The Spring Cleaning Series | Week Four

Week four is finally here! By now you have hopefully cleaned your bedroom, your bathroom(s), and all of your shared spaces. (I’m still putting the finishing touches on some of those rooms, but I feel like I’m almost there!) This final week is all about the kitchen. Remember, this project is not about perfectionism, but rather, being intentional. My personal goal is to go through everything, even if it takes me longer than a week, to truly go through each item I own and Spring clean for a cleaner and more organized apartment. At the end of this week I will also discuss ways that you can maintain what you have already worked so hard to achieve. By the end of next week I might even share some photos on my place if you’re interested in seeing how my own Spring Cleaning Project turned out. 

The kitchen is often the heart of our homes; it is where family and friends gather and meals and memories are made. Our kitchens usually have the most amount of stuff and clutter so I saved this one for last. We have practiced our decluttering all month long so now we’re ready for the big job. 

Step One: Clean all of your dishes. Wash, dry, and put them away so we can go through them all and so that they are all out of the way as we go onto step two. When your dishes are done, make sure you also scrub down your sink. 

Step Two: Clear off your counters. We’re going to need this space to sort out everything that we pull out of our pantries, cabinets, and drawers. Once everything you had on the counter has been decluttered and put away where they belong, wipe down the surface. 

Step Three: Let’s go through the pantry (or food cabinet) first. Pull out absolutely EVERYTHING. As you take out items, check the expiration dates. Toss everything that has expired as you go. 

When your pantry or food cabinet is cleaned out, wipe down all shelves and surfaces. Washing containers that you have emptied. 

Now sort your food as you go. Put similar items together: rice, grains, and beans in one area and pastas in another. Designate a section for jars and cans or snacks. Now that you have sorted, put all of the items back in the pantry in an organized way, keeping similar items together so that you can easily find them when you need them. For extra organizing, use glass jars or containers to sort commonly used items like cereal and beans. I also like to use small baskets to corral small snacks and cans. Is there anything that you do not like at all or will never use? Do not put them back! Give them to a neighbor or friend who will use it or donate to your local food bank. 

Step Four: Now you’re going to go through all of your cabinets and drawers. Once again, pull out absolutely EVERYTHING. This is why you need your counter to be clear. You are going to go through it all at once, not cabinet by cabinet. This is because items get mixed up and placed in different parts of your kitchen. You want to make sure that all of your items are put back where they belong, not in random places. As you’re removing items, put anything you do not use in a donate pile. 

Next you will sort similar items together; all pots and pans in one place, all plates in another, mugs in another section, and utensils in another. After everything is sorted check to see what you have too much of. Any duplicates? Keep your favorite and donate the others. This goes for drinking glasses, dishes, and mugs as well. If you’re a family of three, do you really need seventeen miscellaneous bowls? Donate any extras or anything from a mix-matched set that you do not like or use. Really think about your seasonal items like Christmas candy dishes. Having a couple seasonal items is perfectly ok, but if there is anything you have not used in years, now is the time to say goodbye. 

Lastly, you will wipe down every drawer, cabinet, and shelf before putting everything back, this time organizing each item with similar items together. 

Step Five: Time to think about your appliances. Do you have numerous blenders or toasters? How about items that you thought you would use (like a juicer or fryer) but you never do? Time to donate these items. A few years ago we donated our microwave and it was one of the best decisions we ever made! Because of this, we now have more space in our small kitchen and we eat much healthier foods. We also reheat our foot on the stove top or in the oven, which tastes so much better and is better for you.

Next you will clean each appliance form the inside out, starting with your small appliances like your toaster and working your way to deep cleaning your larger appliances like your dish washer and oven. Yes, you need to deep clean those too. Start with removing crumbs and food from inside and then removing shelves and trays to wipe them down. Last, you will scrub down the outside of the appliance to remove dust, grease, and food. While you’re at it, wash down the outside of all of your kitchen cabinets and drawers too. 

Step Six: I save the refrigerator and freezer for the last of the appliances because this is a big project. Again, remove EVERYTHING! This time you can start with your freezer; removing all items and discarding everything that has expired or been freezer burned. Next you will wipe down the shelves or drawers, chipping away at built up ice if you have any. When you place items back, do so in an organized way putting similar items together like frozen fruit and desserts in one area and frozen meat or fish in another. You will do this exact same process with your fridge. To finish the project, wipe down the outside of your fridge and freezer as well. 

Step Seven: Make sure everything that is on your counter top actually belongs there. Mail should have its own home; not on your counter. So should your car keys and appliances like your blender that belong hidden away in a cabinet instead of cluttering up your space. Keeping appliances out on your counters may seem convenient, but it actually is not. It takes only seconds to put something away or take it out. Keeping things out on your counter can accumulate dust and it also makes your kitchen look messy and dirty. 

Now, hopefully you have gone through everything. If there is something we missed, now it the time to do it. Congrats on getting to weak four of your Spring Cleaning journey! Please share your experience in the comments below.