Spatulas & Spoons: How Many Is Too Many?

How many spatulas should a family of six have?  Maybe six?  Maybe nine?  How about ten?  We have big ones and small ones.  Most are slotted, some are not.  Most are angled, some are not.  We have black, blue, pink, green, and white ones.  What if everyone, including the 12-year old, individually cook two meals a day and each meal requires a spatula?  I don’t think ten would be enough for 12 meals.  Maybe I should make a run to the store and pick up two more spatulas just in case.

Both of our large cooking utensil drawers are difficult to open and close.  And once a drawer is open the scavenger hunt is on.  However, that’s not just because of the spontaneously multiplying spatulas.  We also have 17 different kinds of spoons and ladles strewn among many other kinds of utensils.  Almost all of which also have multiple family members of different shapes, sizes, and colors.  Every time we have to get into these drawers we start cussing and thrashing about.  Not because we have to many utensils, but because “people don’t know how to put things away properly”.  The ten spatulas and 17 spoons couldn’t have anything to do with it.

Maybe we should re-evaluate.  I think an analysis of the heeping pile of plastic and metal in our utensil drawers is in order.

Our cooking utensil drawer isn’t the only challenge in our kitchen.  Pots & pans, plates, cups, silverware, plastic food storage containers, and glass cookware all suffer from the same accumulation.  Not only is this a huge waste of money and space, but ultimately creates visible clutter in our cabinets, drawers, counter tops, and sinks.  Not to mention the time wasted organizing and searching for all of it.  The entire family has subconsciously formed habits that result in us allowing the dishes to pile up.  We know we have so many that washing dishes after every meal or even once per day isn’t necessary.  This just adds to the stress of the entire family.

Oh how much easier would it be to have just what we need.  The cabinets and drawers would inherently become organized and easy to access.  Our habit of leaving dishes out would transform into loading and running the dishwasher after every meal.  Ba-boom stress decreased and happiness increased.  Life is good.

You ask where oh where will I start?  Well, the spatulas and spoons of course.

2 thoughts on “Spatulas & Spoons: How Many Is Too Many?

  • February 1, 2017 at 10:40 am
    Permalink

    Haha Brian this is a struggle in my house also!! Sadly though only I’m to blame! I see cute unique and think “this is just what I need for…” whatever. I buy every one, I cook every meal, I clean after each one and I put the dishes away. I just yesterday went through and grabbed a box and threw half of the stuff out of the drawers and reading this realized I shouldn’t stop there! Goodwill will have a complete kitchen full of dishes tomorrow and my cabinets will still be overflowing!!

    Loving the writing you have done so far. Can’t wait for more!

    Reply
    • February 4, 2017 at 2:25 pm
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      Thank you Robin! I think most people struggle with clutter. Hopefully writing about my journey towards minimalism and simplicity will help others.

      Reply

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