7 Rules for Kitchen Maintenance

7 Rules for Kitchen Maintenance by Darlene Schacht

An organized home feels so good doesn’t it? I love the feeling of clean. I want to be able to look into my pantry to see what I can work with, and what I have to get from the store. I like having a empty countertop when I go to prepare a meal. I like having clean dishes when I reach for a glass. I want to be able to invite people in and not be ashamed of the mess.

Kitchen organization isn’t all that hard, really–not if you stick to the rules. I’m not a clean freak by any stretch of the imagination, but over time I’ve ventured over to the Martha side of life, and I kinda like the way it feels.

Want to organize your kitchen and keep that same feeling of clean? Good, let’s take a look at seven rules that I like to follow:

1. Don’t leave anything on your kitchen counter, other than the items you’ve designated for that space. Make this a rule and stick to it. With an open floor plan, my island is the center of attention in my home. I want it to be functional, clean, and pretty, and so we have a rule that junk doesn’t stay on the counter no matter what.

2. Empty and fill your dishwasher often (emphasis on empty). If you don’t have a dishwasher, then wash your dishes after every meal. Kitchens are much easier to maintain when the dishwasher’s empty. I try to empty mine as soon as it’s done. I like the feeling of warm glass in my hands, but I also like the ease of putting a cup in there after I take a drink.

3. Organize your hidden spaces. When we moved into this house, everything got shoved into our pantry. After I got it all organized I found duplicates of a number of items. My husband kept picking up pasta until I showed him that we have way too much already, and I was buying SOS pads because they were hiding beneath all of the plastic bags under the sink. Here are some before and after pictures. P.S. I don’t usually have this many chips. My husband picked them up for the hockey playoff season. LOL

4. Eliminate packaging when possible. Nothing makes your kitchen look sloppier than a bunch of bags piled up. They are impossible to stack and will alway make your cupboards look messier than they are. Use food storage containers to keep items like pasta, rice, chocolate chips, and crackers well organized. (Amazon has a good selection)Storing them in containers also helps to take advantage of vertical space. Doing things this way will free up a lot of room. Storage Tip: Use clear labels and print them out with your favorite font for the storage containers.
5. Stay on top of the clutter. In addition to the daily and weekly maintenance. Go through your kitchen once or twice a year to declutter, reorganize, and wipe the inside of the cupboards down. In order to keep things smelling and feeling fresh, you should be giving your kitchen a deep clean every year.
6. Make use of the back of cupboard doors. If you have a small kitchen, and you’re low on space, consider hanging items on the back of some cupboard doors. Here are two creative ways to do that. The door with the measurements is from SuperHealthyKids.com isn’t it cute?! And the beautiful door with the hanging apron is from BetterHomesAndGardens.com

7. Don’t stand around waiting for pasta to boil, or potatoes to cook, or the microwave to beep. You can get a lot done in ten minutes, so you might as well take advantage of idle time by wiping the counters, emptying the dishwasher, or sweeping the floor.

About the Author:

Darlene and her husband Michael live in Manitoba Canada where the summers are beautiful and the winters are cold. Together they’ve raised four children and have welcomed two grand children into their family.

She began her publishing journey about fourteen years ago when she pioneered one of the first online magazines for Christian women, known at the time as “Christian Women Online Magazine.” After three years, Darlene left CWO to blog as a solo author at Time-Warp Wife Ministries.

Being the youngest of six girls in a house without boys gave Darlene the opportunity to watch, to listen, and to learn what it takes to manage an organized house.

My P31 Home is a warm blend of Darlene’s writing and love for a comfy, pretty, and organized home. It’s a small corner of the world where faith, family, and home come together in one beautiful place.

Find Darlene on the Web at:

Time-Warp Wife Ministries
Facebook: @timewarpwife
Pinterest: @timewarpwife
Twitter: @timewarpwife
Instagram: @timewarpwife