Winter is something of the past and your kitchen is probably in dire need of a good spring-cleaning. Below are a few tips of how this can be done in a few easy steps. Try to get into the habit of doing this exercise every 3 months. It will make a world of difference!
General
Start by taking stock of what you already have in your kitchen (pantry, drawers, fridge and freezer) will help you know what you need to keep, you need to throw out, and what you need to stock up on. Any items that has is past the expiry date must go. The easiest would be to tackle one area at a time, i.e. start with the pantry, then the drawers and cupboards and lastly the fridge and freezer. Lay all the items out on a counter top of table so that it is easily accessible. This is a good time to defrost your fridge and freezer. Choose a time of the month when both of them are fairly empty!
Pantry
Start by placing things that you use most often, like cereal, spreads (e.g. Bovril) and condiments (e.g. soy sauce) in the easiest to reach places where you can access them easily. If possible, store dried herbs and spices close to the stove, i.e. in a spice rack against the wall or in a cupboard or drawer. Group similar items, i.e. put all the ingredients used for baking such as baking powder, bicarb of soda, sugars, and flours. Keep dry goods such as pasta and rice together and liquids like oils and sauces together so you can always find these ingredients easily. Also, transfer dry ingredients such as flour, cereal, etc. into clear airtight containers such as Tupperware.
Kitchen Drawers
- Keep your rubbish bin and “give away” box close by.
- Quickly review the contents of each drawer and throw away anything that is broken or which cannot be used by someone else. Pick out the items that you rarely use and put it in your “give-away” box. Remember that you don’t have to get rid of them right away – you can still change your mind!
- Take everything out of the drawers and place it on the counter.
- Vacuum and wipe the drawers out as you organize. Start by removing crumbs with a handheld vacuum or the hose attachment of your vacuum cleaner. Then wipe down the drawers with an all-purpose cleaner.
- Before you pack the items back into the drawers, group the items and allocate a drawer for each group where possible. For example, put the cutlery which you use daily, such as knives, forks, dessert spoons and teaspoons, in one drawer and items that you only use occasionally, like steak knives, cake forks, cake lifters, etc. in a separate drawer. Also group items such as foil, clingwrap, wax paper, baking paper and ziplock bags together. If you don’t have drawer organizers, get some!
Kitchen Cupboards
Follow the same steps as for kitchen drawers, i.e. group crockery that you use most often, in one cupboard and place crockery that you use left often at the back of the cupboard or high up.
Fridge and freezer
Get into the habit of storing food in the fridge or freezer in ziplock bags for easy identification. Start by placing the bag on the counter. Write the name of the item, e.g. 2 large egg whites and the date on the bag with a permanent marker. Some brands come with a write-on strip, which makes it even easier. Place the food in the bag, let he air out of the bag, seal and place in the fridge for short term storing or in the freezer for long term storing.