2-3 mugs will suffice and if you have a roommate then you can keep 5-6 mugs at home but not more than that.
The opaque food containers
We all love recycling and reusing all the things that we purchase and same holds true for food containers. A lot of people reuse the food containers in order to avoid purchasing food containers and save a few bucks by minimizing the food waste. While this seems like a brilliant idea to save both money and food, it can actually end up in a lot of food waste. Now, how is that?
It is simple. When you store food in an opaque container then you forget if the food exists inside them or not. You can’t see what is inside these food containers so it completely slips off your mind that you had stored some food inside it.
As a result, the food slowly rots away and you have to throw it out in the end. This is less likely to happen if you purchase a food storage container which is clear like glass that will not only allow the perfect view of the food inside but will also allow you to heat food in the microwave.
Too many fruit bowls and drinking glasses
Do you love fruits? Or juices? If yes then there are chances that you have multiple fruit bowls and drinking glasses hanging around in your kitchen.
Now, while having a few fruit bowls at home might seem like not a bad idea since it will allow you to store many fruits and will make your kitchen look nice too, it can end up taking a lot of valuable space. This space could be used for cooking purpose but your fruit bowls will not allow it, so avoid getting too many fruits bowl. Have one or maximum two at home.
Another thing that people often do is collect too many beverage glasses for drinking water, wine, soda, etc. You don’t need to buy a different glass for each beverage, you have an option to purchase a multipurpose glass which can be used on more than one occasion. Try to look for break resistant glasses which can be used for drinking wine, juices, etc. and save yourself some space and money.
Yup, even the nonstick cookware
It is no secret that nonstick cookware is often said to be a piece of important kitchen equipment for cooking and baking since it is easier to clean and cook. However, did you know that Teflon coated cookware emits toxic fumes when the cookware is heated above 500 F?
Yes, you heard us! While Teflon coating prevents the food from sticking to your cookware’s surface, it is also responsible for releasing injurious gases when it is heated too much or has a scratched non-stick surface.
These fumes are not only dangerous to people but also to bird and can often cause flu-like symptoms in human beings. So, instead of getting nonstick cookware, you should get stainless cookware which is not only durable but cheap and easy to wash as well. Also, you can use a nonstick cooking spray on it to prevent your food from sticking.
Those appliances you’ve forgotten about
We all have kitchen appliances which are not used every day but will still keep them in our kitchen to take up valuable counter space. There are kitchen appliances like Ice cream maker, Stand Mixer, BBQ Grills, etc. which are not required daily yet we keep them on the kitchen counter to just take some space and make our kitchen look really cluttered and messy.
Store such appliances in your kitchen cupboard or other spots where it would be easy to take them out and keep your kitchen counter space for placing things which you are going to use daily. This will not only give you a chance to use your space properly but will also make your kitchen look spacious and uncluttered.
The old disgusting kitchen sponges
One of the most disgusting and harmful things to keep in your kitchen is used kitchen sponges which you utilize for washing your dishes. Since these kitchen sponges contain moisture, they promote bacteria growth and generally contain germs and bacteria which are harmful to your health.
Although you can wash these kitchen sponges, sanitizing is altogether different and not easily possible which is why you should use brushes and clean cloth rags to wash your dishes. However, make sure that you wash your cloth rag regularly to avoid any germ or bacteria growth.
Another thing you need to keep in mind is to avoid using the same cloth rag for washing dishes and cleaning the kitchen countertops. Use disinfectant wipes to clean your countertop and use cloth rag for dishwashing. Also, make sure that you launder your cloth rag every time when you use it to wipe the juice or other liquid mess.
Pop-up toasters
A toaster is an important kitchen equipment that everyone should own but don’t go for a pop-up toaster. Instead, purchase a toaster oven which will not only provide you with better features but can also be used for other things apart from toasting bread.
You can use it to melt cheese, warm leftover food, broil burgers, and so on. Also, pop-toasters allow mice to climb inside and nibble on the breadcrumbs which can make it unhygienic to use but the same is not true for a toaster oven.
Unnecessary decorative pieces
One of the most unnecessary things to keep in a kitchen are decorative things like rugs, carpets, vases, baskets, etc. Trust me, you don’t need a rug to cover your kitchen area since it will not only make it difficult to clean the floor but you will also have to get your rugs and carpets dry cleaned frequently to ensure they look representable.
You also need unnecessary decorative items like lamps, baskets, flowers, etc. in your kitchen. So, avoid trying to decorate your kitchen and use it for the things it is meant to be used for.
