From the moment you walk into your kitchen, it’s a hive of activity. You’re constantly making decisions and it can seem like everything you do there has an impact on your space. If you want to keep your kitchen in tip-top condition, that’s going to require some serious dedication. Here are useful checklists that will help you keep track of what needs to be done every time you head into your kitchen for a few hours at a time.
Make a list
To keep your kitchen clean and organized you need to be able to put your hands on everything you need when you need it. This means that you’ll need to keep a list of all your kitchen tools, as well as what needs to be done and when. Every time you enter your kitchen, you’ll have a glance at your list to see what needs to be done. You’ll also have a mental note of the next time you were planning to do it, which will help keep you on track. If you keep your list somewhere obvious where you can find it easily, it should be easy to keep track of what needs to be done.
Clean as you go
When you’re cleaning your kitchen, you don’t want to let any of your other tasks get in the way. That’s why you should be taking a ‘clean as you go approach. You’ll want to clean as you go, meaning that you are cleaning as you go from one room to the next. This will let you get on with other tasks while you’re cleaning. It also means that you don’t have to spend too much time cleaning parts of the kitchen that you won’t be using. If you take this approach, you can clean the whole kitchen in roughly an hour. You’ll want to do a quick clean-up first, like clearing away any bits and pieces that are lying around, then you can spend the rest of the time cleaning specific parts of the kitchen.
Set up your work area
If you’re cleaning as you go, you’re going to find that you run out of time before you’re even halfway through the kitchen. That’s why you’ll want to set up a ‘kitchen clean-up station’. This will let you quickly pull out all your cleaning tools and have everything that you need to clean your kitchen in front of you. You’ll want to put this station near the back door so you can grab it easily when you’re heading out and coming in again. You can then use it to store the cleaning tools you use regularly so that they’re within easy reach. You can also label the space with what they’re for so that you know exactly where they are when you’re cleaning.
Have a final clean-up day
When you start cleaning your kitchen, you’re going to find that it takes two hours to clean it. If you wanted to keep going until you’d cleaned it, you’d be in a jam. The solution is to have a final clean-up day. This should be the day that you take all the remaining bits and pieces out of your kitchen that you can’t put in the bin. If you’re stuck in one room for an extended period—like if you’re building a house—you can leave these out for when you come back. You’ll also want to empty your fridge and freezer, put all your ingredients back in their correct places, and tidy away any bits and pieces that have been left lying around. You’ll then be able to take your kitchen from a half-cleaned state to a clean state within an hour.
Store your kitchen tools
When you start cleaning your kitchen, you’ll find that you’re using a lot of washing-up sponges. You’re also going to want to use a lot of dusters, mops, and cloths. You can avoid them ending up in the bin by putting them in a kitchen tool drawer. If you don’t have a kitchen-specific drawer and you’re trying to store them in a kitchen drawer, they’re likely to end up in your bedroom drawer, or worse. You’ll want to put all your kitchen cleaning tools in a storage drawer so that they’re all in one place. You’ll be able to quickly pull them out whenever you need to clean your kitchen.
Have a routine
When you start cleaning your kitchen, you’re going to find that you’re using a lot of washing-up sponges. You’re also going to want to use a lot of dusters, mops, and cloths. You can avoid them ending up in the bin by putting them in a kitchen tool drawer. If you don’t have a kitchen-specific drawer and you’re trying to store them in a kitchen drawer, they’re likely to end up in your bedroom drawer, or worse. You’ll want to put all your kitchen cleaning tools in a storage drawer so that they’re all in one place. You can then take all the sponges out of the drawer and pile them up in a pile on the kitchen table so that you can easily see which ones you’ve used. You can then put a note on the pile with the name of the sponge and the date that you used it so that you don’t accidentally use it again. You can then take your mops and cloths and put them in the washing machine so that they’re clean when you come back from your clean-up day. You can put away your dusters and sponges, then you’ll be good to go.
When to hire help
You might be tempted to try and save some money by cleaning your kitchen on your own. But you’ll be happy that you didn’t if you find that you’ve put in more time and effort than it’s worth. If you’re serious about keeping your kitchen clean, you’ll want to hire someone to clear it out for you. There are a lot of different cleaning services out there, and you’ll want to do some research to find the one that’s best for you. Some of them will charge an hourly rate, while others might be willing to work on a non-permanent contract. You’ll want to find the one that’s best for your situation, and that’s the one that’s right for you.
FAQ
There are many ways to make a list of everything you need to clean your kitchen. You can use a list maker, a spreadsheet, or a note card.
Checking off a list is a great way to keep your kitchen clean. By marking off each item as you clean it, you know that you have completed the task.
Making a list before you start cleaning can help you stay focused and organized. You will also avoid getting sidetracked and completing less important tasks.
Checking off a list can also give you a sense of satisfaction. After completing a task, you can feel good about yourself and your cleanliness skills.
One of the dangers of not making a list or using a checklist when cleaning your kitchen is that you may not remember all of the tasks that need to be done. Not having a list can also lead to forgetting important steps, which can result in a dirty kitchen. A checklist can help keep you organized and remind you what needs to be done.