15 Common Things Your Kitchen Does Not Need
If your kitchen feels cluttered and overwhelming, you’re definitely not alone. Most of us are holding on to far more than we actually need — and the truth is, clutter doesn’t just take up space.
It makes it harder to cook, clean, and enjoy time in the kitchen. Over time, even the most organized spaces can get overrun with items we rarely use. Today, I’m sharing 15 common things to declutter from your kitchen that may be hiding in your cupboards, drawers, and counters.
By the end of this post, you’ll have plenty of ideas for what to let go of and a few that might surprise you!
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15 Common Things Your Kitchen Does Not Need
1. Extra Water Bottles and Travel Mugs
Reusable bottles and travel mugs seem to multiply overnight. Between sports activities, gifts, and impulse buys, most families end up with a whole cabinet full. Take a moment to pull them all out and assess which ones you actually use regularly.
Keep your favorites—the ones that fit in your cup holder, don’t leak, and are easy to clean—and donate or recycle the rest. If you have kids, you probably have even more than you realize, since it’s so easy to lose one and buy another.
By reducing your collection, you’ll free up a surprising amount of cabinet space and make mornings smoother when you’re rushing out the door.
2. Unused Pots, Pans, and Lids
Pots and pans take up a lot of valuable kitchen space, and most of us own more than we truly need. Go through each one and ask yourself when you last used it. If it’s been months—or years—it’s probably safe to let it go.
Also, take the time to match every lid to its pot or pan. You may discover several extras that don’t belong to anything.
Keeping just the cookware you actually use simplifies meal prep and makes your cabinets easier to organize. Plus, you’ll no longer have to dig through a pile of mismatched lids every time you cook dinner.
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3. Duplicate Utensils
It’s amazing how quickly utensils pile up. Between wooden spoons, spatulas, and whisks, most kitchens have duplicates of nearly everything.
Often, we buy new ones because we forget what we already have—or they come in gift sets we don’t need. Go through your utensil drawer and pull out everything. Keep only the versions you love using, the ones that feel good in your hand and actually work well.
You’ll likely realize that you only need a few of each type. Decluttering your utensils not only creates more space but also makes cooking feel easier because you can find what you need without sorting through extras.
4. Single-Use Gadgets
Single-use kitchen gadgets are one of the biggest culprits when it comes to hidden clutter. Things like apple slicers, avocado cutters, and banana slicers might seem handy at first, but they often end up collecting dust.
Before you know it, a drawer is full of tools that a good knife could easily replace. That said, if you genuinely use a gadget often—like a garlic press or a citrus juicer—there’s no reason to part with it.
The key is to be honest about what actually makes your cooking routine easier and what’s just taking up space. Simplifying this area creates more room for the tools that truly matter.
5. Food Storage Containers
Few things create more chaos in a kitchen than a pile of mismatched food containers. The missing lids, cracked bottoms, and random sizes can quickly turn one cabinet into a frustrating mess.
Take everything out, match up lids and containers, and recycle or donate what doesn’t have a match. If possible, switch to a set that stacks neatly or uses uniform sizes—it makes storing leftovers much easier.
When your containers are organized and complete, you’ll be more likely to use them, and you’ll eliminate the daily battle of searching for a lid that fits.
6. Too Many Coffee Mugs
Coffee mugs are sentimental and easy to collect—souvenirs from trips, gifts from friends, or cute ones you couldn’t resist buying. But at some point, enough is enough.
Pull every mug out of your cabinet and set them on the counter. Then, choose only your favorites: the ones you reach for every morning or that hold special meaning for you.
Keep a few extra plain mugs for guests and let the rest go. When you open your cabinet and see only mugs you truly love, it makes your morning coffee ritual that much more enjoyable.
7. Grocery Bags
We all have that one spot overflowing with grocery bags—paper, plastic, or reusable. They seem harmless, but they take up more space than you think.
Go through your stash and keep only a small handful of bags you know you’ll use, such as for trash liners or pet cleanup.
Recycle or repurpose the rest. To avoid future build-up, store your reusable bags in your car so you’ll always remember to bring them into the store. Reducing this clutter not only frees up space but also helps the environment.
8. Takeout Containers and Jars
It’s so easy to hold on to takeout containers or jars “just in case.” While saving a few for leftovers or craft projects can be useful, keeping too many quickly leads to clutter.
Sort through your collection and only keep a small number of clean, matching containers you’ll actually reuse. Recycle or donate the extras. This simple step makes your cupboards look instantly neater and prevents those towers of plastic from toppling over every time you open the door.
9. Unused Small Appliances
Most of us have at least one small appliance we never use—an old blender, a waffle maker, or maybe a slow cooker hiding in the back of a cabinet. If it’s been gathering dust for months, it’s time to let it go.
Keeping only the appliances you actually use makes your kitchen feel more open and functional. You’ll also reclaim counter and cabinet space for things you truly love. Simplifying your appliances helps your kitchen run more smoothly, giving you the freedom to focus on cooking rather than managing clutter.
10. Worn-Out Dish Towels and Washcloths
Dish towels get used daily, so they wear out faster than we realize. Frayed edges, stains, or thin spots not only look messy but can make your kitchen feel neglected.
Gather all your towels and set aside anything that’s seen better days. You can repurpose them as cleaning rags if they still have life left or simply recycle them. Keep a smaller set of fresh towels in your drawer—enough to last between laundry days—and your kitchen will instantly feel cleaner and more put-together.
11. Old Cookbooks and Recipe Clippings
Cookbooks and recipe clippings can hold a lot of memories, but if you haven’t used them in years, they might be more clutter than inspiration.
Go through your collection and keep only the books you cook from regularly or those with sentimental recipes you actually plan to make. The same goes for printed recipes or magazine cutouts—if they’ve been sitting untouched for years, it’s probably time to recycle them.
Simplifying your recipe collection makes it easier to find the dishes you truly love and encourages you to actually cook from them.
12. No More Paper Clutter
Paper clutter sneaks into the kitchen through takeout menus, appliance manuals, receipts, and mail. Before you know it, drawers and counters are overflowing. Take a few minutes to go through every stack of paper.
Recycle duplicates, outdated menus, and manuals for appliances you no longer own. If you want to keep a few important documents, store them in a labeled folder instead of a pile. Staying on top of paper clutter keeps your counters clear and makes your kitchen feel more open and peaceful.
13. Declutter Old Sponges and Scrubbers
Sponges and scrubbers can harbor bacteria, especially if they’ve been around for months. If yours look worn, smell bad, or have food stuck in them, it’s time to toss them.
Replace them with fresh ones or switch to reusable cloths that can be washed and sanitized. This is a small change that makes a big difference in keeping your kitchen clean and healthy. Plus, having fresh cleaning tools makes dishwashing a little more pleasant.
14. Junky Plastic Cups (Especially Kids’ Cups)
If you have kids, chances are your cabinets are full of random plastic cups from restaurants, events, or sports teams. They’re often made of cheap plastic and rarely get used once the novelty wears off.
Go through and declutter these extras, keeping only the ones your kids truly love or that are safe and durable. The rest can be donated or repurposed for crafts. You’ll not only free up space but also create a more cohesive, organized look in your cabinets.
Over time, measuring cups and potholders tend to multiply. You might have several incomplete sets or old ones that are falling apart. Sort through and keep your best, most reliable items.
If your potholders are thin or burned, replace them with a quality set that actually protects your hands. Having fewer, better-quality tools makes your kitchen more functional and safer.
CLICK HERE FOR YOUR KITCHEN DECLUTTER CHECKLIST PDF
Final Thoughts
Decluttering your kitchen isn’t about creating a picture-perfect space—it’s about making your home work better for you. When you clear out the extras and keep only what you truly use, cooking becomes easier, cleaning takes less time, and you’ll feel calmer in your space.
If you’d like a little extra help getting started, I’ve created a free Kitchen Decluttering Checklist you can download above. It breaks the process into easy steps so you can declutter one area at a time. You can also grab my Decluttering eBook for even more inspiration and practical tips. A calmer, cleaner kitchen is just a few decluttering sessions away!
