I have a very cute blue food processor. When I got married almost 11 years ago, I was lucky enough to hit the blue period in kitchen appliances. As a crazy fan of blue, I got a blue toaster, a blue food processor, etc.
I have a great cabinet just the right size for my cute blue food processor. When we looked at the house, I thought “What a great cabinet for storing those occasionally used items.”
When you look at a house, in its best-foot-forward state, I’m guessing slobs don’t generally picture it as it will be after we get our hands on it.
Yes, it’s a great cabinet, but it’s also a great cabinet attached to a counter that is in an off-the-main-cooking-area-and-so-perfect-for-a-pile-of-junk spot.
And the great cabinet can’t open when the counter in front of it is piled high with . . . ahem . . . stuff.
But as I said in my hummus-recipe post earlier this week, I actually used the food processor! Even though it was inside the cabinet, no heavy machinery was required to get to it! I just moved the handy-dandy file box and opened the door. No hour-long decluttering session required. And since remembering that it was back there, I’ve used it more than once. We had smoothies for snack yesterday, and they’ve been requested again for today.
See, I have this wonderful, not-cheap-by-any-means item that can do great things. It can allow us to have fun and healthy snacks with almost no work at all. But I had used it maybe 3 times in the almost four years that we’ve lived in this house.
I was wasting this gift. I was choosing to not fix certain things for my family, or sometimes creating extra work for myself (chopping vegetables/grating cheese) because of all the stuff I was saving.
I find this happening a lot. As I declutter, it’s a legitimate question to ask whether I’ve used an item in the last 6 months. But if the answer is no, I have to then ask myself if I would have used it if it had been accessible, not under a pile of stuff that obscured my perception of its worth.
Saving every little scrap of paper or piece of mail because I don’t want to deal with it now, or I worry that I might need it later causes me to waste those things of true value that get lost in the clutter (or in the cabinet door behind the clutter).
Another example of this is how much I’ve enjoyed my decluttered kitchen cabinets. By not having a mass of unnecessary items shoved in the cabinet, I can see the items that are in there, and they’re getting used! Their purpose is not being wasted, because I can actually see them. When they were in a pile of things that I was “saving,” they were wasted.
Make sense?
Yes, it does make sense! I also appreciate the question about WOULD I have used it if I could have gotten to it… it makes a lot more sense in my world. I've also been asking myself a hybrid of that question and if I did need it, where would I look – so I can find places that are better suited for items. For example, I keep my little handheld stairs vaccum on a high shelf above a closet. I've kind of wondered if I'd vacuum the stairs more often if it were easier to access. So far, my decision is to leave it there. :>)
Thank you so so so much for visiting my blog and posting comments!! I really appreciate it!!
Allison
i understand all to well.
http://thanks-and-praise.blogspot.com/2011/02/defining-moments.html
“But if the answer is no, I have to then ask myself if I would have used it if it had been accessible, not under a pile of stuff that obscured my perception of its worth.”
Not only does it make perfect sense and is it revelatory for me, but you are a very good writer! Just had to point that out.
AAAHHHH!!!!! Lenetta just made me realize where my handheld vacuum needs to live!!!!!!!! Woo hoo!!!!!
I’ve been reading the post starting from the beginning, and I think this is my favorite so far!
A perfect way to explain *why I (now) want to get rid of “stuff.”
So. Much. Stuff.
I have a Vita Mix blender that’s taking up space in cupboard, I’ve not using it, haven’t used and this post has made the decision to donate to the missions shop, some one will use it.
Reading your blog in 2022, and it is still a very valid point to make. While my kitchen and pantry/closet is organized and everything in it’s place 90% of the time. (when it hits the 10% time and it’s a mess, it gets a clean out. ) My closet is not, so I need to apply your ideas to my clothing, shoes and purses, I would not have 8 pair of black dress pants and 7 white button up shirts. I am retired, hate black dress pants because they remind me of work outfits, and button up shirts are not flattering on me. I need to apply the kitchen rules to the closet.
I read about a woman who wears black slacks and a white blouse to work everyday. I don’t recall if they were all the same style. She kept a blazer or nice jacket at work in case she had a meeting, and she had extra jewelry and pumps or heels to fancy up the outfit if she went out for dinner. It was similar to the idea of having a uniform. No one thinks that it’s odd that all employees at, say, an airline wear the same thing every day, and this woman just adapted the idea for working in an office. I don’t know that I could do that, but it certainly would make getting dressed in the morning a lot easier.
Side note – I go through my mail at the recycle bin. I don’t see a reason to purposely bring what I know is trash inside the house. No, I don’t shred it, but I do tear it in pieces. No one is going to go through my recycle bin to piece through my Costco catalog to get my name and address when they can find it all on Google.
The insight here is fantastic! I just got out my (very dusty) immersion blender. And all the attachments and put them in the dishwasher. And the mini chopper thingie. Soooo many times I’ve gotten sore hands from hand chopping, and nd chunky souos that should be smoother because it was in back of the heavy Vitamix machine, and dusty. I will now make them accessible and use them frequently! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Sharing this story has made my kitchen life so much easier, just needed that enlightenment. You’re the bestest!