Who do we all think we are?

Masterchefs?

You'd think it from looking in our cupboards.

Jammed full of cooking ingredients.

Which is weird.

Seeing how often we're all tempted by ready meals and take aways.

But maybe that's the thing.

We've made cooking so complicated.

With all our different recipes.

And all our different ingredients.

That at the end of a long day - when our brains are frazzled - it's just too much like hard work.

I've definitely found I cook much more.

With fewer ingredients to muddle and confuse me in my cupboards.

So today we're eyeballing all those ingredients and saying farewell to those we rarely, if ever use and could so easily do without.

If you're following along with my quick daily declutter, read on. BUT if you're new do hop back and read how just 10 things can help you declutter easily.

Just 10 Things  - Cooking Ingredients

As always we'll stick to the just 10 things rules:

• Take 5 minutes or so, 15 minutes max
• Focus on cooking ingredients
• Open our eyes to all the fancy stuff we just don't use day in day out
• And without yanking stuff out - just push it to the side to root to the back
• Spot any we're ready to let go

In particular look out for ...

1. Spices, herbs & flavourings
2. Flours
3. Sugars
4. Cake mixes
5. Icing & decorating
6. Nuts & seeds
7. Dried fruit
8. Flavourings
9. Meringues & pastry cases
10. Baking powders

Now there's a good chance lots of this will have expired.

Because we just don't use it enough.

Plenty of mine had.

If it hasn't see if a friend who genuinely does cook lots with lots of ingredients will take it.

It feels like wasting money.

But there's a massive chance it will expire before used.

And that IS waste.

Going forward watch our for recipes with fancy one off ingredients.

You just won't use week in, week out.

And make do without.

But for an extra nudge read on.

 

A Little Nudge

Have you ever searched for spice storage ideas on Pinterest?

There's zillions.

And some seriously cool ones.

I'm such a storage geek. I love them.

BUT they all need space.

And that's the BIG thing.

Most of us don't have in our kitchens.

So we live with our jumble.

Which is all a bit depressing isn't it.

But there is a way forward.

Even in a small kitchen.

And that's to turn cooking and shopping on its head.

Most of us find a recipe.

Then buy the ingredients.

Result = jumbled mess.

I now stick to a basic set of ingredients.

And cook recipes I can make with those ingredients.

It's such a simple change in mindset.

But WOW!

It's makes such a difference.

I still don't have a designer kitchen.

Or fancy-schmancy storage.

But I don't have a jumble.

And that's incredibly calming.

Why not give it a go?

Pick out 10 spices max that will cover your bases.

And enjoy making do with those.