6 Ways to Optimize Your Kitchen For The Holidays

Ever notice that your house gets more and more cluttered as the holidays come near? The kitchen, especially,  is so heavily trafficked that it is just begging “stuff’ to collect! But is organizing possible right now?

While there are small ways to keep your kitchen clean all year round, December may be too busy to keep up with it all.  Good luck when January arrives. By then, the messes have been made! You will have your work cut out for you.

So, here are six ways to best optimize your kitchen around the holidays. Challenge yourself to utilize these as you enjoy the Christmas season – you won’t regret it!

 

Declutter

Start off by purging out any old appliances you have. Perhaps they are worn out and you no longer have any use for them, this is a great time to rid yourself of these pots and pans. Sort through all that you have and create piles of what you’ll need, and what can be donated. It’s important to be honest and keep only what is necessary and/or things you absolutely love. If you have the luxury of a basement or an attic, think about storing your off-season appliances there, to relieve your kitchen of those unnecessary items.

 

Deep Clean

Now, at the time of this reading, if it is super close to Christmas day, you can put this on hold for the future. Since you just cleared some space around the kitchen, it would be a great time to do a deep clean. It is easier to clean out the hard to reach areas in your kitchen with the clutter gone.

Thoroughly clean your stove/oven to provide a fresh area to cook and bake in. With everything sanitary and clear, you will have a better mindset as you enter this room, and feel significantly less stressed out.

Balance your Decorations

As December chugs along, you have most likely added in some Christmas-themed decorations throughout the space. An important decor tip to keep in mind however, is to always keep the balance of the room in check. When you have too many decorations, it can seem cluttered even when it is not!

A great way to create the holiday mood, is to light a peppermint scented candle. You’ll create an ambiance without adding to the clutter.

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Organize the pantry

Organize the pantry in a holiday week? No, of course not.  The true organizing will have to wait for January or beyond, but you can do a quick look through to find the items you will use the most. Put them on the pantry shelf directly at eye level, putting the most likely to be used items in front.  It will get you by until you can do a thorough job a few weeks from now.

 

Systematize your Drawers

When our drawers are overflowing, we either end up putting the contents outside of the drawer and causing more clutter, or just shove them in and ultimately damage the item. If this is holiday week, check out this post on How To Speed Clean a Room for tips that can also be applied to drawers. Quick clean ups must lead to doing for real, though. Don’t forget to come back and get it done right! For a deeper clean, here are some tips that may help>> Take Control – Clean a Drawer. 

Clear up Counter Space

Think about it, when you see a clear counter, it generally feels as if your kitchen is more organized than usual. The more dishes in the sink, papers piling up, and utensils scattered about, the more overwhelming the room becomes. To combat this issue, utilize your wall space. Invest in a hanging rack, or a metal knife holder.

This way, your kitchen appliances are still accessible, yet they are out of the way for day to day tasks around the kitchen. Even a cumbersome counter item, such as a cutting board, can be put to the side to create more space. Lean it against the black splash or even place it on top of your fridge. There are many ways to clear your counter, for more inspiration refer here.

Let’s face it, no kitchen will ever be completely organized at all times. Especially in the midst of this busy season! Set yourself up for a stress-free Christmas and position your kitchen the best way possible. Happy Holidays! Comment below and share your best kitchen hack!

Enjoy!