{"id":48358,"date":"2016-03-22T07:15:01","date_gmt":"2016-03-22T11:15:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=48358"},"modified":"2021-09-18T07:45:15","modified_gmt":"2021-09-18T11:45:15","slug":"marie-kondo-declutter-kitchen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/health\/marie-kondo-declutter-kitchen\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Declutter Your Kitchen, According to Marie Kondo"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"How
Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Professional organizer Marie Kondo has seemingly taken over the world \u2014 or at least the closet of someone you know \u2014 in the past year. Her bestselling book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up<\/em><\/a> is 213 compelling pages about, you guessed it, the art of tidying.<\/p>\n

In Kondo\u2019s newest book, Spark Joy<\/em><\/a>, she breaks down her process of eliminating items that don\u2019t (you guessed it again) spark joy, and expertly organizing and storing ones that do. If The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up<\/em> was \u201cTidying 101,\u201d Spark Joy<\/em> is the ultimate master class in how to perform a systematic room-by-room overhaul. But lest you think you don\u2019t need a guide for cleaning your house<\/a>, Kondo\u2019s signature KonMari method might convince you otherwise \u2014 especially because heeding her organizational advice can potentially aid in helping you stay slim. It all starts with an orderly kitchen.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> 12 DIY Kitchen Projects to Clean Up Your Eating Habits<\/a>
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

Science Says: Clean Kitchen, Clean Eats<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Why get your neat freak on in the kitchen? When it comes to healthy habits, even science is on Kondo\u2019s side. A recent study<\/a> published in the Environment & Behavior Journal<\/em> suggested that the more cluttered our environments, the more likely we are to overeat. With an organized kitchen, you might be less likely to go on a 20-cookie bender when you\u2019re scrounging for a nighttime snack. \u201cHaving a clean kitchen or home makes you feel more in control and primes you to stay in control,\u201d says Dr. Brian Wansink, Director of the Cornell Food and Brand Lab and coauthor of the study. \u201cIt\u2019s easier to simply clean your kitchen than to fight it by trying to talk yourself out of unhealthy decisions.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lauren Slayton, MS, RD, founder of Foodtrainers<\/a> in NYC, agrees. \u201cHaving a tidy kitchen is stress-reducing, and having lower levels of stress hormones directly translates to more weight loss and less stress eating,\u201d she says. \u201cPlus, who wants to cook in a mess of a kitchen?\u201d Kondo\u2019s goal: Helping you create a kitchen that makes cooking fun. We enlisted Slayton to explain how seven of Kondo\u2019s simple principles can help you find happiness in the kitchen and fewer pounds on the scale.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>7 Cheap DIY Props to Pimp Your Home Gym<\/a><\/p>\n

7 Expert-Approved Ways to Declutter Your Kitchen<\/strong><\/h3>\n

1. Focus on ease of cleaning, not ease of use.
\n<\/strong>After observing a restaurant kitchen, Kondo realized the kitchen was designed so the chefs could easily clean as they cooked, instead of creating a massive pileup of dirty dishes and counters. There was no time-consuming cleanup at the end of their shift \u2014 they just had to do one final wipe of the counters. \u201cIf you want a kitchen that you can enjoy cooking in, aim for one that\u2019s easy to clean,\u201d she writes.<\/p>\n

Slayton points out that we\u2019re more likely to want to be in a space when it\u2019s orderly. \u201cPiles and clutter send us the message that we\u2019re not doing what we should be and, frankly, leave less physical space for working, cooking, and whatever else you want to do,\u201d she says. \u201cBut cleanliness and tidiness are examples of self-care. It\u2019s not just about cleaning up \u2014 it\u2019s about the positive repercussions from doing so.\u201d Think of organizing your kitchen as the equivalent of getting a massage. You\u2019re more likely to feel taken care of and, as a result, more likely to treat your body better by fueling up with good-for-you eats.<\/p>\n

2. Keep your counters as clean and clear as possible.
\n<\/strong>\u201cPut nothing on the counters or around the sink and stove top,\u201d Kondo writes. \u201cYou will be amazed at how easy your kitchen is to use if you design your storage with this aim in mind.\u201d If you\u2019re in a teeny-tiny kitchen where your counter space is a precious commodity, it\u2019s OK to keep some things on the counter so long as they\u2019re away from the oil or water splash zones.<\/p>\n

Ever hear the old adage \u201cout of sight, out of mind?\u201d It applies here. If you can see food, you\u2019re more likely to eat it. \u201cIf you want to eat less toast, don\u2019t keep the toaster out where you can see it,” Slayton says.\u00a0“On the flipside, if you\u2019re motivated to make smoothies<\/a>, keep the [blender] ready and visible on the counter.\u201d She\u00a0keeps a fruit bowl on her counter because it\u2019s colorful and inviting and it makes her smile \u2014 and then she\u2019s more likely to grab an easy-to-reach piece of fruit than a brownie that\u2019s stashed in a cupboard. Be\u00a0smart about storage, too. \u201cI love my juicer, but I don\u2019t use it much in the winter, so I keep it in the laundry room,\u201d Slayton\u00a0says. \u201cTeeny spaces force your hand a bit more, but that\u2019s good \u2014 use it or lose it.\u201d<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>How to Start Clean Eating in 7 Easy Steps<\/a><\/p>\n

3. Cut down on your dish supply.
\n<\/strong>All those fancy dishes you\u2019re saving to use \u201cfor guests,\u201d but haven\u2019t actually whipped out in years? It may be time to part with them. \u201cTake a fresh look at every dish you own and see if it sparks joy,\u201d Kondo writes. \u201cMake the dishes you love the ones you use every day.\u201d<\/p>\n

Studies<\/a> have shown that we eat less off of smaller plates and drink more out of larger glasses. So keep that in mind when you\u2019re doing your cupboard purge. Having fun with your food by making it look nice will create more enjoyable mealtime, too. \u201cI encourage clients to plate their food the way they\u2019d like it presented at a restaurant,\u201d Slayton says. \u201cBento boxes can make your lunch feel more appealing, and \u2014 while it may be the Instagram effect \u2014 mason jars and glass straws are great for smoothies.\u201d The prettier our food looks, the more likely we are to want to savor every bite or sip.<\/p>\n

4. Toss anything that\u2019s past its prime.
\n<\/strong>Kondo says to discard food that\u2019s past its expiration date, or to simply eliminate anything you wouldn\u2019t actually want to consume. (Hint: It may be time to toss that specialty hot sauce lurking in the back<\/a> of your fridge.)<\/p>\n

Creating a system for tossing overdue items can help with that. \u201cFor ingredients like spices and baking items, date them with a Sharpie and discard them by their first anniversary,\u201d says Slayton. \u201cAnd try to use ingredients up. If you\u2019re making pesto turkey burgers one night, have pesto pasta the next. It makes me crazy to use a tablespoon of something and then have it sit around. Waste sparks the opposite of joy in me.\u201d<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>You Could Save $43 a Month By Cutting Food Waste<\/a><\/p>\n

5. Keep your refrigerator 30 percent empty.
\n<\/strong>Not only will this strategy better help you see the actual contents of your fridge, it\u2019ll also allow for extra room to store leftovers or unexpected gifts.<\/p>\n

Keep what you want to eat at eye level in the fridge, says Slayton.\u00a0She recommends working by category, and only keeping two to three items per category, like hot sauces, jams or vinegars, on hand at a time. \u201cAnd keep things presented nicely within the fridge, like a tray for your eggs or a glass bottle to keep water cold,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

6. It\u2019s OK to have a lot of kitchen stuff.
\n<\/strong>The key is making sure you\u2019re hanging onto items you actually use and love. If you\u2019re a frequent spiralizer<\/a>, smoothie-maker, or food processing whiz, by all means hang onto those bulky appliances even if they hog your shelf space. \u201cWhat matters is the ability to see where everything is stored,\u201d Kondo writes. Never underestimate the power of a label-maker, clear storage containers, or categorically organized pantry shelves.<\/p>\n

Pro tip:\u00a0Be\u00a0smart about what you choose to keep around. \u201cI cook, and I like my kitchen to reflect that,\u201d Slayton says. \u201cBut if you registered for a paella pan when you got married but haven\u2019t made paella by your fifth wedding anniversary, you can probably get rid of the pan.\u201d Regardless of aesthetics, you need to be able to find the cumin or grab a mixing bowl without major effort.<\/p>\n

7. Make your eating space a happy place.
\n<\/strong>Yes, it seems like a lot of effort to roll out a placemat and whip out the napkin rings, but if you have them, use them to enrich your mealtime, Kondo says. Your dining area should be free from distractions (sorry, Jeopardy<\/em>) and filled with your favorite things.<\/p>\n

\u201cI turn on music and light my favorite candle whenever I enter the kitchen,\u201d says Slayton. It sets the mood for more enjoyable meals. \u201cRemove the eyesores and obstacles and include the scents, sounds and ingredients that make you happy. If standing at the counter, eating out of the package is at one end of the spectrum \u2014 and that isn\u2019t the positive side \u2014 sitting at the table, using utensils and a placemat is different. I would predict very few binge episodes happen in placemat situations.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Time for spring cleaning? Use these tips from expert Marie Kondo to declutter your kitchen and create more space for healthy habits. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":77,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,7,18],"tags":[291,43,341,388],"class_list":["post-48358","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-diet-nutrition","category-health","category-weight-loss","tag-clean-eating","tag-diy","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2nutrition"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48358","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/77"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=48358"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48358\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=48358"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=48358"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=48358"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}