Growing up, both my wife and I had cabinets full of plastic cups from the ball-field along with mismatched “souvenir” coffee cups. Our cabinets over-flowed!
We “needed” BIG plastic cups for guys. Enter a matching set of gargantuan plastic cups. Then smaller cups and uncoordinated cups started showing up. Later we received two coffee mugs as a gift. And then another showed up after a fair or home show. Then another…
Can you relate?
If so, take a few minutes to declutter those cups and plates! If we don’t do it now, I don’t know when we will!
GATHER YOUR SUPPLIES
• Decluttering Toolkit
• All-purpose Cleaner
• Microfiber cloth
Set a Timer
Take 5 minutes… seriously, that’s all it should take… to organize your cup, mug, and glass cabinet.
DECLUTTER CUPS AND PLATES CABINET
1. Get it all out.
Remove everything out of your cabinet; even if it’s not a dish or cup. Knick-knacks, vitamins, recipes… you name it. Crazy things end up in the kitchen.
If you find something that doesn’t belong in that cabinet, take it out and AWAY. Make it difficult to return these crazy items to this location!
2. Next, Rainbow, then wipe out the cabinet so it looks new again.
A quick wipe down will probably be all it takes.
3. Determine if you have the appropriate amount of dishes.
Evaluate your lifestyle, your level of entertainment/hosting, the number of family members who use your kitchen. If you do not play hostess frequently or have a large family, there’s a strong possibility you may actually have too many cups and/or dishes. These items are hoarding valuable real estate in your kitchen!
It may be tough to pare down initially, but it will be worth it in the end!
4. Replace and organize.
Organize your tableware and place items you actually use back into the cabinet.
Restock according to the frequency of use and the needs of your family. Place rarely used items on high shelves and frequently used items on lower shelves so they are easily accessible.
The remaining pieces can go in your decluttering toolkit.
I prefer to categorize glassware by “type.” Same with plates and bowls. By keeping like-items together, it produces a visually, appealing cabinet. Furthermore, it makes it obvious to anyone unloading the dishwasher where each item should go.
This should be a quick task. Don’t over-analyze. Strive to make quick decisions! And since this is an area of the kitchen that’s used often, it will be noticed! Maybe someone will even “thank you” for the job well done!
Your assignment for today:
• Set your timer. Then work to declutter cups and plates; clean out the cabinet, and organize it when you’re done!
• Continue working on Habit #2.
• Consider this for your Rainbow calendar.
