11 Things in Your Kitchen You Should Finally Toss

Is your kitchen feeling cluttered and cramped? Holding on to outdated or unused items only takes up valuable space and makes cooking less enjoyable. From expired ingredients to old gadgets, it’s time to make room for the things that truly serve you. Clearing out these items will not only improve your kitchen’s efficiency but also create a more organized and functional cooking space.

This post may contain affiliate links, which helps keep this content free. Please read our disclosure for more info.

Old Spices

Spices have a limited shelf life, typically around 1-3 years depending on the type. Over time, they lose their flavor and potency, which means they’re no longer contributing to your dishes in the way they once did. Stale spices can make your meals taste flat and lackluster. If your spices are older than a year and you cannot remember the last time you used them, it’s a good sign they’ve overstayed their welcome. Holding on to them only takes up valuable pantry space, cluttering your kitchen and preventing you from stocking up on fresher, more flavorful options.

Beyond just losing their flavor, old spices can also pose a health risk. As they degrade, they can absorb moisture and air, potentially growing mold or attracting pests. Tossing old spices is a quick way to prevent any unwanted issues and ensure that you always have fresh ingredients on hand. If you’re not sure when to toss them, a simple rule is to check the packaging. If they’ve passed their expiration date or you can’t remember when you bought them, it’s time to let them go.

Expired Canned Goods

Canned goods are a staple in many kitchens, offering convenience and long shelf lives. However, that long shelf life does not mean they last indefinitely. Most canned goods have expiration dates, and if you’ve had them sitting in your pantry for years, chances are they’re no longer safe to eat. Over time, the quality of the food inside the can deteriorates, and in some cases, the metal can itself begin to rust or corrode. This can lead to compromised safety, including the risk of botulism from improperly sealed cans.

Even if the cans are still sealed, there is a significant decrease in nutritional value and flavor after the expiration date. While it can feel wasteful to throw away perfectly good-looking cans, holding on to them for too long only takes up valuable space in your pantry that could be better utilized. Take a few minutes to go through your canned goods, check the dates, and toss anything that is past its prime. It’s a small step that will make your pantry more organized and efficient.

Old Cookbooks

Cookbooks can be a great source of inspiration in the kitchen, but many of us accumulate more than we ever actually use. With the rise of online recipes and food blogs, physical cookbooks have become less necessary, and the ones that gather dust on your shelves can take up a lot of space. If you haven’t pulled a cookbook off the shelf in months, it’s a sign that it’s time to let go of it. Old cookbooks, especially those with outdated or impractical recipes, are just adding clutter to your kitchen.

Instead of keeping every cookbook you’ve ever collected, consider donating or recycling the ones you never use. If you’re hesitant to part with a few favorites, try digitizing them by scanning the recipes or taking photos of the pages you truly love. This way, you can keep your kitchen clutter-free while still holding on to the inspiration you enjoy. Letting go of unused cookbooks will free up space for other kitchen essentials that you use regularly.

Plastic Containers Without Lids

It’s easy to accumulate plastic containers in your kitchen, especially when they come with take-out or packaged foods. The problem arises when these containers inevitably lose their lids, making them useless for storing food. We’ve all been guilty of holding onto these mismatched containers in the hopes that one day we will find the matching lid. However, if you can’t locate the lid after a reasonable amount of time, it’s best to toss the container. These lidless plastic boxes only take up valuable space in your cabinets or drawers, and without the proper seal, they can’t effectively store leftovers.

Overcrowded drawers filled with these random plastic containers are a common source of kitchen frustration. They make it harder to find the containers you actually use, which leads to more wasted time and unnecessary clutter. Take a few minutes to go through your kitchen and sort through these containers. If the lids are gone or mismatched beyond use, it’s better to recycle or dispose of them to free up space and make room for better storage options.

Chipped or Cracked Dishes

Chipped or cracked dishes might seem harmless, but they can be a safety hazard in the kitchen. If you have a plate or bowl with a noticeable chip, there’s a risk that the crack can worsen over time, especially when exposed to heat. These imperfections also make the dish more difficult to clean properly, potentially harboring bacteria or mold. A cracked or chipped dish can also ruin the aesthetics of your kitchen, making it look unkempt and less inviting.

Beyond their functional issues, damaged dishes don’t serve much purpose. They’re no longer suitable for serving meals to guests or even for daily use. While it can be tempting to hold onto a favorite plate with a small crack or chip, it’s safer and more practical to let it go. You can donate them if they’re still in usable condition, but if they’re beyond repair, it’s better to dispose of them and keep your kitchen functional and organized.

Old Baking Sheets

Baking sheets are some of the most used tools in the kitchen, but over time, they can become stained, warped, or scratched. Even though they might still be functional, these worn-out baking sheets can negatively affect the cooking process. A warped sheet can cause uneven heat distribution, leading to unevenly baked cookies or burnt edges. The stains and scratches, while cosmetic, can also make the sheet look less appealing and harder to clean.

If your baking sheets are covered in dark, stubborn stains that don’t come off after washing, or if they’re showing signs of warping, it’s probably time to toss them. Investing in a new, high-quality baking sheet can improve your cooking experience and provide better, more consistent results. Letting go of old, unreliable baking sheets will free up space in your cabinets and help you create better meals in the long run.

Worn-Out Nonstick Pans

Nonstick pans can be incredibly useful, but over time, their coating begins to deteriorate, especially if they’ve been used for many years. Once the coating starts to peel or chip, the pan becomes not only less effective but also unsafe. When the nonstick surface begins to wear off, food can stick to the pan, and harmful chemicals may leach into your food. Holding onto worn-out nonstick pans can lead to poor cooking results and potential health risks.

If your nonstick pans have visible scratches, peeling, or bubbling, it’s time to replace them. While these pans may have served you well, the compromised surface will only make cooking more challenging and less enjoyable. Tossing them out will create space for newer, safer, and more reliable cookware that can improve your cooking experience.

Plastic Wrap and Foil Boxes with Missing Cutters

Plastic wrap and foil are staples in most kitchens, but the boxes that house them often become more of a nuisance than a help. The small metal cutter on the box is designed to neatly slice the wrap, but over time it can become bent or lost, rendering the box useless. Without the cutter, it’s difficult to tear off a clean piece, and the roll of plastic wrap or foil can get tangled or messy.

Instead of holding onto these frustrating, incomplete boxes, consider replacing them with a more user-friendly storage solution, such as a dispenser with a built-in cutter. You can also opt for reusable silicone food storage bags or beeswax wraps, which are more sustainable alternatives to plastic wrap. Tossing the old, broken boxes will clear up some of the clutter in your kitchen and make food storage much easier.

Old Blender or Food Processor

Blenders and food processors are often workhorses in the kitchen, but over time, they can lose their power, become less effective, or break altogether. If your blender is no longer blending smoothly or your food processor struggles to chop even soft ingredients, it’s time to let it go. Old appliances that no longer work properly only take up space on your countertop or in your cabinets, making it harder to store the tools that you actually use.

Instead of keeping these outdated gadgets around, consider replacing them with newer, more efficient models that better suit your needs. If the appliance is still in working condition but simply outdated, consider donating it to someone who can get more use out of it. Tossing old or malfunctioning appliances will open up valuable storage space and help you maintain a more organized kitchen.

Old, Worn-Out Towels

Kitchen towels are essential for drying dishes, wiping counters, and cleaning up spills, but they don’t last forever. Over time, towels can become frayed, stained, or too worn out to be effective. A towel that is no longer absorbent or is falling apart can become more of a burden than a help in your kitchen.

Instead of holding onto these worn-out towels, replace them with fresh, absorbent ones. You can also repurpose old towels for cleaning rags or donate them to places that might need them. Disposing of the worn ones will help you maintain a clean, organized, and functional kitchen.

Single-Use Kitchen Gadgets

Many of us have kitchen gadgets that are designed for a single purpose and end up collecting dust in a drawer. These can include items like avocado slicers, corn-on-the-cob holders, or egg separators. While these gadgets may seem useful at the time, they often end up being one-hit wonders, only used once or twice before being forgotten.

If you find yourself using a single-use gadget only occasionally or never at all, it’s time to part with it. Simplifying your kitchen tools will not only clear up space but also make your kitchen more efficient. Choose multi-purpose tools that can do more than one task to save space and increase practicality.

This article originally appeared on Avocadu.