Is your kitchen stuffed with clutter leaving you barely enough room to breathe? While this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, the unfortunate fact is that clutter attracts pests. It gives them a place to hide, breed, and build their nests. If you want a pest free home this year then you need to declutter. To get you started here are some tips:

1. Get rid of old crockery and cutlery

Over time many people accumulate old bits of crockery. This often includes ancient plates, bowls, and cutlery which they never use. The truth is that there is only so much of this stuff that you need. Throw out anything which is old or chipped.

2. Toss away anything you’re not using

Our kitchen cupboards often fill up with things we don’t need. This can include all sorts of odds and ends like rubber bands, old rolls of cling film, and plastic containers. You really don’t have to hold onto these things. Go through your cupboards and toss them out. Once this is done, do the same with your kitchen drawers. 

3. Chuck those glass bottles

Many people like to save things like jam jars. This is in the erroneous belief that they will one day fill them with something. But in most cases these bottles remain unused and sit there gathering dust. Throw them away!

4. Dump plastic bags

A lot of people also save the plastic bags they get from places like Tesco. Believe us, you really don’t have to save these. If you really want to, you can keep a few for emergencies, but get rid of the rest. 

5. Throw out old food

Go through your cupboards and fridge and remove old food. Get rid of anything you’re not using. Most often this will include condiments which are years old or baking ingredients you no longer need. Any kind of old food can attract pests.

6. Clean counters

Over the years counters can fill up with all sorts of rubbish. Your counters should be kept as clear as possible. Throw away anything you’re not using, or put it in your cupboards. The only things which should be on counters are your appliances. Also throw away decorative items. You really don’t need them. 

7. Tidy window ledges

Have you placed useless knick knacks on your window ledges? Most people do this, especially on the window ledge behind their sink. But do you really need those dead plants and other rubbish? Get rid of them. After all, window ledges look better when they are empty. 

8. Clean up under your kitchen sink

“Another place where clutter often accumulates and attracts pests is in the cupboard beneath your sink“, says Glen who runs Diamond Ltd, a pest expert in the London area. “This is because it‘s a cupboard which is rarely opened“, he continues. “It’s also a place where bits and bobs and other rubbish is kept, sometimes for years“. Go through this cupboard carefully and dump anything which you don’t need or use. 

9. Remove decorations

Many people cover their kitchen walls with all sorts of decorations. This may include things like pictures, paintings, clocks, wall hangings etc. Unfortunately, these can gather dust and often become filthy without you noticing. They also provide an excellent place for insects like spiders to hide behind. Consider getting rid of these decorations by putting them in a storage unit. If you don’t want to do this then at least clean behind them.

10. Remove cookbooks

Are you one of those people who have a shelf of cookery books in their kitchen? While this is a nice touch, the fact is that you probably don’t use those books on a daily basis. There’s really no reason why they should be in the kitchen where they can gather dust. Why not move them into your living room? For larger scale cleanouts, you may want to consider hiring a roll-off residential dumpster for a couple of days to eliminate the need for multiple trips to the dump.