Always paring down

I think this is probably true of any part of your living space, but the premium on space in a cramped kitchen necessitates an occasional spring cleaning (even if it isn't spring).

For me, this usually just means rooting out a few old sets of napkins and haggling with myself over whether to keep all the coffee cups or get rid of a couple. And trying to part - once and for all - with the little-used Dutch oven. Maybe I'll turn it into a garden ornament.

Even if you haven't bought or received anything new and are sure the exercise will yield nothing to offload, I think it is still worth it. Maybe you'll realize you have some unused ingredients you want to make a dent in (I found a bunch of chickpea flour last night, for example), or maybe you'll realize that by reorganizing your spices you can save some valuable cupboard space, too.

I try to make a pass through the kitchen every two or three months. I also do so whenever I think I might be putting on my traveling shoes: It is always nicer to move with less, not more, stuff.