Organize Your Kitchen in a Weekend

When homeowners first move into a home, everyone intends to keep their kitchens as clean, shiny, and organized as day one. Then reality sets in, life (and usually kids) happen, and next thing you know, you can't stand to open your fridge, pantry, or cupboards.

The good news is, disorganization and messes are a problem that can be remedied in a weekend at virtually no outside cost to you unless you're running low on cleaning supplies. Our easy guide will help you get started.

Friday Night

We know, spending your Friday night decluttering and organizing isn't your favorite way to while away the evening but trust us, you'll enjoy the next weekend a million times more because you won't be worried about your messy kitchen. So grab some rubber gloves and maybe a face mask because tonight we're cleaning out the fridge and pantry. Starting with the fridge, take everything out shelf by shelf and toss out the old. Wipe down the walls and shelves of your now empty fridge. Then, put everything back only this time, try to organize the foods with size and categorization. In less than an hour, your fridge should look as sparkly and clean as the day you bought it.

Now it's time to tackle the pantry. You'll take on this task pretty much the same way you did the fridge. Focus on one shelf or drawer at a time. Remove everything and wipe it down while the shelf or drawer is empty. Toss out expired foods then categorize and sort what's left. Put breakfast items with breakfast items, canned goods with other canned goods and so on. After that, take a hot shower or bath and relax! You've worked hard.

Saturday

By now, you should be good and motivated to get the rest of your kitchen as organized as your fridge and pantry. After you've had your coffee, breakfast or morning run, it's time to give attention to your cabinets, cupboards, and open shelves. Like with the pantry and fridge, you'll start by removing everything, wiping down the inside of cabinets and shelves, and decluttering the trash. Toss out broken items, start a giveaway box for unwanted and duplicate items, and then take a few moments to form a reorganization plan.

The number one rule in reorganizing your kitchenware, dinnerware, and small appliances is to place them near the areas they will be used the most. Now is the time to create a coffee station where your coffee, creamer, and whatever you use to sweeten your cup are kept near the coffee maker along with your favorite mugs. If you are like us and have an overabundance of coffee mugs, you can place the lesser-used mugs in another cabinet or drawer nearby.

Sunday

Here in the South (and in our house) Sundays are a day for worship, rest and family time. That's why the tasks we've saved for today take less than an hour total to accomplish. Start by pouring white vinegar down your sink drains and let it sit for 10 minutes before rinsing them with boiling water. While the vinegar does its work in the drains, take a scrub pad and your favorite kitchen cleaning solution and scrub down the sink, paying special attention to scrubbing the faucets, especially the nooks and crannies. Next, take the trash and recycling cans outside to wipe them down and rinse them with a water hose. Let them air-dry before bringing them back inside. Finally, wipe down your countertops and backsplash, and voila! You're done and your kitchen feels brand new.

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