Guilty as charged! :) When our GC did an initial assessment of our cabinet needs, before suggesting that we demo an entire bank of uppers (see my thread about my two-tone kitchen), he first asked, "What do you store up there?" When I admitted it was filled with items I rarely used, it was an easy call to remove those cabinets. And I realized I wouldn't need to spend the extra money making up for ALL the 'lost' storage, but perhaps better afford functional upgrades of existing storage. So, time to gather up and donate to a good cause!

So true! Do I really need angel food cake pan, bundt pan, springform in 3 sizes, round cake pans, and square cake pans? I probably use a 13x9 95% of the time I am making a cake.

Haha...well, oasis, if you don't, I DO!!!!!!! Send them over!!!!!!!! ;)

Try this. Put a sticker or a piece of tape (something easy to remove) on all your pots and pans. After 6 months look at everything that still has a sticker on it. It hasn't been used. Do you really need it? Do this with everything in your kitchen. Anything not used in 6 months should either be given away or removed from prime storage.

I would recommend a year- or at least the 6 months that include Thanksgiving and Christmas.

I found that with more efficient drawer storage, I am able to store more in less space. Before the remodel, I had 3 shelves of plastic storage, now all of that is stored in one deep drawer under my microwave drawer. I used to have 3 large shelves of dishes, now I have 1 deep drawer and 1 narrow shelf. And my baking items were all over the kitchen, wherever I could fit them in. Now all my baking pans, hand mixer, stick mixer, silicone sheets, etc. are all in 1 drawer. I have actually purchased more kitchen items since the remodel, I cook more now and I have room to store more useful items!

I also agree about the deep drawers. I have them in all of my lower cabinets --- I put them in because I am old and stooping to reach the backs of lower cabinets wasn't working for my knees.

Totally agree. The best thing about our whole house renovation is that EVERYTHING has to be removed. I am planning on refusing to let more than half the stuff back in.

To add to my suggestion, anything used just once or twice a year I would not keep in prime real estate. Those items could be placed in the basement or somewhere else. The roaster used only for Christmas dinner could be kept with the Christmas decorations, etc.

"After 6 months look at everything that still has a sticker on it. It hasn't been used. Do you really need it? Do this with everything in your kitchen. Anything not used in 6 months should either be given away or removed from prime storage."

Oh geez. I guess I can give away almost every pot and pan I own. ;)

Raee, that is a stellar idea! The tool library, AND the kitchen library.

The library in the next town has a bake-pan library: ie. shape of Elmo or shape of a football, and you can borrow the pans to make the cake for the event/bday, and return the pans.

Raee, I love that! My mom and I always talk about the waste of everyone on a block owning separate power tools, lawnmowers, wheelbarrows, etc. when we really only use them every once in a while. Does the city pay someone to manage this? I'd love to know more about how it works.

One of our neighbours who doesn't do much yard work hired a fly by night company to do their landscaping one year. They did half the job, took his money and left most of their gardening tools, wheelbarrow, etc. behind. Ever since, the stuff has sort of been shared by everyone on the block. It would be great to expand our little hoard of stuff and make it more organized.

I can't help but think that years ago all you had to do was call your neighbor down street to borrow the item you needed. People knew each other and more actually cooked, baked, did there own yard work etc. Now many don't have a clue who lives down the street, orders take out, and hires out any jobs that are needed.

Another issue is that not everyone will take care of your item the way you would. I've loaned out things and had them come back with damage. This makes me less likely to loan things.

We have a few rental places nearby where you can rent for a few hours or a few days any tool that is needed. No Elmo cake pans though.