For today’s task, we will be focusing on Decluttering your
Crockery. So, for this task, we'll
concentrate on commonplace objects like plates, bowls, side plates, and saucers.
Don't worry about glasses, cups, or coffee mugs today so that you are clear on what this task does and does not cover. Those will be covered in a different task later on in the challenge.
However, the task for today will involve both adult and child dishes, so when completing the task, be sure to check both types in the cupboards/drawers in your home.
Additionally, if you have any dishes for special occasions, such as those for Christmas, Easter or other occasions, they are also included in today's task. If you have that many dishes, you might need to concentrate on one set at a time rather than attempting to complete it all at once, therefore they will not be included in the 15-minute daily task
How many sets of dishes do I keep?
Since the answer to this kind of question is "it depends," Its extremely hard to answer, because it does really depend on your circumstances. As a matter of fact, there are so many different variables that it is difficult to give a general rule of thumb.
I'll therefore list the factors you should take into account when determining how many dishes your household requires rather than providing a strict rule with numerous exceptions and caveats. I hope this will assist you in striking a balance between having too many and not enough.
- How many sets of plates and bowls do you have? And how many settings do you currently have for each set?
- How much space do you have to store these dishes, both inside and outside of the kitchen, such as in the dining room?
- How many people typically eat meals at your house?
- How many meals do you serve each day?
- How often do you entertain?
- How often do you want to wash dishes? (bear in mind, you really need to wash dishes every night to keep on top of the kitchen – I wash dishes at least 3 times a day)
- Do you prefer mismatched sets of dishes, or do you prefer matching ones?
- Do you avoid using dishes that aren’t microwave and dishwasher-safe?
You can decide how
many dishes you think you'll actually use and how many are extra and will cause
clutter in your kitchen using all of these factors.
Once you have an idea of the number of plates, bowls etc you need to keep – only keep your favourites, and the ones you use most often. Discard the rest so that your kitchen cupboards have more room.
Yes I cant wait to be sorting out the drinks bottles, and travel mugs.
Extra Suggestions
You can always give
something a try without making it permanent if you are uneasy about your
decision. The dishes you're fairly certain you want to discard can be packed up
in a box – with today’s date on and stored safely somewhere else for a while,
(say, six months) so you can give yourself a trial period with the fewer
dishes.
If you realise that you have misjudged the number of dishes you need, just bring them back out of the box – that way you don’t have to purchase new ones. On the other hand - if you don't miss them and prefer to continue enjoying the clutter-free cupboards, you can discard that box of extra dishes safe in the knowledge you will not suffer from Declutter Regret. If your wondering what Declutter Regret is – I have written a post about it, and how to avoid it
Additionally, I can appreciate wanting to keep the sets together. It makes sense to not divide it up if you have 6 place settings of everything in case you want to sell it or pass it on to someone else in the future. The thing is that you don't have to keep all 6 place settings in your kitchen cabinets. You could pack the other two place settings for later if you decide that having 4 place settings from one set makes more sense for you. If you just wish to discard the 2 extra settings, Charity shops will be more than willing to take them, as they are always in need of such items. For me, this is a better option than having them taking up space in the loft – I like to think that they will be used by someone who needs them.
Children and Seasonal Dishes.
If you have young children, you will probably buy some kid-friendly dishes so they can use them safe in the knowledge they will not injure themselves, However, when your babies start to grow (which they will inevitably do, no matter how much we wish they would stay small), You will want to replace the plates with adult dishes, make sure you discard the kid-related items once they are no longer required. Once again, charity shops are more than happy to take these items as long as they are in good working order. The way I look at donating is: Would I buy it in the condition it is in? If I would, I will happily donate it to charity, if not – it’s off to the recycling centre.
If you have seasonal dishes and you have enough storage space for them, use them every year, and enjoy them, by all means - keep them. They are not classed as clutter if they satisfy all of these requirements. Just think carefully whether they really do meet all of these requirements or if it's time to let them go. It will probably make you feel better to get them out of your house when doing so feels more like a chore than the start of the holiday season.
One final thought, food is frequently linked to emotional and vivid memories. Make sure to read my article about the 6 emotions that are tying you to clutter and how to break free if you feel like your emotional attachments to your items are preventing you from decluttering. With any luck, it will enable you to make choices that are best for you and your house rather than ones influenced by these feelings.