WE ARE ALL GUILTY OF STAYING UP LATE THE NIGHT BEFORE GUESTS COME OVER IN AN ATTEMPT TO CLEAN THE KITCHEN ENOUGH FOR IT TO BE PRESENTABLE. AFTER ALL, FOOD IS OFTEN THE HEART OF THE HOME, SO GUESTS TEND TO GRAVITATE TOWARDS THE KITCHEN WHEN THEY VISIT.

If the idea of guests seeing your kitchen today scares you, don’t worry. You are not alone!

But bringing friends and family into your kitchen this Christmas doesn’t have to be a terrifying thought. Follow these great tips to keep the kitchen clean and welcoming for your holiday guests.

Declutter Before The Season Starts

Kitchen gadgets often accumulate in bulk. Indeed, most people I know own more kitchen tools and appliances than they know what to do with. And these tools can make it hard to clean.

When you have too much in your kitchen, cleaning, storing, and finding these items can become a time consuming and frustrating task.

A great way to set yourself up for clean kitchen success this holiday season is to take the time to declutter. If you haven’t used a kitchen item in the last year, donate it or put it into storage for the time being. You won’t be reaching for it now if you haven’t used it before.

By taking some items out of your kitchen, washing dishes and putting them away will become a much more enjoyable task than it was when your kitchen was packed with junk.

Organise Your Pantry

Keeping your pantry from overflowing can be one of the hardest parts about keeping a clean kitchen. From toppling bags of sugar to sweet containers without lids, it can get pretty messy.

To avoid this problem, trying use Stuck On You name labels to create specific spots for bulky items or messy items that are often causing your family storage problems.

For example, place a name label for sugar in the spot where the sugar container should sit. Place another name tag in the area any biscuits belong.

By assigning specific locations to common pantry items, unloading groceries and finding what you need in the kitchen will be more efficient. And efficiency in the kitchen can go a long way!

Do Dishes Every Day

Yes, that means that you should not be letting any dishes sit in the sink overnight. Whether you wash dishes by hand or you have a dishwasher, make sure that all dishes are out of the sink before you go to bed at night.

While it might seem annoying at first, doing this will set a great precedence for your family so that dishes are never left in the sink. And with no dishes in the sink, your kitchen will be ready for surprise holiday guests at a moment’s notice!

Bonus Tip: Stop Fretting!

While it is important to keep things clean, they aren’t going to stop being your friend if you left out one dirty towel.

Keep things clean, but also keep your head firmly on your shoulders so that you can enjoy the holiday season with your friends and family.

Image courtesy of: Emily Henderson.

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