BuzzFeed Shopping recently rounded up 27 kitchen products under the banner "Fill your kitchen with things you'll actually use," each pitched as useful enough to justify its drawer space. The full list isn't reproduced here, so this isn't a rundown of those 27 picks. What the idea does give you is a good question to ask about every tool you own or are thinking of buying. Below is a simple three-part test you can run this weekend, plus a way to sort your drawers in about 30 minutes.
The Three-Question Test
A tool earns its spot if it can honestly answer yes to at least one of these:
- Does it save you time? Think of tasks you do weekly that feel slower than they should.
- Does it reduce mess? Less splatter, fewer dirty bowls, easier cleanup.
- Does it replace more than one gadget? One tool doing two or three jobs is the best kind of drawer resident.
If a tool answers no to all three, it's taking up room without paying rent. That's true even if it was a gift, looked clever in a video, or cost more than you'd like to admit.
Run a "Keep, Relocate, or Release" Sort
Pull everything out of one drawer at a time. Don't try the whole kitchen at once, because that's how a Saturday disappears.
Keep
Anything you've used in the past month, or that you'd miss within a week. These go back in, sorted by how often you reach for them. Daily tools go in front.
Relocate
The tool you use only at holidays or for one special recipe doesn't need prime real estate. Move it to a high shelf, a bin in the pantry, or a box in a closet. It's still yours, just not in your way.
Release
Duplicates, broken pieces, and anything you've reached past a dozen times to get to something else. Donate what's in good shape. Keeping a second or third version of the same tool is the most common drawer-clogger.
Look for Tools That Do Double Duty
The multi-job question is where small kitchens benefit most. When you shop or sort, ask whether one item could stand in for two. A sturdy pair of kitchen scissors, for example, might handle herbs, packaging, and trimming, so you may not need separate single-purpose gadgets for each. Your own cooking habits decide what counts, so think about what you actually make most often.
A few ways to spot a likely multitasker:
- It's simple in design, with few moving parts or attachments.
- You can describe three uses without stretching.
- It's easy to wash, so you'll actually grab it again.
Single-purpose gadgets aren't automatically bad. If you eat avocado toast every morning and a tool makes it faster, it passes question one. The test is about honesty, not minimalism for its own sake.
Small Kitchen? Be Stricter About Shape
In an apartment or compact kitchen, a tool's footprint matters as much as its function. Before you keep or buy something, check:
- Does it nest or stack? Measuring cups, bowls, and similar items that tuck together take less room.
- Does it lie flat? Bulky handles and odd shapes waste drawer depth.
- Could it hang? A rail or hook on a wall or inside a cabinet door frees up a drawer entirely.
Before You Buy Anything New
Buying fewer, better tools is easier when you add a short pause. Try this:
- Wait a week. If you still want it after seven days, it's less likely to be an impulse purchase.
- Name what it replaces. If you can't point to something that leaves the drawer, think hard about where the newcomer will live.
- Check reviews for real use. Look for people describing everyday tasks, not just first impressions.
As always with product roundups, take big claims lightly. A good tool makes a task a bit easier. It won't transform your cooking, and you don't need to expect it to.
Set Up the Drawer So It Stays Tidy
Once you've kept only the good stuff, a few small habits help it last:
- Use a divider or shallow tray so tools don't migrate into one jumble.
- Group by task: baking tools together, prep tools together, serving tools together.
- Leave a little empty space. A drawer that closes without a shove is a drawer you'll keep tidy.
Your Next Step
Open the one drawer that annoys you most, take everything out, and hold each item up to the three questions. Anything that doesn't save time, cut mess, or replace another gadget gets relocated or released. Ten minutes in, you'll likely find your kitchen already feels bigger.