My kitchen has always been a problem area in my home. It is a tiny, U-shaped space with limited counter and cabinet space – not to mention it is a rented property, so I can’t add to it or alter much. As a result, I was always running out of space, and clutter only made things harder. I needed to take drastic action.

When my landlord needed to replace the kitchen entirely to do some major repair work, I saw an opportunity as everything had to be packed up into boxes and moved out of the space. It was the perfect time to try out The Minimalist’s extreme ‘Packing Party’ decluttering method.


Dealing with a small, cluttered kitchen in a rented property can be challenging. When faced with a major renovation, the opportunity arose to try out The Minimalist’s ‘Packing Party’ decluttering method. The concept is simple – pack everything in the kitchen into boxes as if moving house, and only unpack items as needed.

During the renovation, I refrained from decluttering and focused on unpacking only essential items like crockery, air fryer, microwave, cutting board, and utensils. Following the Packing Party principles, I gradually reintroduced items back into the kitchen as I needed them, rather than all at once.

As the kitchen started to come together, I noticed I was using the boxes less and less. Cleaning supplies, in particular, revealed duplicates and specialized products that were unnecessary. These items were donated or passed on to clear space.

Stranded items like extra mugs, utensils, and appliances were left for an additional week before being decluttered. Surprisingly, many items that were once deemed essential were no longer needed and were removed from the kitchen.

The decluttering process made organizing utensils and appliances easier, creating space for new items like a bread maker. While the method was initially driven by extreme circumstances, it proved effective and is something I would consider using in other areas of the home in the future.

Overall, the Packing Party method provided a practical and efficient way to declutter and organize a small kitchen, with the potential to be applied to other areas of the home as well.