# everything but the kitchen sink

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/everything-but-the-kitchen-sink
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Almost everything, whether needed or not.

## Examples

- She packed everything but the kitchen sink for her short weekend trip.
- When we moved into our new apartment, my brother insisted on bringing everything but the kitchen sink, even though we only had space for the essentials.
- The amateur explorer arrived at the base camp carrying everything but the kitchen sink, clearly unaware that the steep mountain path would require a much lighter load.

## Origin

Originally military slang, 1944.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.