Faith In Daily Life: The Give-it-Away Kitchen Revolution

This past month, we have been asking members and friends to reflect on the question, “How does my faith impact my daily life?”

A give-it-away revolution took place in my kitchen this morning. The seeds of this revolution were only planted two days ago when I saw a video that recommended that people give away to charity the excess or duplicate “stuff” we all have in our lives/homes. The revolution gained momentum yesterday when my friend Priscilla told me that Household Goods (HG) where she volunteers is in desperate need of kitchen goods.

But the shot heard ‘round the kitchen was fired this morning when I tried to put a plastic storage container into the kitchen drawer, but it wouldn’t fit because there were so many other similar containers in that drawer.

That last event was, as they say, the “ah ha moment.” I realized that I have so many kitchen goods that I can’t even fit them in my spacious drawers and cabinets. The call from the video to give away my excess stuff came rushing back. And Priscilla’s plea for kitchen goods for HG sealed the deal. So in less than an hour, I filled five boxes with excess or duplicate kitchen items for HG. I found that there were generally three categories of items for donation from my kitchen. Here are a few examples of the many things in those five boxes:

I have too many of this: The second blender, excess steak and paring knives, potato mashers (how could I have accumulated 3 of these?), the second wok

I use this too little :3 sets of chopsticks, 4 plastic serving bowls (great when my kids were young, but they are in their 20’s now), a stainless steel pitcher

Would I keep this if I were moving? Good stuff, but forget about it…including 6 extra coffee mugs, a large cooking pot, a brand new cheese cutting board that I got for Christmas, still in its box.

How refreshing for me! Several drawers that had so many kitchen tools crammed into them are now freed from their clutter! I can quickly see the cheese grater that I really like, and I no longer have to cram it in with those surplus potato mashers. Removing that large cooking pot lets me see the three other pots in that drawer that I love cooking with.

But lest you think I am perfect, I will admit that I did not donate the pastry rolling pin even though I have never actually used it. Who knows, now that a de-cluttering revolution has taken place in my kitchen, maybe a baking revolution can take place too?

~Maureen