Hiya friend.
There are experts in the field of minimalism that tell us to pull the metaphorical Band-Aid off. To just attack our clutter with gusto and have everything that doesn’t matter to us go bye-bye. I really like that train of thought. In fact, I tell myself that is what I am doing and then lo and behold I find myself months later going back to the same pile and doing it again. It’s not that I have added anything to the pile. Rather, I find that what seemed like important to me at the time becomes less so the more I purge.
Is purging perfectionism holding you back?
If so, I can relate. These past twelve months have been a vigorous purging event for me. Letting go of stuff, mental clutter, and all those things that just seemed to have piled up. What I am finding is more peace. Cleaning the house and kitchen is now more of quick tidying occasions rather then a now-I-am-dreading-cleaning-because-I-put-it-off-all-week-and-all-the-things-are-overwhelming-me dread.
It takes big baby steps. No more crawling, it’s time to stand up take the first steps. It may be a little wobbly at first, but we all have to start somewhere.
Today, it’s time to purge our kitchen gadget drawers.
Gather all of your kitchen spatulas, knives, spoons, and whatchamacallits and dump them on a clean countertop surface. Separate into two piles: everyday gadgets and specialty gadgets.
Now, let’s get ruthless. Purge anything you realllllly don’t need, use, or are keeping out of guilt of obligation because it was given to you. The goal is to keep only those things that are functional, lovely or simple. Unless… it makes sense for you. For instance, I have five serving spoons that are exactly the same and I am keeping every single one of them. Not only are they pretty to me, their blunt round shape are perfect for sautéing and spooning liquids and they have a story. I still remember the day I found a kitchen gadget store in NYC that caters to chefs. These are durable and inexpensive and I entertain often. So, they’re staying.
I’m sharing my before/after photos because it illustrates two things: 1) purging isn’t always drastic but 2) removing clutter is drastic. In other words, more white space in your life = more opportunity to appreciate and use what you have. And those items you purged? They might very well be EXACTLY what someone else is looking for! Gift them directly to a friend or indirectly to a local thrift store.
Okay, now it’s your turn.
What’s been holding you back from cleaning out those kitchen gadget drawers? How can I help?
Happy purging.
Eat well, my friends. Eat well.
Lyndi
