In most homes, we end up accumulating objects that are no longer useful to us, but we leave in drawers or elsewhere by inertia, laziness or because we do not think about it.
Sometimes it's even worse, because we continue to use them despite their poor performance, when we could easily replace them with other new and very affordable products. This is what happens in the kitchen, which is very prone to this phenomenon because of the amount of utensils we use.
It is very important to have the right tools in our kitchen, because we are going to use it every day to prepare meals, and it is essential to have good utensils for it to look good. In addition, if we live in a family, it will also affect what our loved ones eat every day. For all these reasons, it is necessary to carefully examine what we have and evaluate what needs to be changed. In addition, it is important to spend a little more on better utensils, because they will last longer and we will get better results with them.
Frequently used pots and pans
It is likely that we often use “tuppers” to store leftover food and finish it at another time. However, with repeated use, they can become damaged, stains can appear and not come out, or they can even smell bad, even if we wash them often. Another common problem is the loss of lids. All this has a direct impact on the food we store in them, which can deteriorate and even cause intestinal problems.
Of course, the extent of this kind of problem depends on the brand and quality of the container. If it is of good quality, it is likely to last for many years and can be reused many, many times. But in any case, it's important to be aware of the wear and tear it may have experienced, and it's worth buying new, quality storage containers to ensure that they last a long time and preserve food properly.
Defective pans
Frying pans are tools that often wear out with use and lose their efficiency, especially cheap pans. Not only can this cause problems when cooking food (which may not taste as good, stick to the pan, etc.), but it is also a potential health hazard, as they can release toxic plastics or heavy metals and contaminate food. If you notice that the pan is losing its color and that food is sticking to it more and more, buy another one, preferably from a good brand.
Knives that barely cut
Whether it's because they're of poor quality or because we've used them too much, it's very likely that we have kitchen knives that leave something to be desired. Having a sharp knife is essential for preparing all kinds of recipes more efficiently and quickly. So there is no excuse not to buy a new one if the one you have does not cut properly the food you need to chop or peel.
Cracked and damaged dishes
Tableware is very vulnerable to cracking and other damage, especially if it is cheap. As the saying goes, cheap is expensive, and this is a very clear example of that, as poor quality dinnerware will start to get damaged pretty quickly, no matter how careful we are.
But as much as it bothers us to have to buy new dishes, if the one we have is already full of cracks and dents, we should consider renewing our kitchen dishes, because we eat on them every day. On the other hand, combining pieces of our dinnerware with spare and new ones can also be a very good option, although in this case, it is better that the new elements have an aesthetic that harmonizes well with the old dinnerware to maintain some cohesion.
Used scouring sponges
Scrubbing pads are cheap, disposable products that should not be used for too long. It is important to make the best use of the resources we have, but at the slightest sign of wear and tear (and especially if a “biofilm” appears), they should be discarded and new ones used, as they can form bacteria and are the ones we use to wash the dishes we eat on.
Old rags and cloths
The same applies to rags and cloths, which are mainly used to clean other utensils and different areas of the house. They are very cheap products and it is not useful to use them indefinitely, as they can become counterproductive in their cleaning function if they end up yellowing and staining after so many reuses, no matter how often they are washed.
Spices purchased many years ago
Spice jars are one of the products we tend to leave in our kitchen cupboards for years. Often, we even keep the spices used by the former inhabitants of the house. Although this type of product has an expiration date of several years (in fact, you could say that it never expires), not only does it lose its aroma and properties over time, but insects may even have gotten into it. So it is better to get rid of old spices and not delay in using new ones.
Egg tray for refrigerator
Many kitchen experts agree that typical egg trays (egg trays that you put in the refrigerator doors) are not the most appropriate place to store eggs, and that it is better to keep them in their own packaging so that they retain their nutritional quality. So feel free to get rid of the egg cup if you have one in the fridge, and you will have more storage space in the fridge.
The things we never use
Everyone is different when it comes to cooking, and there are utensils and appliances that we may have bought at the time thinking we would need them or that someone gave us, but we never use when preparing our dishes. For example, blenders, juicers, choppers, wooden utensils, etc. It's good to take stock of our kitchen, and the items we won't use can be donated, sold or thrown away.
Too many bottle openers
This is a curious question, because in some households there are too many bottle openers for wine or beer bottles and other containers, while in many others there are too few. In the first case, it may be because we were given several as gifts or because they were part of promotional products, and in the end, we have too many in the drawer that we don't use. To free up space if we already have several, it's a good idea to get rid of some of them, either by giving them to someone who needs them, or by throwing them away if they are very bad or ugly.
Summary
I'm a big fan of short stories about people – I'm a pro at tech and smartphones, serial literature, and writing in my spare time.
