12 Steps to an Easy Kitchen Declutter

Kitchens can be tricky places to declutter because there is so much stuff—Tupperware, spices, pots…sometimes it can feel overwhelming. That’s why today, I’m sharing some tips for decluttering your kitchen! Follow along below for an effective and easy 12-step kitchen declutter method!

This was not a sponsored post. Everything shared is from my own thoughts. The links above are affiliate links, which help my channel grow!

#1. Clean Your Space.

Of course, it’s always helpful to start and end with a clean space. You’ll want to clear off the countertops and do some general tidying up. Put any items that are out away so that you can start with a blank canvas. It’s nice starting with a tidy space because you can really visualize exactly what you want with your space!

#2. Identify The Pain Point.

There’s usually a reason that we choose to do a kitchen declutter, right? For example, I recently got some new pans from Caraway, and I decided that I didn’t like them being stored on the countertops as much as I hoped.

Think about what problems or pain points your clutter might be causing you right now that are bringing this need for a kitchen declutter to the foreground. Is there something getting in your way? Maybe something that just doesn’t fit the way you want it to? That’s where you want to start!

#3. Empty The First Cabinet.

Start with the cabinet that relates to your pain point! So, for me, this is the cabinet where we store all of our pans and appliances. If you’re like me and have decided that you need to rearrange things, it really helps to start with a blank canvas. To do this, it’s best to remove EVERYTHING from the cabinet and spread it out on the counter.

#4. Clean The Cabinet.

Once everything’s removed, it’s a good time to clean the inside (and outside) of the cabinet. Doing kitchen decluttering brings a great opportunity to do some deep-cleaning since the cabinet is completely empty (and let’s be honest, most of us probably don’t clean our cabinets as often as we maybe should.). I like to pull out the hand vacuum to get rid of the crumbs that can easily be collected at the bottom.

#5. Repeat With Any Related Cabinet(S).

Now, you can just repeat the same process with your other related cabinets. For example, after fully emptying my current pan cabinet, I moved to the cabinet where I actually wanted to store my new pans (a different spot with wider cabinetry). Following the same process, I removed everything and cleaned out this second cabinet. Think about what the next logical space would be for you to clean out. Basically, you want to follow the trail from your pain point!

#6. Put The Important Items Back First.

Next, put your most important items back first. Take the time to play around with where each item fits and is functional. At this point, I had 2 emptied and cleaned cabinets- one where I used to store my pans and another where I wanted to store my new pans. By decluttering my kitchen and moving my Instant Pot to the top shelf, I was able to make space to put the new pans on the bottom shelf.

With this wider cabinet, I was also able to use the storage rack that came with the Caraway pots and pans to store the lids on the door, which is awesome. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different storage solutions to help make everything fit!

#7. Follow The Path Of Related Items.

Once you’ve prioritized your most important items, you can continue this process by finding homes for related items. You might find some things that need to be completely rehomed to a new section, and that can guide you to the next logical spot to declutter.

For example, now that I’m discarding my old pans, I’m able to move our baking ceramics from our drinking glasses cabinet down to the cabinet where the pans used to be. This freed up a ton of space for our drinkware! Knowing that this was going to be the next logical step, I moved to the glass and cups cabinet next.

#8. Complete Those Areas.

Once you’ve tackled all related cabinets (any cabinets with crossover items), fully complete those areas. Follow the process of removing, wiping, and selecting what to put back in order of priority. Set aside anything that’s being decluttered.

I like to complete those related areas before moving on to new areas of focus, like spices and utensils.

#9. Create A Discard Pile.

Now that you’ve selected everything you want to keep, everything left on the counter should, by default, be discarded. It’s not a full kitchen declutter if you don’t actually declutter anything! Ideally, create a pile out of the way (in the dining room or directly into a box). This is often the part where people get stuck and begin second-guessing. We tell ourselves a lot of lies about our clutter. Stay strong and be honest with yourself!

This gives you a visual of what you’re getting rid of while keeping a clear space to work on for the remaining cabinets and drawers. Remember, if it’s not functional, you can probably toss it.

#10. Move To The Next Section And Repeat!

Just keep moving through each cabinet and repeating the process! You’ll likely continue to remove things, arrange them, clean the shelves, etc. Then, you can move on to the drawers and repeat, making sure to get rid of anything that’s not functional.

The great thing about this method is that if you don’t have cabinets that need to be decluttered, you can stop at any point! You can also stop for breaks and pick up at a later date without worrying about all of your counters being covered with items. It’s a much easier method for a full kitchen declutter.

And, of course, we can’t forget the dreaded seasons and spice cabinet. I have to admit, this is a space that’s sometimes more cluttered than I like for it to be 🙃 . But it’s really the only area we store these types of items. I took this opportunity to look for things that could be consolidated…or even things that have expired!

#11. Do Your Final Wipe Down.

The hardest part is over! At this point, you’ve hopefully cleared out a lot of space and maybe even gotten rid of some unnecessary items. As I mentioned earlier, I like to start and end with a clean space. Wipe down your counters, make sure everything’s where you want it to be, and take a minute to admire your hard work!

#12. Complete Your Counter Placements.

The final step is to place things back where you want them, being mindful of visual clutter. For example, my family has been used to having our Echo Dot on one side of the counter, but when we got the new pans, we had to move it to the other side.

Since then, everyone has realized that they’re facing the wrong way when they want to say something to Alexa—oops! I’m glad to have it back in its original spot now.

I have some of my old pots and pans, expired seasonings, some old cutting boards, and then just a couple of water bottles and mugs…basically, just things that we’re not really using.

Just by decluttering these things, I was also able to open up so much space and breathability in my kitchen. Give it a go! 😊