Seven objects taking up space in your kitchen drawers that should be discarded

By Ethan Blake 7 min read

7 items cluttering your kitchen drawers that you need to get rid of

Introduction

There are many things in our lives that bring us joy, but clutter is not one of them. This fact is particularly true when it comes to our kitchen drawers. These neglected places often become a dumping ground for random bits and pieces we don’t have any other place for or are hesitant to throw away.

Reclaiming your kitchen drawers from the grip of clutter can do more than just save you space – it can also make your cooking and food preparation experiences more efficient and enjoyable. So, what kind of items typically take up unnecessary space in our kitchen drawers?

Let’s dive into seven items cluttering your kitchen drawers that you need to get rid of right now and find out some impressive alternative uses or how to responsibly dispose of them.

Expired Coupons And Takeout Menus

Food delivery apps and websites abound these days, rendering traditional takeout menus obsolete. They add visual and physical clutter to your kitchen drawer and are among the first items you should consider eliminating.

Similarly, expired coupons are practically useless and should be immediately discarded. While keeping tabs on sales sounds frugal, holding onto expired or even soon-to-expire coupons often leads to unnecessary clutter accumulation without any real benefit.

A friend once told me about her massive collection of takeout menus and expired coupons. One day she decided enough was enough and went on a decluttering spree. She recycled all the paper materials and found herself with half an empty drawer!

Given this, here are a few measures you could adopt:

Regularly recycle your takeaway menus and keep only the ones you frequently order from.

Make use of digital platforms for ordering food as well as finding deals and discounts.

Set a reminder once every month or quarter to clean out your kitchen drawers, ensuring junk doesn’t pile up.

Use an organizer in your drawer to separate the useful items from the clutter.

Negligible items like expired coupons should be immediately recycled.

Consider investing in a trash bin with a paper recycling compartment to simplify the disposal process.

Single-Use Plastic Utensils

Undeniably convenient, single-use plastic utensils are an inevitable part of takeout meals or home deliveries. However, they contribute significantly to environmental pollution if not correctly disposed of or ideally refused in the first place.

If you find a heap of these disposable spoons, forks, and chopsticks gathering dust in one of your kitchen drawers, it might be time to let them go. If reusing is possible, clean them appropriately and donate them to a local community center or school for arts and crafts projects.

There was this one summer when I collected a disturbing number of single-use cutlery from all the takeaways I ordered. Realizing the potential harm they could cause, I gathered them up, cleaned them, and donated them to a nearby children’s center.

For implementing a change, consider doing the following:

Always refuse single-use cutlery when ordering food (if possible).

Donate unused plastic utensils to places like schools where they can be reused as craft supplies.

Recycle them responsibly by looking up the appropriate recycle codes and facilities.

You could have a small box assigned for such items until you decide what to do with them.

Consider replacing them entirely with sustainable options like bamboo or steel cutlery.

Create your eco-friendly travel kit with reusable utensils, straws, and cups.

At this point, it’s fitting to provide you with a summary table detailing the course of action for each item in your kitchen drawer clutter list.

Item	Action Plan
Expired coupons and takeout menus	Digitize where possible, recycle regularly
Single-use plastic utensils	Refuse, Recycle, Donate, Substitute with sustainable options

Oodles Of Old Receipts

If you have a drawer filled with grocery, restaurant, or other types of receipts, then it’s high time to sort it out. While holding onto certain receipts for warranty purposes or expense tracking is essential, most can be safely discarded to reduce clutter.

My neighbor once shared how he tackled his receipt-clogged kitchen drawer: He started by digitizing the important ones and recycling the rest. The end result was a tidy drawer and an organized digital directory of the receipts he wanted to keep track of.

Clearing your drawer of old receipts becomes simple with this plan:

Digitize receipts which need to be kept for future reference; there are many apps for this purpose.

Ask for digital receipts if possible; many stores now provide this option.

Recycle paper receipts immediately after they’re no longer needed.

For warranties, file the associated receipts separately in a safe place.

Regular review and clean-up sessions can prevent receipt build-up.

Create designated spaces for the different types of receipts to maintain order.

Ancient Spices And Condiments

Digging through your kitchen drawers might unearth jars of spices or condiments that are way past their prime. While they might have sentimental value or even seem wasteful to throw away, hanging onto them won’t do your cooking any favors.

I recall discovering an ancient jar of spice blend at the back of my drawer. It smelled fine, but when I used it in my cooking, the taste was lackluster. Lesson learned; aged spices had to go.

Here’s your action plan for old spices and condiments:

Regularly check the expiration dates of all your condiments and spices.

Discard anything that’s past its prime or if you can no longer remember when you bought it.

Try to buy smaller quantities of spices and condiments, so they don’t get a chance to expire.

Keep them stored in a cool dry place to increase their shelf life.

Organize using a spice rack or other organizational tools to keep track of what you’ve got.

Consider growing your own herbs for fresh and zero-waste cooking ingredients.

Mismatched Cutlery And Utensils

Most of us have mismatched cutlery and utensils lying forgotten at the bottom of our kitchen drawers. Whether they’re remnants from an old set or were given as a gift, these pieces can quickly add up and consume valuable space.

It brought me joy when I finally let go of the assortment of mismatched cutlery. I donated few usable ones to a local thrift store and recycled the rest. My kitchen drawers became noticeably less cluttered, and it left room for the things that truly mattered!

To tackle the chaos of mismatched items, follow these steps:

Donate extras and duplicates to friends, family or charity shops.

Mismatched cutlery that is still in good condition can also be sold in garage sales.

Store cutlery in sets for ease of use and aesthetics.

Recycle discarded metals properly in a dedicated facility.

Set a regular date to declutter your drawers and keep them organized.

Consider investing in a full set which meets all your requirements.

Promotional Swag

Keychains, drink koozies, cheap measuring tapes – we’ve all been victims of the promotional swag epidemic at one point or another. These items typically end up buried deep in our kitchen drawers, forgotten as soon as they were acquired.

When I participated in a marathon, I was bombarded with promotional swag from various brands. Most of these ended up in my kitchen drawer until I decided to donate them.

How to handle promotional swag:

Keep only what you really need or find useful.

Donate the rest to charity shops, schools, or community centers.

Sell viable items in garage sales or online marketplaces.

Be selective in the future when offered promotional materials.

Organize a swap event with friends or neighbors to exchange items.

Recycle unwanted and unusable promotional items responsibly.

Outdated Electronics And Chargers

Lastly, outdated electronics gadgets and miscellanea like old chargers that no longer have a device to charge are occupying precious real estate in your kitchen drawers. These items can be recycled at e-waste disposal facilities or donated if in working condition.

I made sure all old and obsolete chargers were accounted for and took them to a local electronics recycling drop-off place. The difference in compartment space was stark!

To manage old electronics and their accessories, adopt the following methods:

Regularly go through your electronic stash and discard anything not used frequently.

Donate working but rarely used gadgets to charity or sell them online.

Properly recycle obsolete electronics at dedicated facilities.

Organize your electronics and related items in a dedicated space outside kitchen drawers.

Do not accept electronics you do not need, despite generous offers.

Gradually switch to wireless technology to reduce the need for cables.

Conclusion

Possessing clear, clutter-free kitchen drawers won’t only make your cooking area look more appealing, but considerably improve your culinary productivity and satisfaction as well. It’s liberating to open your kitchen drawer, finding exactly what you need when you need it.

Always remember that your kitchen is meant for food preparation and enjoyment. Taking up its space with unnecessary items will not help in achieving its purpose. So bid farewell to everything holding you back from attaining peak kitchen organization and functionality – starting from cleaning out those drawers!