THE heart of the home, the kitchen should be regularly decluttered.
To help you best navigate the task, experts have revealed the items in your kitchen that you can toss and consolidate for more space.
SMALL GADGETS AND KNICKKNACKS
Jill Jarvis, an interior designer and owner of Ehrlich Interiors, said that clutter on the countertop is the main thing in the kitchen that should be combatted.
"Nothing makes a kitchen look messier than countertop clutter," Jarvis said. "It also makes counters more difficult to wipe down and keep clean."
Get rid of anything that's not of immediate use. Things like cookie cutters, mail, and seasonal decorations that are past their expiration date could get the axe.
OPEN SHELVING
Rebecca Langman, interior designer and owner of Revision Custom Home Design, said that open shelving is not always optimal.
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"Open shelves create visual clutter and require constant cleaning and organizing in order to look good," the expert explained.
Instead, you could give glass-front cabinets a go. They give off a similar aesthetic to open shelves and will ensure that dust and grease don't buildup on your kitchen necessities as quickly.
A LARGE COLLECTION OF VARIOUS WINE GLASSES
According to interior designer Joe Cangelosi, it isn't a necessity to own multiple types of wine glasses.
"Unless you have a giant butler's pantry that can house all that stuff, most people only need some all-purpose wine glasses and a set of Champagne flutes," he said.
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Cangelosi recommended stocking up on a fancy set of glasses for entertaining guests as well as cheaper ones for day-to-day use.
EXTRA KNIVES
Having various knives that you have no use for can be excessive.
"Kitchen stores will try to sell you every kind of knife, but 99% of the time, you only need three: a heavy chef's knife, a serrated bread knife, and a small paring knife," Cangelosi said.
Sell your extra knives or donate them to a charity shop, and invest in three really good knives that will get the job done.
BULKY COOKBOOKS
While cookbooks are sometimes necessary to whip things up in the kitchen, they add unnecessary visual clutter.
"To clear space in the kitchen, relocate or donate cookbooks that you don't use for day-to-day cooking," Jarvis said.
If you only use a few recipes from a cookbook, consider copying them and storing them somewhere discreet. Taking a picture will also ensure that you don't take up any space.
DECOR PIECES ON UPPER CABINETS
"Unless you have high, vaulted ceilings, placing items on top of upper cabinets just means more dusting and rarely enhances the look of the space," Langman said.
That noted, decor pieces on your upper cabinets will just take up space, so it's better to leave them empty.
WORD SIGNS WITH GENERIC PHRASES
Langman said that one of her kitchen-decor pet peeves is signs with common phrases.
"Your guests will know it's a kitchen even if there's no oversized fork and spoon on the wall or a sign telling them to 'gather' or 'eat,'" she stated.
The designer suggested picking a piece of handmade art that will complement your kitchen instead.
OLD DISH TOWELS
"Go through your dish towels and discard those that are past their prime and no longer complement your kitchen," Jarvis said.
Old towels can be used as cleaning rags, while clean ones that aren't go-tos can be donated.
SPICES THAT HAVE EXPIRED OR YOU BARELY USE
"Chances are that your cupboards contain a few spices that you never use," Jarvis said. "Toss those and any spices that have lost their flavor."
Bottles of the same spice that are filled halfway could be combined to create more space.
A BREAD MACHINE
While a bread machine is convenient for kneading dough, the appliance is typically bulky, and you should completely forgo it or store it somewhere else for decluttering purposes.
"People have been making bread for thousands of years using nothing but a bowl, a kitchen cloth, and a pan," Cangelosi explained. "You don't need a cumbersome machine to make great bread."
TRANSFORM YOUR JUNK DRAWER
Junk drawers are filled with knickknacks and items that are not of immediate use. You can use yours to house cooking utensils you regularly use that don't require a particular spot.
"Tidy your kitchen by turning that junk drawer into a clean, organized, and efficient catch-all drawer," Jarvis said.
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GET RID OF CLEANING SUPPLIES YOU RARELY USE
"Keep things tidy under the sink by tossing cleaning supplies you rarely use or combining multiples of the same product into the same bottle," Jarvis said.
In addition, you can put products that are almost empty toward the front of the cabinet. This way you'll go for them first.
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