As we inch closer to the new year, many of us are thinking about reducing our impact on the environment by reducing consumption and waste. While easier said than done, one of the sure-fire ways of achieving that is by adopting a minimalist lifestyle.

In Phase 1, we talked about the wide-ranging benefits of minimalism and how to get started. In this next phase, the kitchen is minimalized to gain some momentum, as it's an easy part of the home to minimalize and reap immediate benefits.

::. More from the Going minimal series .::

Starting with food, remove and review each food item in the fridge and pantry. Expired items must be thrown away. Unopened foods that leave you with a sense of guilt could be put into a separate bag and given to a sibling, friend or neighbour, if you know the offer won't offend. Before moving food back into the fridge or pantry, wipe it down using a refreshing soap scent and dry, or allow it to dry, out. Assign dedicated spaces for categories of food (e.g. sauces, herb and spices, canned goods, fruit) into places that increase efficiency when cooking. Unhealthy treats should be harder to see and reach. And if there's room for improvement, use it as a time to reflect on the types of foods you've been eating and how you might positively change your diet.

the goal should be to reduce everything down to the maximum number of items you'll need in a single sitting

Before moving on to kitchenware, remember to have your camera ready for items you know should go but you may want to recall one day.

Of the various approaches to minimalizing or "tidying" a kitchen, Marie Kondo's made the most sense to me as someone who isn't looking to eat off one plate, drink from one glass or dry dishes with my face or bath towel. Although not exactly true to the Kondo method, the goal should be to reduce everything down to the maximum number of items you'll need in a single sitting. So, if you occasionally have guests over for a meal, what is the realistic maximum number of guests? If that's usually four plus you, ensure you have five of the tableware items you'd need for a course (e.g. five bowls, five forks, five knives, five glasses, etc.). If you never have guests and you live with one other person, then the number would be two of each. If you live alone and don't host guests, the number is one of each.

The same applies to utensils, pots, pans and so on. Only the maximum that you'll need at one time, one time being a single cooking session. So, if you sometimes cook more than one dish in a meal, think about what could be washed while other foods cook versus what you really need multiples of (e.g. a pot for cooking pasta and another pot to cook the sauce in parallel would equal two).

When you begin to go through your kitchen cupboards, you'll immediately identify which items are rarely used. You might find a food processor you haven't used since purchase or festive pieces you've now grown out of; these are the types of items that you shouldn't think twice about giving away or selling. To be sure, these are some common kitchen items that you'll need to make a decision about:

• stored food in the fridge and pantry
• plates
• cutlery
• pots and pans
• white / electrical goods
• cleaning and dishwashing items
• bin(s) and bags

Whatever isn't used should be donated, sold or recycled, while sentimental pieces that you really love should be kept in a separate cupboard or a higher or lower shelf out of sight. That way, rarely used goods won't occupy space, but a few extra plates for unexpected guests will be there when you need them.

Once the kitchen is downsized and organized, there'll be less clutter, more clean space, less time spent looking for things, less cleaning and washing up, and an overall orderly kitchen. Like in other rooms of your home and parts of your life, you'll savour the newly acquired space and begin scrutinizing potential purchases more honestly. The feeling of having less, seeing less lying around, having less to think about or find when cooking, and having less to clean up is a light and refreshing feeling mentally and physically as you move through increasingly open and tidy spaces. Naturally, you'll free up time to do more valuable work rather than mundane household chores. Even moving house will easier.