I was recently reading an article about the benefits of decluttering and organizing your life. The woman who appears on the TV Show The Hoarders (aka ‘Dorothy the Organizer’) indicated that clearing out clutter isn’t about getting more empty boxes and color-coated containers to put your stuff in. It’s about looking underneath all the clutter and see the reason behind your chaos.
Hmmm…. This got me thinking about my kitchen, and how much better it feels when it’s decluttered, well-organized and clean.
The kitchen tends to get cluttered very quickly, so de-cluttering regularly is imperative to maintaining good organization. The state of your kitchen is not only connected to the state of your health and how happy you feel, but also to the flow of prosperity and abundance in your life (according to Feng Shui).
Now that the New Year is underway, it’s the perfect time to get your kitchen organized for a healthier and happier you. Plan to purge everything that is not used, expired, doesn’t belong or is collecting dust.
Start With The Refrigerator
For starters, how’s your fridge looking? The most used item in your kitchen deserves some love and attention. Every few months, be sure to empty the fridge completely. Throw away any expired foods, uneaten leftovers and those rarely-used foods that have been hiding out for quite some time (ie. those almost empty jars of pickles, jams and mayo).
Remove the shelving and drawers and wash them by hand in the sink with hot water and ammonia. Never wash a cold glass shelf with hot water since any sudden temperature change could shatter the glass. Then wipe down the outside and the inside, getting rid of any food build up. Hint: for stubborn stains, try toothpaste. It serves as an abrasive cleaner and smells good too.
Add that open box of baking soda to keep things smelling fresh, and unless you have small children at home, consider taking everything off the front and side of your fridge — it really does make your kitchen look messy.
Cabinets and Drawers
Stop knocking over spices to search for the hard-to-find spice you need, hidden in the back of a cabinet. Buy a sliding shelf or stair-stepped storage shelf so you can easily view the labels. A turntable is the perfect option for easily spinning bottles of oils and vinegar into view.
How do your kitchen drawers look? If things are loose and hard to find, purchase dividers and organizers so you can easily locate that much needed item. Be sure to group like items together and add drawer liners for a clean look.
How does the cabinet under your sink look? We’re guessing it could use some organization as well. Wire shelving units that slide out are great in this space, making it easy to retrieve items. Hooks inside the door are also an option for storing sponges and dish soap.
The Microwave and Garbage Disposal
One of the quickest way to clean a microwave oven is to place a handful of wet paper towels inside and run it on high for three to four minutes. The steam from the towels softens the grime. Once the paper towels cool down use them to wipe the oven’s interior.
Deep clean and deodorize your waste disposal unit by grinding ice cubes made with half vinegar, half water.
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Finally, clean your countertops, clear off the kitchen table, mop the floors, wipe down the appliances and Windex your windows. Then sit back, relax and let the sunshine in.
If interested, you can find out more about curbing the chaos in your home by organizing it according to your life values. Take the clutter quiz here.
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