During Lent a friend told me she was “giving away” instead of “giving up”. She said she was going through her house every day during Lent and emptying her house, 1 bag at a time, of things she no longer needed or wanted. She would either throw away one full bag of stuff, or give away a bag of items she no longer needed or wanted. The size of the bag would be determined by the items being removed. Grocery sacks, trash bags and cardboard boxes were all acceptable. It sounds like a great way to de-clutter the house, right?

Well, I am FINALLY getting ready to remodel my kitchen and I have A LOT of stuff. And it ALL has to be moved out to allow the flooring, cabinets and counter tops to be put in. With any luck the project will be done in time for Thanksgiving (Moment of Truth – I have been TRYING to do this for nearly 2 years, but something always comes up to stop me). So I said to myself, “Hey LeAnne, this is a great project for you! It will make John happy and help you get ready for the teardown.” In theory this sounds like a good idea! So I am starting on a 31 day challenge to straighten out my kitchen. I don’t think it will take all 31 days, but it’s a good place to start! If it doesn’t take all 31 days I will move on to other rooms.

First on the list is the fridge and pantry. Let’s face it, we all buy condiments and salad dressings and they sometimes sit around with little regard to the expiration date. OUT! Then of course there is that zucchini/cucumber/bell pepper that got buried in the produce drawer only to turn into a slimy THING that needs to be tossed. OUT! Leftovers that have gone uneaten? OUT! An almost empty bottle of Dijon Mustard? OUT! The bonus to working in the fridge is that I am getting inspired by all of the condiments and other goodies I am keeping and I am COOKING again after a brief hiatus.

So, for a couple of hours yesterday I completely emptied my fridge (and then cleaned and sanitized it while I was at it) and pantry. I tossed out a LOT of stuff that was “hiding” and started on the “give-away” bin for today’s part of the challenge (old vases from floral arrangements, etc.). To my way of thinking, if I haven’t used it in more than a year, it’s probably safe to give it away (within reason – no family heirlooms or Holiday items will be tossed, so NO, my turkey roasting pan will stay here). Did you know I have three 8 quart stockpots and three Grill Pans? Do I really need them all? I have four 12” skillets with lids…disgusting, I know, but remember what I have done for a living for the past 15 years (I have sold cookware and kitchen tools with The Pampered Chef)! The last time I cleared out the cookware, my sisters were surprised to get some newish things for their kitchens. Just because I am giving it away, doesn’t mean I have to give it to charity. I can give it to anyone I please, as long as I get it out of my house. (Moment of Truth – hubby has been saying this for YEARS. I mentioned to him, “How much Stoneware can one person REALLY use at one time?” and his response was, “Tell me about it!”)

So my tip for you is this: If you are family and need something specific in your kitchen, call me and tell me what it is. If you are a friend living in Vegas, do the same. You never know! I may just be giving away what you need!

Four 12″ Skillets! Some I am keeping, but do I really need four? I think not!

Three 8 Quart Stockpots! I am keeping two because I also have a 12 qt, 16 qt and 24 qt…yes, I know.

Happy Fourth of July!! Make it a safe one, whatever you do.