Want a minimalist kitchen? Below are the essential tools we use every day, plus practical decluttering tips to help you simplify your space.

A big part of this blog is sharing our minimalism journey—what we declutter, the habits that simplify our lives, and practical tips we’ve learned along the way.

Recently I decluttered our kitchen drawers and cleaned out all the crumbs and splatters. While sorting, I made a list of the essential tools we actually use every day and noted the items we could part with. We have generous storage, which is great until clutter builds up. I also do recipe development and food photography, so extra pans and props accumulated over time.

Below are the tools I consider essential in a minimalist kitchen, followed by what I removed and a set of decluttering tips you can apply right away.

Our Essential Kitchen Tools

• Aluminum baking sheets — the largest that fits your oven
• Food processor & dicer
• Citrus reamer
• Garlic press
• Silicone spatulas
• Wooden spoons
• Turning spatulas
• Metal whisks
• Box grater
• Can opener
• Microplane
• Hinged wine and bottle opener
• Vegetable peeler
• Large cutting board and a few smaller boards for prep
• Tongs
• Silicone ice cube trays for freezing toddler-sized portions
• Vegetable brush
• 5″ Santoku knife (my go-to for most tasks)
• Blender
• Instant Pot
• Cast iron skillets (10″ and 12″)
• Dutch oven
• Chainmail scrubber for cleaning cast iron
• Basic pots and pans—one large soup pot, a few saucepans, and skillets
• Bakeware—9×9 and 9×13 pans, a 12-cup muffin tin, mini and standard loaf pans
• Steamer basket
• Cookie scoop—handy for fritters, meatballs, cookies and small scoops of ice cream
• Measuring cups and spoons—sized to fit inside spice jars when possible

There are a few fringe items I still keep because they’re convenient: a ginger grater and an immersion blender for quick, coarse purees. Both are optional depending on how you cook.

What I Got Rid Of

Most of what went was duplicate items, single-purpose gadgets, and tools we rarely used. If something hasn’t been used in months, it likely isn’t essential.

• Extra whisk
• Handheld grater (unsafe and awkward)
• Excess oven mitts—downsized from ten to a few functional pairs
• Avocado slicer
• Extra cutting boards
• Old slow cooker—replaced by the Instant Pot for multi-function use
• Mesh tea strainer—replaced by a French press
• Stainless steel “rub-away” cleaner
• Cut-resistant gloves
• Extra can opener and extra peeler
• Rubber mason jar drinking lid
• Extra measuring cups
• Rice paddles

When I decluttered, I relocated less-used tools to drawers that are farther away from my daily prep area. That small change gives the most-used drawers breathing room and makes everyday tasks smoother. I also wiped the inside of every drawer as I went—no crumbs, no splatters, and a lot more satisfaction when opening them.

Tips for Decluttering Kitchen Tools

Start small and be intentional. Focus on the drawers or cabinets you use most and apply these practical tips.

Start with one or two of your most frequently used drawers

All you need is 10–15 minutes to make measurable progress. Tackle other areas as time allows.

Toss or donate

• Items you don’t use or love
• Duplicates of the same tool
• Broken or unsafe tools
• Mystery parts you can’t identify
• Single-purpose gadgets that another tool can replace

Group frequently used tools in one or two accessible drawers

Keep your everyday tools together and move lesser-used items to secondary storage. Wipe down drawer interiors while you work to maintain a clean, pleasant space.

Questions to ask about fringe items

• Can another tool do the same job?
• Does it save significant time or effort?
• Is it used often enough to justify keeping it, or could you borrow it when needed?

Have 10–15 minutes this weekend? Declutter one or two drawers.

Removing a few unnecessary items can transform how your kitchen feels and functions. You’ll notice the difference the next time you open those drawers.

We’d love to see your pared-down kitchen tools—share them on Instagram by tagging @modernminimalism and using #modernminimalism.

See you there!

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