It seems like every time you turn around, there is a new gadget for your kitchen. Just think about how many different ways there are to make toast. You can use a two-slice toaster, a four-slice toaster, the broiler in the oven, a toaster oven, a convection oven, a convection microwave, and more! You see a new gadget for sale and the commercials tell you that you “just have to have it”. So, you buy it. Then you notice that you are running out of counter space because you have too much! What can you do? It is time to look through your appliances and determine what exactly it is that you need and what can go!
Multiple Uses
One of the first things you can do is to look at the appliances you have and determine which ones have multiple uses. Sure, you bought a regular toaster, a toaster that makes a pattern on the bread, and another toaster that cooks vertically, but are all of these toasters necessary? How much toast do you actually make in a week? Couldn’t you just use the broiler in your oven or even the toaster oven you own? Both of these appliances have many uses to them and take up less room than a bunch of small appliances. If you aren’t sure which ones can go, make a list of the appliances you currently own and how many uses they have. Then check for uses that overlap.
Do You Use It?
When you first purchased the omelet maker, it seemed like quite the find! You used it every day for about a week. Then you noticed that you seemed to be using it less and less. Somehow, it became a hassle to pull it out and clean it when you were done. Now it is collecting dust. When this happens, it would be a good time to look around your kitchen and see what else you have that you don’t really use. It might have been months or years ago when you bought it, but when is the last time you used it? Do you have appliances that you use just for special occasions, but you notice those occasions never seem to happen anymore? Or you keep it around just in case the people who gave it to you come over so you can show them you still have it, but that’s the only time it comes out? It might be time to let it go!
What To Do
When you figure out which appliances you really don’t need anymore, you can have a garage sale, or you can donate your appliances to businesses like Goodwill or The Salvation Army. Then your appliances can go to someone else who thinks that they “just have to have it”!