Editor’s Note: This is a guest post from John and Dana Shultz. John and Dana share simple, delicious recipes on their website Minimalist Baker.
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Minimalism isn’t just about the number of things you own. It’s about paring down to the essentials and finding contentment in owning less. This applies to every part of your life, for example, your wardrobe, the items in your room, and even your kitchen.
Practicing minimalism in the kitchen doesn’t require sacrificing your ability to make incredible meals. In fact, having less clutter in the kitchen actually makes it easier to get in there and cook up something wonderful.
Simplifying into a minimalist kitchen always starts with removing the utensils and appliances you aren’t using and don’t need. This means your kitchen can be decluttered very inexpensively with only a little time and thoughtful consideration.
Below is a list of 16 kitchen utensils we don’t own (and we run a cooking blog!). The list is partially inspired by A No-Frills Kitchen Still Cooks, a New York Times article packed with tips and suggestions for keeping a simple kitchen.
This list is neither exclusive nor conclusive. Rather, it’s merely a starting point to hopefully inspire you to reevaluate how much you keep in your kitchen. Be honest with your situation and only keep the tools you are using to create a minimalist kitchen.
16 Kitchen Tools We Do Not Own
1. Kitchen Aid Mixer. Not owning this guy is pure heresy in the food blog world, but we survive just fine. Replacement: A $13 handheld mixer.
2. Crock Pot. It’s big, it’s bulky, and you probably only use it once a year. Replacement: Varies by dish, but usually a large pot will suffice. If you really need one, borrow it from a friend.
3. Knife Block. These can be more bulky than necessary. Replacement: Keep our knives in the silverware drawer.
4. Excessive Pots and Pans. We simplified down to 3 pots and 3 pans. Replacement: Clean cabinets.
5. More than 8 plates, glasses, and bowls. We love to host. Rarely do we have more than 8 guests, but even when we do, we still have options. Replacement: Use specialty disposable plateware.
6. Extra coffee/tea mugs. Again, we decided we rarely ever need more than 8, and we don’t even have that many. Plus, these can double as glasses if you have more than 8 guests!
7. Bread Maker. Bulky and likely eating up cabinet space. Replacement: Bread recipes that don’t require a maker such as our 7-ingredient Muesli Bread!
8. Toaster oven. If you don’t regularly use this, then it’s just eating up space. Replacement: Regular toaster or a traditional oven.
9. A wok. Although a fun device, it’s rarely used. Replacement: The largest pan you own.
10. A Juicer. Big, bulky, and hard to clean. Replacement: If you love to juice, you can juice without a juicer.
11. Espresso machine. First, you probably don’t use this as much as you thought you would. Second, to get a really good espresso you usually need very high quality equipment and the time to adjust your grind/machinery to get that perfect shot. This simply isn’t practical for the average coffee lover. Replacement: Sell the espresso machine and go to a coffee shop when you want good espresso.
12. Grilled cheese maker. You don’t need this. Replacement: Almost any pan.
13. Rice maker. Only keep this if you regularly make a lot of rice. Replacement: Prepare rice in a traditional pot.
14. Doughnut pan. When is the last time you made doughnuts? Exactly. Replacement: Go buy doughnuts when you want them, or try a pan-free version.
15. Quesadilla maker/ Panini press. Ah! Replacement: You can get the same effect by using a skillet, tin foil, and pressing down on a pan on top.
16. Egg scrambler/milk frother/other trinkets. Be honest, you don’t really use these things. And they are only taking up space. Replacement: Just a little creativity.
+1. Fine china / heirloom dishes. This was intentionally saved for last, because it’s likely the emotional attachment is greater than the pragmatic realization that you are not using them. This quote has helped us in this area: “The truth is, neither our love for the person, nor their love for us, nor our memories, are in the possession.”
I want to finish by admitting we keep things that others might consider superfluous, but we use them every day and continue to enjoy them. Ultimately, we feel that should always be our guiding principle and hopefully one that empowers you to question the same.
What else can you/have you removed from your minimalist kitchen?
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You can find more of John and Dana’s fabulously wonderful recipes on their website, The Minimalist Baker.
Ashley says
This list is so subjective. I use my toaster oven daily, not for making toast but for reheating single servings of food (because I don’t use a microwave). And I look forward to my daily latte made with my fancy dialed-in espresso machine. Also, anyone who juices regularly will find owning a good juicer saves enough time to be worth the counter space.
The real takeaway here is to not own things you don’t use. But what I use and enjoy owning is inevitably going to be different from you.
Chrissy says
I don’t think you actually cook if you want to get rid of all of these things. I use my Kitchen Aid quite a bit, particularly around the holidays. You can’t heavy mix cookie dough with a small mixer. I use my crockpot at least once a week. It’s not the same thing as a pot on the stove so maybe you don’t know how to work one? lol It’s so you can put the meal together, leave and it’s done when you get home. The toaster oven, use it every day. Reheat pizza, toast bagels, reheat fries.. If it reheated my hubby’s coffee we could get rid of the microwave because that’s it main job. My wok is part of my stainless set of pots and pans and it gets used almost as much as the large skillet. I don’t consider it a gadget. The rest of the things you’ve mentioned. I don’t use, but others might. This article comes off a bit snarky as others have mentioned. It’s not for you to say what people need for their circumstances. Get rid of things you don’t use… absolutely but not things you do. My husband also saves a lot of money making his coffee at home rather than buying at Starbucks and wasting the planets resources.
Napoli says
I am Italian and cook daily without these items. Most of my family never had these types of things, though, so I was brought up to cook without them.
Brenda Jolley says
They suggest getting rid of items that don’t earn their storage space in YOUR kitchen. They then give examples from their own experience. If you use it, keep it. No one is saying otherwise.
Janet says
I just packed up the 60 PC everyday China I bought as a newlywed in 1992 (I’m since divorced for 12 years). It’s truly a liberating feeling, as I don’t entertain, and plan on moving overseas in the future. Boy was I tired of that pattern! Hello, thrift store.
A says
Wonderful suggestions, thank you!
This helps all of us to take a look around and prioritize what we truly use and need!
Rian says
I always use my kitchen aid. At least 1-2 times a week, and it’s the best for zoodles. I bake. I use my instant pot every day, and multiple times a day. I use my toaster daily. Knives need a block, even in a drawer. I used to work for a chef tool company. Don’t store knives thrashing about in a drawer. Especially if you have toddlers. A donut pan is a great tool for someone who loves donuts and wants them baked over fried. And I use my espresso machine 1-2 times a day. My point is that while some of the advice is helpful, minimalism is totally a personal thing. Being judgmental and snotty and telling people to buy $7 lattes and waste gas and add carbon to the planet by going to a coffee shop doesn’t exactly help. Giving advice in a more objective and friendly manner may be more helpful. Keeping my mixer, my drawer block for my expensive Japanese knives, and my espresso machine for the one thing this homeschooling mom has to herself. The judgment, however, had been donated.
Jimisue Langen says
True. I use everything I have that he mentioned. I don’t have clutter but what do have I use.
Melissa says
I agree with you. A stand mixer is a multi-tool so it stays. It doesn’t just mix like a hand mixer ??♀️. If you really want to cut down, get an Instant Pot like you said and get rid of the individual appliances like a rice cooker, yogurt maker, pressure cooker. That would have made for a better article. Emphasize the multi-use machines ??♀️.
Lastly, I also use my Nespresso machine every single day.
Rose says
Personally, I love using a magnetic strip on the side of my fridge for my knives! They take up no counter space and won’t be damaged in a drawer. Just a thought!
Kathy says
I totally agree. We are building a tiny home/cabin and have to downsize, but I like to cook and will definitely keep my kitchen aid, instant pot, and crockpot. I have designed the kitchen in this home to accommodate a full-size stove, refrigerator, dishwasher, and a built-in pantry cupboard. These are things that make me happy and get lots of use. It saves money, too, by allowing me to cook healthy meals at home.
ELIzabeth Hayes says
My problem is my counter. Its always so cluttered. My grand is living with Mr and she is a bit messy. She’s a hoarder. I hold on to things as well. I use a walker now, with a bad back. So am limited in whay I can do. Any suggestions. Thank you.
Valerie says
I could never part with my kitchen aid mixer. Use it all the time. Hand mixer not powerful enough to mix pizza/pie/bread dough. I’ve had it for over 20yrs and since my husband retired, he uses it more than I do. It sits in a cupboard when not being used
Kay Butler says
I agree that you should keep it! ?
If you need and use an item regularly, then that is reason to keep it! ???
However, others who rarely use a mixer and do not need the extra power of a Kitchen Aid would do better to replace their large, rarely used item with a smaller one, reserving storage space for needed items used more frequently.
JL says
The list is a great discussion starter. Everyone is different. I use my crock pot regularly and wouldn’t want to part with it. Same for my French press and milk frother (homemade cappuccinos!). We have a panini press that gets its fair share of use. It was a wedding present—never would have gotten one otherwise—but the stovetop does not give the same results there.
Gave my toaster oven to a neighbor when I moved in with my husband. Maybe I can talk my husband into our saying goodbye to our waffle maker and fondue. The waffle maker we did use every week for years but not anymore.
Oh my, the extra coffee/tea mugs… so many went out the door when we started decluttering. It’s amazing how many one acquires from various events!
JL says
As a PS, I’ve been on this decluttering and minimalism journey for 2.5 years. It started while I was pregnant with my youngest (of two) so we could set our home in order before he arrived. I still have my boxes to donate or sell, move to another room, or throw out (if in poor condition to donate or sell). We’ve done well so far, but there’s more to go.
I think one of the new questions I might try as I continue to go through our home and sort through our things is this: “If we had to start over, what would I rebuy?”
Thoughts? Has anyone had success with this framing?
Rian says
Yes this is helpful. We had family lose their home and pets in a fire. We’ve been evacuated. I sometimes thought “what if this burned in a fire?”. And it would help me with the over thinking.
Kat says
That’s about it for this list – food for thought.
It all depends on what you use & what you love.
— I enjoy my mug collection. They hang under my cabinet where nothing else would go anyway. I can forgo other trinkets someone else may enjoy.
— I use my crock pot weekly. I’d rather give up my oven.
— Hand mixer will not work for the kind & amount of bread we make.
— If regularly hosting large parties, 8 plates don’t take much space. Disposable plates are waste of $ & bad for the environment.
— Knives in the drawer?? Eek! Only if properly stored so as not to ruin them!
— I agree that certain gadgets like a grilled cheese maker are unnecessary and that a few quality pots & pans are better than many cheapy ones.
Laurene Duffy says
I’ll definitely keep my crock pot, but I have a lot of cupboard storage. I’m looking for a way to rid my counter of the knife block, but my kitchen was constructed with three pull out drawers, so I may need to get creative here. I don’t own any of those other “gadgety” things and I have way more dishes than you suggest. I’m slowly downsizing, though.
Debbie says
Amazon has in drawer knife storage to protect the blade. Love mine.
Stormy Townsend says
Laurene Duffy do you have a harbor freight nearby? We got rid of our knife block by using a magnet bar from harbor freight that was less than $5. It’s made to hold tools so it’s very strong, it has a spot to screw it to the wall on each end. It holds about 12 knives. I mounted all my knives on the wall on the magnet so they aren’t on the cabinet.
Connie says
At kitchen stores, look for a magnetic strip. I have mine place on the side of the cupboard over the sin, all my good knives are placed there. Knife blocks and drawers will dull your blades.
Linda Jones says
Connie: a trick I learned 50 years ago with my knife block: put them in upside down and they will not dull. Try it—it works!?
Connie says
At kitchen stores, look for a magnetic strip. I have mine place on the side of the cupboard over the sink, all my good knives are placed there. Knife blocks and drawers will dull your blades.
Lisa Shaw Dees says
Put a magneric strip up.in kitchen & sharp knives will be handy & not take up space needed 4 other items.
Kitchen Builders says
Were amidst our kitchen renovation and after, kitchen equipment! Thanks for sharing!
Izzy says
Lol really disappointed with the idea of go buy your desserts and coffee outside. That’s not a practical option for everyone
Tom says
These are suggestions – obviously everyone’s situation will be different. If you need your espresso maker, keep it. Nothing to be disappointed about!
Anton Ninno says
Never wanted a fancy espresso machine. Always had a cheap Moka pot. Makes the fastest espresso.
Melanie says
I have been going through my house and want to go more minimalist. Getting rid of my coffee maker has been great! I just boil water on the stove, remove from heat, then add grounds. I pour into my mug over a strainer. It’s delicious, easy to clean too!
As for the China, I say just eat on the good stuff all the time. We do! My Pop Pop passed away and I use the majority of dishes from him including good China plates. He would be smiling for sure!
Kitchen Aid mixer, I can’t part with that but I could totally scrap my stove for an air fryer. It’s so much smaller and toasts bread, too.
We also live without a microwave. I haven’t had one since 2005, when it fell off the moving truck and don’t miss it.
Thanks for sharing you list. I’m still working on going more and more minimal.
Out of curiosity, do you also do minimalist food shopping?