Here are six simple holiday organizing tips to clear kitchen clutter. Then, let the cooking and baking begin!
Let a sparkly-clean kitchen sink jump-start each day during the entire holiday season. Sprinkle the sink with baking soda and lemon juice, and scrub with a damp sponge or cloth. Rinse and dry. Polish the faucet to a shine. Or try Scrub Daddy, a neat little sponge that works on just about any surface. Then, every day throughout the holiday season, immediately put dirty dishes in the dishwasher or wash them by hand so you can continue to admire your sparkly sink!
Let beauty curb clutter. Place a simple holiday bouquet or a small potted plant in the center of the kitchen table or island. It’s a visual reminder that clutter is not allowed to accumulate there. Downsize your kitchen collection. Kitchen space will be at a premium once holiday guests arrive, so take time before the rush to get rid of the gadgets, small appliances, and mismatched containers you never use.
Give the fridge a makeover before holiday guests arrive. Pull out all food items, and toss anything expired or mysterious. Then, wipe down all shelving and bins so they’re squeaky clean. Group similar food items together. With your fresh slate, keep items you use most frequently near the front and at eye level. Store taller items in the back of the fridge and shorter items in front of them for easy visibility. For example, place all drinks on one shelf, veggies in one drawer, fruits in another, condiments on the shelves in the door, and all dairy together on one shelf. Containerize categories of items for easy accessibility. Invest in simple organizing tools, such as a Lazy Susan to hold condiments or a low, open-top bin to corral small jars. And don’t forget that you can adjust a fridge’s shelves to maximize space.
Then, clear off refrigerator magnets. They seem to multiply when you’re not looking! Clear off all of them (and any miscellaneous photos, clippings, and notes) at the start of the holiday season, and enjoy the clutter-free surface. You will appreciate the clean look so much that you’ll likely keep it up even after the holidays.
Designate one shelf in the fridge to store leftovers. Store them in clear containers so you can easily see what you have. Use a dry-erase marker to label plastic lids so that containers’ contents are easy to identify.