Cleaning out the Kitchen

[CalicoKat]

So, how many casserole dishes, baking pans, place settings, salad bowls, etc. does one really need to have?

 

Bare minimum requirement? Reasonable amount?

 

I have tupperware pantry storage containers right now that are empty and I haven't used them in 3 years. Do I get rid of them or is this something I'll need in an old farm house? I have my food pails with rice, grain, oats, etc. Because we've been buying bulk that's why I haven't used the tupperware.

 

Is there a guideline for this?

 

Thanks!

[Impish]

I moved across country with diddly. I still haven't invested in my kitchen, and it makes me crazy some days, ie, lack of food proccessor.

 

We have 5 ppl currently in the house. For us, I use a Corningware roasting pan as our casserole dish. I have a large pyrex pan I use for lasagna, and other assorted meals and desserts.

 

Several large mixing bowls. Plastic ones with lids that double as fridge containers.

 

Place settings...I had to go buy another set of dishes b/c we only had enough to cover us. So, I have enough for 12 now.

 

My kitchen is what I consider to be fairly sparse, even substandard in equipment. Part of it too is a complete lack of cupboard space, which makes adding a head ache of where to put stuff.

 

That being said, we manage. I still lust for a properly outfitted kitchen though. Actual salad bowls, oh my!

[Night Elf]

Think of any time during the year when you might need multiple things like that, probably Thanksgiving. Is there any other time of the year where you would be using more than 2 or 3 casserole dishes at one time? Get rid of any beyond that number.

 

Basically, if you think about it, you keep multiple items in case you need to use them all at once. I laughed at my mom one time because she had a cabinet full of storage containers. Even if she did have that much food to store, there would be too many of them to fit in the refrigerator.

 

Oh, are you moving soon? Or are you cleaning your kitchen with the idea in mind that one day you might need this stuff? (Just asking because I'm guilty of doing that. :tongue_smilie:)

[athena1277]

I had to stop in here because, well, we have multiples of all kinds of things in the kitchen. I have 3 square glass casserole dishes. I have 5 spatulas. Other things too. :lol: The only ones that are on purpose are the 2 toasters and 2 waffle irons because we use them for regular and GF foods and they can't be cleaned so as not to make dd sick.

[PeterPan]

The simplest thing is to take OUT everything but the barest amount (one of each). Then work up on the things you find yourself needing. Do you have a basement or storage area? Take the extras, box it all up, and put it there. Only bring back in what you remember and find yourself needing.

 

I had to go into a much smaller kitchen (with less cabinets) when we moved, and that's what I did. When we moved into our current kitchen, we only brought up the things we really use, leaving the rest in boxes in the storage room. I love having empty cabinets.

[CalicoKat]

Think of any time during the year when you might need multiple things like that, probably Thanksgiving. Is there any other time of the year where you would be using more than 2 or 3 casserole dishes at one time? Get rid of any beyond that number.

 

Basically, if you think about it, you keep multiple items in case you need to use them all at once. I laughed at my mom one time because she had a cabinet full of storage containers. Even if she did have that much food to store, there would be too many of them to fit in the refrigerator.

 

Oh, are you moving soon? Or are you cleaning your kitchen with the idea in mind that one day you might need this stuff? (Just asking because I'm guilty of doing that. :tongue_smilie:)

Moving in September. That's the plan this week. :D It keep changing as we talk through the financials. But generally Sept. 1st is move out.

[CalicoKat]

The simplest thing is to take OUT everything but the barest amount (one of each). Then work up on the things you find yourself needing. Do you have a basement or storage area? Take the extras, box it all up, and put it there. Only bring back in what you remember and find yourself needing.

 

I had to go into a much smaller kitchen (with less cabinets) when we moved, and that's what I did. When we moved into our current kitchen, we only brought up the things we really use, leaving the rest in boxes in the storage room. I love having empty cabinets.

 

That's a great suggestion.

 

We've put up our school table in the garage and we're loading it up for the garage sale, craigslist items, and off to GoodWill things.

[CalicoKat]

Think of any time during the year when you might need multiple things like that, probably Thanksgiving. Is there any other time of the year where you would be using more than 2 or 3 casserole dishes at one time? Get rid of any beyond that number.

 

Basically, if you think about it, you keep multiple items in case you need to use them all at once. I laughed at my mom one time because she had a cabinet full of storage containers. Even if she did have that much food to store, there would be too many of them to fit in the refrigerator.

 

Oh, are you moving soon? Or are you cleaning your kitchen with the idea in mind that one day you might need this stuff? (Just asking because I'm guilty of doing that. :tongue_smilie:)

Interesting thoughts this makes. For holidays I usually use my china. It's my great grandmother's china. When we were engaged we actually found another set in a garage sale that we bought to supplement because ggm's didn't have a lot of serving dishes. So there's plenty of serving dishes there.

 

I can't get rid of this but there is a place walk in cellar I was planning on putting it in between holidays.

 

So it'd just be the daily usage.

[KidsHappen]

I have two of most things like cassarole dishes, baking pans, mixing bowls, etc. Same with utencils, knives, cutting boards, etc. The only things I have singles of are pots and pans in which I have one size of each. Ordinarily, I would have a complete set of eight places settings of dishes, glasses and flatware but right now all I have is various pieces left over from old sets. I may have more plastic containers than I need and because my coffee pots keep dying I have several carafes. I recently cleaned out a lot of that though. My attics, garage and bookshelves need the most decluttering.

[CalicoKat]

I have two of most things like cassarole dishes, baking pans, mixing bowls, etc. Same with utencils, knives, cutting boards, etc. The only things I have singles of are pots and pans in which I have one size of each. Ordinarily, I would have a complete set of eight places settings of dishes, glasses and flatware but right now all I have is various pieces left over from old sets. I may have more plastic containers than I need and because my coffee pots keep dying I have several carafes. I recently cleaned out a lot of that though. My attics, garage and bookshelves need the most decluttering.

 

Pots & Pans, I do have two sets of these. One is a wedding gift and the other is a set I picked up at GoodWill. I use it all, but I think I'd be using less of each set once we go down to no dishwasher. Right?

 

I don't need two angel food cake pans and a bundt pan. I've never used the bunt pan.

 

A jello mold? I hate jello and I never make it so why do I have one!

 

The kids had fun helping me empty out cupboards today and sorting through. I put in the garage sale pile a fair bit of plastic stuff, a couple casserole dishes, serving dishes, the extra mixing bowls, and duplicate cookie cutters.

 

I threw away any baking pan, muffin tin, or like that was rusty. No more teflon!

 

Do I pitch my electric griddle? It's teflon is scratched. It doesn't heat evenly. We use it for pancakes and frying fish but I do have frying pans I can use too.

[CalicoKat]

I moved across country with diddly. I still haven't invested in my kitchen, and it makes me crazy some days, ie, lack of food proccessor.

 

We have 5 ppl currently in the house. For us, I use a Corningware roasting pan as our casserole dish. I have a large pyrex pan I use for lasagna, and other assorted meals and desserts.

 

Several large mixing bowls. Plastic ones with lids that double as fridge containers.

 

Place settings...I had to go buy another set of dishes b/c we only had enough to cover us. So, I have enough for 12 now.

 

My kitchen is what I consider to be fairly sparse, even substandard in equipment. Part of it too is a complete lack of cupboard space, which makes adding a head ache of where to put stuff.

 

That being said, we manage. I still lust for a properly outfitted kitchen though. Actual salad bowls, oh my!

 

A properly outfitted kitchen is what I'm hoping for. Part of my unknown here is that there's a huge garden and I know that changes some of the kitchen equipment requirements.

 

The "new" kitchen does have a lot of cupboard & counter space. But I won't be able to use the upper cupboards for frequently used items because I'm so short and I like to be able to do things without having to climb on a chair or commandeer a kid. I'm kind of independent like that. :D

 

And I'm not giving up my 3, $3 bread machines from GoodWill. It's my bread bank. Saves us money and me time. And they do eat 6 loaves a week.