Start Getting Rid of These 20 Things When Decluttering Your Kitchen

As one of the most-used spots in your home, the kitchen is prone to getting messy — from the cabinets to the drawers and everything in between. That’s why it’s so important to regularly tidy and declutter this busy spot to prevent clutter from taking over. 

The best way to get your kitchen organized is to declutter one spot at a time. Here’s how to do it.

Pick one spot in the kitchen that you can declutter in one session: cabinets (one or all of them), drawers, counters, the fridge, any freestanding furniture (like a hutch or island), bar area/cart, pantry, or cooking/serving supply storage area. (Or you can go above and beyond and tackle as many projects as you like.) Grab a timer and a temporary bin or basket (not your outbox!) to collect things that need to be tossed, recycled, or reexamined (to be donated or relocated) as you go. Set aside 15 minutes, 30 minutes, or an hour — whichever timeframe works best for you. 

When you’re done, sort through your basket. Toss or recycle what you can, return anything that belongs elsewhere, and move items you’re still deciding on, donating, or selling into the appropriate outboxes. If you’re having trouble figuring out what to do with a non-food item, put it to the test with this five-question assessment. Set aside any sentimental items you are reconsidering for an assignment we’ll get to another day.

• Anything that belongs in another room
• Broken items
• Multiples that you don’t need
• Anything you haven’t used or rarely use such as kitchen tools or small appliances
• Baking sheets, pans, pots, and cutting boards that sit untouched
• Holiday-themed serving pieces that didn’t get used the last time you hosted
• Novelty accessories
• Mystery items you don’t remember how to use
• More than two bottle/wine openers
• Excess water bottles you own (and don’t use)
• Old, gross cleaning supplies
• Old, stained, or extra plastic containers
• Takeout condiments, plasticware, and stray menus
• Out-of-date invitations or event announcements
• Expired medications and coupons
• Excessive collections of paper or plastic bags
• Bottles of liquor that never seem to get used
• Cookbooks that haven’t been cracked open in more than a year
• In the fridge and freezer: Anything that’s gone bad, mystery leftovers, things you tried but didn’t like and won’t use, and anything freezer-burned
• In the pantry: Anything that’s gone bad, really expired items, unneeded canned goods, and anything you tried but didn’t like and won’t use

• Sign up for email updates.
• Visit the 2026 Decluttering Cure page and catch up on assignments.
• Download the Decluttering Cure calendar.
• Check off that you’ve completed this task and track your overall Decluttering Cure progress here!
• See all the winners from our 2026 Organization Awards to get your home organized. 

The Cure Program is a tradition here at Apartment Therapy — it happens every January, April, and September. Click here to learn more about the year-round program and when to sign up.