The other day, when I went shopping, I stood in the supermarket and looked at the section with kitchen tools. They had re-stocked, it all was shiny and new and I found myself contemplating whether or not I should buy kitchen tongs. In fact I wondered if I should replace the ones I had with these new ones.
Pretty much my exact thought process was:
“Oh, they are nice. I should buy one. Kitchen tongs are handy.”
“Actually, I have a lot of kitchen tongs. Maybe I should replace them. They are just $3.- each, that’s hardly an investment I can’t justify.”
“I should buy three pairs of tongs, so I have a set, rather than the jumble of ‘all sorts’ I’ve got at home. Cooking will be more fun like that.”
… Hang on!
Take stock before buying
Just before I was about to pay , I stopped and reminded myself that it’s probably a good idea to check which kinds I’ve already got at home. Just to be sure.
So I went home, collected all the tongs in the kitchen and realized: I really only ever use one pair, but I owned 5!
There were two BBQ tongs, which are handy – except we don’t have a BBQ (un-Australian, I know). There was one metal pair that I never use for fear of scratching the pot or pan. And one little pair, which I’m sure I bought because I thought it looked cute, but each time I use it I find it is just that little bit too flimsy.
And then there is the one pair that I always reach for.
Instead of buying any of those that were batting their eyelids at me in the store, it turns out all I needed to do was part ways with 4 pairs of tongs that I never use.
The benefits of reducing my collection
Now, I’m not saying that it isn’t nice to buy something new once in a while. It is. But by training yourself to reflect on what is truly needed and what isn’t, you actually end up having more money to spend on the things that REALLY matter to you. It’s so tempting to think that if you buy that one thing, then you’ll feel like cooking more often. I literally thought to myself in that moment how nice the cooking experience would be if I had this pretty set of tongs. When in fact the cooking experience is so much better now because I don’t have to search for the one pair that I love in a pile of stuff I don’t need.
Instant benefits:
- I saved money.
- There is more space in my drawer now. Less rummaging around, more joy when cooking! Cook more with less, right?
- No need to buy matching things if you only have one thing.
- It’s more sustainable: Instead of buying something new I don’t actually need, I use what I have.
From Coco Chanel to capsule kitchen
My Capsule Kitchen is modelled on the idea of a capsule wardrobe, so let’s take our queue from fashion.
Coco Chanel is said to have advised: “Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off.” In the kitchen this simply means before you add to your collection, first take a look at what you can take away. Cook more, with less.
It is so easy to get sucked in to buying things you don’t need. Especially when they are inexpensive. Let’s not! Let’s be more mindful than that. Who knows, I may still end up getting a replacement at some point, but for now my kitchen is a little lighter and a little less cluttered.
Much love,
Katrine x