Cleaning
Here's how to "shut down" your kitchen every night and why you should be doing it
By doing a few simple tasks every night, you'll save yourself time (and a headache) throughout the week.
Eduardo Gaskell
11.11.21

It really is fun working in the kitchen. Baking and cooking have become pretty popular hobbies and all those cooking shows only makes one salivate and eventually go down to the kitchen in an attempt to recreate what was on the screen.

Except you need to be organized in the kitchen. Then there’s the inevitable cleaning up after all the work done. It’s not a restaurant where you have dishwashers and servers ready to help.

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Pixabay

Apartment Therapy makes it easier by simply suggesting to “shut down the kitchen” every night.

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Pixabay

A kitchen has to be organized and clean. Try it for a week and see how it works for you.

On the first night, you want to aim for “a level of cleaning that’s somewhere between post-meal clean-up and a thorough kitchen deep-clean”. Begin by cleaning up the dishes and all the pots and pans you used. That’s a good start.

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Pixabay

If you still have the energy for it, dry the dishes and store them away, or put them back on the rack you use. Also, the use of disinfectant in the sink and on the counter tops helps rid the surfaces of unwanted bacteria.

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When you wake up the next morning, you’ll find a near spotless kitchen. Making that fresh cup of coffee is going to feel so good at the sight of a clean kitchen devoid of clutter.

You could argue that ordering take out would be easier as you no longer have to clean. But that would be a burden on your wallet. Not to mention unhealthy most of the time.

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Utilize that dish drying rack. Just put it on a spot that won’t get in the way of your morning routine but still easy enough to reach.

Another tip is to bring out your morning essentials like the coffee maker so when you wake up, it’s all there ready to use. Grab those beans and brew!

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By the third night, you’ll get into a rhythm.

Washing the dishes, air drying them on the rack before wiping them down won’t feel so burdensome anymore. And if you live with a partner or a roommate, set an agreement when it comes to cleanliness. Slobs breed unwanted diseases.

Then again if wiping them down the next morning while waiting for your coffee works, then go for it.

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Work around your kitchen. Get into a flow that works best for you without spending so much energy. Focus on important tasks like washing the dishes, wiping down the counters, sweeping the floor, then getting ready for the next morning.

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Keep it simple that it won’t take you half an hour.

Apartment Therapy summarizes a night’s worth of shutting down like so:

  1. Wash dishes and put them in the dish rack to dry
  2. Spray all-purpose or disinfecting cleaner on countertops and stove
  3. Declutter any other surfaces, such as my coffee station or mail shelf
  4. Wipe the spray off after a few minutes
  5. Set up French press with a scoop of coffee inside
  6. Sweep the floor, and if necessary, vacuum
  7. Check the cat’s water and refill if necessary
  8. Turn out the lights!

Create your own system depending on where and how you live!

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Not everybody likes cleaning. But there should be no excuses when it comes to the kitchen. Seeing that space clean the next morning gives that feeling of zen. you’ll be surprised how recharged you’ll feel.

Makes you look like a responsible adult too!

For more tips, check out the video below!

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