Oh! my Kitchen....

 Kitchens should be a place where family can gather to visit, to eat, to work on projects and to just spend time with one another. So often I feel like my kitchen is the last place I want anyone to be. It is a cluttered mess that I just cannot get a handle on. So, I have decided to sit down and make a list of all the things I need to do to make my kitchen a central place in our home. Hopefully once I make this list, I can stick to it!

Before I can do all these things daily, weekly and monthly, I am going to have to do one week of everything on this list. This will get things in shape and make it easier to upkeep. I feel like my kitchen is the most overwhelming area of my home to clean because it is constantly in need of attention. I find myself exhausted by the time I feel like things are in order, and then I don't have a desire to spend more time there cooking. We love home cooked meals here. They are healthier, cheaper, and more delicious than anything you can get at a restaurant. It is important for me to cook, and to do that, I need to make my kitchen a desirable place to be. Making sure the dishes are done first thing in the morning or right before going to bed is one way to do that. I don't always get them done right before bed because that is when I have time with my husband, but first thing in the morning makes preparing meals for the rest of the day much more delightful.

DAILY::

--Wash the dishes and put them away

--Take out the trash

--Clean the stovetop, table,sink and counters

--Clean the floor

--Eliminate the clutter

   *countertop clutter

 *tabletop clutter

   *(Store appliances out of sight if possible)

WEEKLY::

--Clean out the fridge and scrub the outside and top

--Wash windows, ovens, microwave, and any other appliances

--Quick pantry organization

--Inventory food and make meal plan for the week

--Create grocery list

MONTHLY::

--Go through cabinets and give away or throw away the junk

--Scrub the inside of cabinets

--Go through drawers

--Scrub drawers

--Make sure items are stored in the most convenient places

--Wash the curtains

--Go through spices

--Organize recipes

Part of being a Christian is practicing hospitality, and having a clean kitchen is essential in that. I do not expect things to be spotless all the time just because I am going to try to follow this list, but it should be presentable more often than not.

How do you conquer your kitchen? Do you ever feel overwhelmed by it all? What are some of your best cleaning tips?

Blessings In Christ,
Christina