2 min readThe clocks jumped ahead, Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, and all that snow is finally starting to melt, which means one thing: Spring will be here before you know it. So if you haven’t started on your spring cleaning, what’s the holdup? Well, for some, it’s the sheer dread of going through all your belongings and getting rid of whatever you don’t need. Fortunately, Jonathan Scott recently took to Instagram to share his top decluttering tips in the kitchen. And thank goodness because, let’s be honest, that’s always where we need the most help.
According to the Property Brothers star, it’s important to work with the space you have. “Storage is key, and you’ve heard that a thousand times,” he says. “Depending on the size of the place and the amount of storage you have, you gotta pick the right amount of stuff.”
Scott filmed the Instagram reel from the house of a “single fella” who, like most of us, has way more stuff than he needs. “He doesn’t need three sets of knives, five sets of spatulas and spoons,” Scott says. “Even the glasses and up in the cabinet, he’s got enough random glasses and stuff for probably about 20 people.”
Parting with your stuff is such sweet sorrow, but it’s also a little unsettling. What if all your glasses break in a freak accident? Or, who knows, maybe you’ll spontaneously throw a big breakfast and suddenly need all 34 coffee mugs.
Instead of rationalizing your surplus supplies, Scott begs you to be more ruthless in your next purge. “In reality, we should have one set that matches,” he says. “Paring down to just what you need for your family and your living situation is so important.”
If that’s not enough of a push, Scott wrote his number-one rule in the caption: “If you forgot you had it, you probably don’t need it.”
He has a point. Whether you’ve collected too many baking sheets (guilty) or bought a handheld zester for one recipe and never used it again, we’re all susceptible to accumulating too much stuff. If you’ve stumbled upon something you barely use, it’s time to give it the heave-ho.
Looking for more spring cleaning help? From pro-approved organizers to decluttering to-do lists, we have you covered.
