Hints to help you Clean up the Kitchen!

This week I'll be focusing any extra minutes in my kitchen. It's time to scrub down the outsides of the cabinets, clean off the counters, organize and sort through the drawers, and wipe down the appliances.
I have a really busy week so I'll break these jobs down into 15 to 20 minutes tasks.

DRAWERS: 5 to 15 minutes per drawer
When I clean out a drawer, I remove the drawer and dump it out onto the counter. I wipe out the inside and make sure it's really clean before I start putting stuff back in. As I sort through the items I ask myself, when was the last time I used this?, How often do I use it? and Do I really need this? If I only use it once a year, I have a plastic tub with a lid in my laundry room and that tool goes in this keeps the drawers less crowded. If I only use it occasionally, it goes to the back of the drawer. The items that I use frequently go in the front for easy access. I use plastic bags or tiny plastic containers to keep smaller items, like corn cob holders , together and organized.  I have a hard time giving things away that are perfectly good, I haven't used in years BUT- I might need them someday. I force myself to put these things into a bag, TAPE IT SHUT and set it in the back of my car. I write a date on the bag one month from when it goes into the car. If I haven't needed anything from the bag in that month, I drop it off at goodwill WITHOUT LOOKING IN THE BAG!!! I use this method with closets and the basement too. I forget exactly what's in there and if I don't see it, I won't miss it.

CUPBOARDS- Inside-  20 to 30 minutes each.
Take everything out, wipe down shelves and put everything back in. Is there a better place for these items. For example- Are your coffee cups and coffee making items near the coffee maker? Are the dishes easy to put away from the sink or dishwasher? This is the time to rearrange if it makes more sense.
If you have young kids- try placing their dishes in a drawer that they can reach. This makes it easy for them to help put their dishes away and for them to get their things out for meals and snacks. My kids are grown and we still keep the small bowls and plastic plates for snacks in a drawer. Drawers are also a much easier place to keep tupperware bowls and lids. It makes it much easier to find them than in a cupboards.

CUPBOARDS-Outsides of all-  15 to 30 minutes.
Wipe down the outside of the cupboards and drawers with Murphy's Oil Soap or whatever is safe for your cupboard doors. I like to use a microfiber cloth for this to really get the cooking build up off.

APPLIANCES- Outsides:15 to 20 minutes
Wipe down the tops, fronts and sides of all the appliances- The fridge top can be scary if it hasn't been done in a while. While you're cleaning, Take the time to remove all the stuff from the fridge front. Take down all the magnets, photos and stuff. I tape those kinds of things on the inside of my cupboard doors. This keeps them in a handy yet out of sight place. Just removing all the stuff from the fronts and sides of the fridge will make your whole kitchen look cleaner and more uncluttered. It really does!!!!! Try it!!!!

REFRIGERATOR COILS- 5 to 10 minutes
Vacuum the coils of your refrigerator to increase energy efficiency and prolong the life of the compressor. You should clean the coils at least 2 times a year, if you have pets 4 times a year! Your owner's manual will show how to do this or you can google it online. 

Break it down this week and get that kitchen cleaned.