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Summer’s winding down, the kids are back in school, and on the horizon, the holidays are looming. Maybe you’re already imagining family gatherings at Thanksgiving or friends visiting over Christmas. As much fun as those festivities are, it’s stressful to juggle the extra cooking and cleaning necessary to get ready. Often, the kitchen bears the brunt of holiday chaos. It feels almost impossible to accomplish daily tasks while also cranking out three dozen cookies for a holiday party and leaving the place spotless enough for your mother-in-law’s inspection. Thankfully, there are a few simple steps that can get your kitchen holiday ready and spare you some stress.
Often, the kitchen bears the brunt of holiday chaos. It feels almost impossible to accomplish daily tasks while also cranking out three dozen cookies for a holiday party and leaving the place spotless enough for your mother-in-law’s inspection. Thankfully, there are a few simple steps that can get your kitchen holiday ready and spare you some stress.
Clean out the Refrigerator and Freezer
Restock the Pantry
As with the fridge, try to get rid of anything taking up extra space as you’re cleaning your pantry. In this case, though, the goal is to be able to find what you’re looking for at a moment’s notice. Extra dry goods can go to local food pantries, so if you find you’ve ended up with eight boxes of pasta, spread the wealth and free up space.
Check over your holiday menus and see what ingredients you have on hand before you plan shopping trips. This will save money as well as keeping you from accumulating a sixth jar of pumpkin pie spice.
Prepare Holiday Serving ware and Storage containers
The last thing you want to be doing on Thanksgiving is trying to find a platter. Go through your cupboards and pull out those holiday dishes you know you’ll use. Give them a quick wash, and store them in easily accessible locations so that you can quickly get food from the oven to the table.
Also remember to think about how you’re storing leftovers. Check your storage containers, match up lids, and get rid of anything that’s damaged.
Clear Away Clutter
Take a look around your kitchen; notice the trouble spots and focus on those. Work with your family’s habits. Don’t fight the urge to set mail on the counter and drape your coat across a chair; instead, create a catch-all basket to keep small items contained, and make time regularly to put them all away. Put hooks near the door to make hanging up your coat as easy as leaving it on a chair. Don’t use the blender or crockpot often? Store them! That way, cleanup happens naturally rather than being a chore and it keeps out only what is used.
Establish a Command Center
The holidays should be a chance to spend time with friends and family, not cleaning and organizing your kitchen constantly. Ditch the last minute stress and take some time to prepare for this fall, one task at a time. Be sure to enlist help, you are nobodies maid or butler. Before you know it, your kitchen will be holiday ready and so will you!
This guest post was contributed by Maids by Trade, providing quality house cleaning services in Arizona including Tucson house cleaning, as well as the surrounding communities such as Oro Valley, Marana, and Saddlebrook.
Krystle Cook – the creator of Home Jobs by MOM – put her psychology degree on a shelf and dived into a pile of diapers and dishes instead. She is a wife and mother to two rambunctious boys, sweating it out in her Texas hometown. She loves cooking, DIY home projects, and family fun activities.
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“Every day is another chance to get stronger, to eat better, to live healthier, and to be the best version of you.”
Summer is here, but I almost feel like I have to start getting ready for the holidays now. These are definitely some great suggestions you offer here! Thanks for sharing!
Haha, I know what you mean. It’s always good to get the kitchen ready as early as possible.