The Drawer That Contained Three Can Openers
- Hopeful Simplicity
- Jun 26
- 2 min read
What duplicate kitchen tools taught me about clutter
I wasn't looking for clutter. I was looking for a can opener. But when I opened the drawer, I found three.
Three can openers.
Five spatulas.
More measuring cups than I could count.
And at least two gadgets I couldn't even identify anymore.
At first, I laughed. Then I started wondering how all of it got there. Because I didn't remember buying duplicates. I didn't remember intentionally creating an overflowing drawer. And yet there it was. A drawer full of things I had accumulated one small decision at a time. The funny thing about duplicates is that they rarely feel like clutter when we bring them home.
The second can opener seems practical.
The extra spatula seems useful.
The backup measuring cup feels responsible.
We tell ourselves it's good to have extras. Just in case. And honestly, sometimes that makes sense. But somewhere along the way, many of us stop keeping backups and start collecting duplicates. Not because we need them. Because we're afraid to let them go. That realization hit me harder than I expected. Because the drawer wasn't really about kitchen gadgets. It was about trust.
Trusting myself to keep enough.
Trusting myself to find what I need.
Trusting myself not to need every backup plan imaginable.
Sometimes clutter isn't about having too much. It's about not trusting ourselves to let go. That's why Simplify can feel emotional. People often assume decluttering is a physical process. But so much of it happens in our minds. We tell ourselves stories.
What if I need it someday?
What if this one breaks?
What if I regret getting rid of it?
And before we know it, a single useful tool has multiplied into an entire collection. The goal isn't to own the fewest things possible. The goal is to own the things that serve your life today. When I finally sorted through that drawer, I kept my favorite can opener.
The one I actually reached for every time. The others weren't adding value. They were adding friction. They made the drawer harder to use. Harder to find things in.
Harder to maintain. Sometimes less really is easier. Not because less is trendy.
Because less gives us room to breathe.
This week, open one drawer.
Look for duplicates.
Notice what you always use.
Notice what you never choose.
Then ask yourself a simple question.
If I were starting over today, would I keep all of these?
The answer might surprise you.
Ready for Your Next Step?
The Kitchen Room Reset Bundle helps you simplify kitchen tools, gadgets, and storage without overwhelming yourself.
Or join the Hopeful Simplicity Library for guided audio resets and support throughout the process.
Stay Hopeful 🧡
