Keep Your Kitchen Tidy

The kitchen has always been a gathering place for family and friends to engage in good conversation and consume food. It’s no surprise the kitchen is constantly in need of attention. If food is overflowing out of the cabinets or the junk drawer contains more junk than you can handle here are some simple ways to bring order and cleanliness to your kitchen.

Organize It

• Containers- Use containers for opened boxes of pasta, cereal, beans, rice, flour, and sugar to save space in your cabinets.
• Pot Racks-If you lack cabinet space, hanging racks aren’t only attractive but provide a convenient alternative for spare storage for your pots and pans.
• Storage for Under the Sink- Don’t neglect the space under the kitchen sink. Purchase inexpensive bins to store dish soap, sponges, scrubbing pads and cleaning products.
• Food Cabinets and Pantries- These areas tend to get messy quick. Try this four step approach to organizing your cabinets and pantry.

1. Empty the Cabinets – Empty the cabinets, wipe each shelf with a damp cloth or use a dust buster to vacuum any crumbs left behind.
2. Discard – Discard any canned goods whose expiration dates have passed. If you have multiple boxes open such as pasta put them in canisters and discard the boxes.
3. Categorize – Separate your food by category or try grouping together the items you use most.
4. Arrange – Designate a specific place for your cans, boxed foods, breads, and condiments, along with items such as wax paper, sandwich bags in your cabinet or pantry in a sensible manner.

Clean It

Avoid leaving dishes in the sink until the next morning, this only creates more work. Make it a household rule if you use a dish, you wash it.
Save time, energy, and water by using the dishwasher, instead of hand washing your dishes.
A sparkling sink will motivate you to clean the rest of the kitchen. Try using baking soda to clean your sink and shine it up with Windex.
Clean your refrigerator once a month from the inside out and top to bottom. Get rid of any expired produce or food.
Clean your oven once every other month unless you have a self cleaning oven. Clean burners and knobs on a weekly basis.
Every two months clean your kitchen cabinets.
Scrub your floor once a week or once every other week. The Swifter is a great alternative to getting on your hands and knees or using messy mops.

Overall a tidy kitchen makes your week go smoother and meal time more of a pleasure than a hassle.

Copyright © Chere Williams, Moms of Faith, All Rights Reserved