De-Clutter Your Silverware Drawer {28 Days to De-Clutter}

Let’s get started on our de-cluttering adventure with one of the worst offenders in most homes: the silverware drawer. Too many utensils crammed into too little space. Plus all those gadgets that seem incredibly useful when you first procure them, then they just turned out to be… clutter.

Today, we’ll tackle this chore and conquer the utensil clutter beast for once and for all. (OK, he may reappear on occasion, just so you know!)

De-Clutter Your Silverware Drawer in 10 Minutes

To get started, set your timer for 10 minutes. Open your silverware drawer, and…

BEGIN!

Dump everything out of your drawer onto the counter top. I mean it! Everything.

Wipe out or dust the interior of the drawer if necessary. Wipe out the silverware holder as well.

Return only the following items into the drawer: 

• Utensils you use every day (forks, spoons, knives)
• Utensils you use regularly (say, two or three times a week)
• Utensils you use only occasionally but you really need them when you do (like the beaters for your hand mixer)
• If you have multiples of one item – like vegetable peelers – only return all of them if you actually use all of them on a regular basis.

Sort through the remaining items on the counter:

• Do you even know what it’s for? If not, put it in your Goodwill box.
• Have you ever used it? No? Put it in your Goodwill box.
• Does it not work quite as well as you thought it would? Get rid of it.
• Do you use it less than once a month? Find a better spot for it. (Hint: you can pack up all those seldom-used utensils in a box and hide them in a corner where you can easily find them later. If you find you don’t use them over the next few months, put them in the Goodwill box.)

Now close the drawer and pat yourself on the back. You go, girl! 

Extra Credit

Hungry for more? (I warn you; this purging process can get addictive.) Here are some extra-credit tasks you might consider:

• Go to the dollar store and purchase some wire drawer organizers to corral things like paring knives, measuring spoons, and vegetable peelers.
• Analyze the cupboard and countertop space in your kitchen. Would it work better for you to fit your table utensils (spoons, forks, knives) in a silverware basket like this that you can store in a cupboard or on the counter? Such a container might even  fit on your dining room buffet or side table.
• Would your knives benefit from a better location? I’ve pinned some knife storage ideas onto the 28 Days to De-Clutter Pinterest Board that you might find interesting, including an inexpensive DIY option!

Let’s De-Clutter Together

If you completed today’s 10-minute task, I’d love to hear about it! Tell me all about it – and show me a picture – on the 28 Days to De-Clutter Facebook Event page. Bloggers can grab the badge below and write a post – I’ll link to it in my next post and pin it to my 28 Days to De-Clutter Pinterest Board, and share on Facebook and Twitter.  And everyone can join in on the Twitter conversation by using the hashtag #28daystodeclutter.

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