DeclutterYour

Kitchen

Dr. Anita Elliott

On those chilly fall and winter days, a hearty

bowl of soup is the perfect meal to cozy up

with in front of the roaring fireplace. What's

even better about soup is you can make just

about any type of it in a crockpot with

minimal effort. Toss the ingredients in before

you leave for work, cook on low throughout

the day, and you'll come home to the most

fantastic aroma filling your home and a

delicious dinner waiting for you. Honestly,

what's better than that!?

We have the soup staples that we cook on

repeat, and undoubtedly a few family recipes

passed down, as well. Today, I wanted to

provide you with a few of my straightforward,

healthy and delicious crockpot soup recipes

that get me through the cold months. I hope

you enjoy!

Let's dive into the power of Decluttering with the kitchen in mind. The

kitchen holds the keys to your health and vitality. The food it houses,

nourishes our bodies and builds connection around the dinner table.

To ensure that you are enjoying your most vibrant health, let’s declutter

any items that might be getting in the way of your wellbeing.

Here are a few tips to get you started.

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If you have cookbooks that you never use that are

taking up valuable real estate in your kitchen, it’s

time to let them go.

The same goes for old magazines with ripped up

pages piling up in the corner. Clip the recipes you

use and make a binder for them to keep them

organized.

Or, better yet, go digital. There are loads of apps you

can download such as My Recipe Book Organizer to

store your recipes in.

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Once you get some of those unused cookbooks and

cooking magazines out of the way, see what else is

on your countertops.

Small appliances that you don’t use every day should

be stored in your cabinets to give you more space and

a more efficient kitchen.

The decluttered feel of mostly bare countertops gives

off an inviting, clean feeling that will leave you ready

to cook up something delicious.

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Spices lose their flavor after time. If you have spices

that you never use, get rid of them. Replace the

empty spaces with spices you rely on daily. For

seasonal spices, buy smaller portions so you won’t

need to toss them during your next kitchen purge.

Some great spices to always have on hand include:

black pepper, bay leaves, basil, thyme, oregano,

garlic powder, onion powder, sea salt, red pepper

flakes, and cinnamon to name a few.

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Did you just find a box of spaghetti that was opened

months ago hidden in the back of your pantry? Toss

it!

Anything that is expired or has been open so long

you can’t remember when you used it needs to go.

Also, any overly processed foods should go, too. You

don’t need those around in the new year spoiling

your healthy habits.

Anything that isn’t expired or opened that you won’t

use can be donated to your local food bank.

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Most foods in your freezer have a life of 6 to 12

months, depending on the item. Anything that

appears freezer-burned or is expired can go.

In your fridge, take a look at your leftovers and toss

anything that has been there a while.

That goes for sauces, dressings, and condiments too.

Give the fridge and freezer a good wipe down, too.

That glowing, fresh newly cleaned and organized

refrigerator will leave you feeling accomplished!

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It doesn’t matter who you are or where you’re from…we all

have that junk drawer stuffed with tape, batteries, stamps,

post-its, pens, and odds and ends. Take a moment and

organize it though so that it actually can be a useful space for

all those items. You could even get a drawer organizer to

really keep it tidy long-term.

When you organize your kitchen with a quick decluttering,

you’ll feel better every time you go in there, like you just lost

5 pounds. Plus, you’ll be ready to start the New Year with a

clean slate when it comes to healthy eating and cooking

habits!

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