We all strive for a kitchen worthy of magazine covers, but in reality, our spaces are best kept off the front pages. From crumbs and spills to dirty sinks and smelly sponges, our kitchens have seen better days—but here are 20 of the simplest ways to get them back to their prime.
1. Clean as You Go
Cleaning is the last thing on our minds during meal prep, but try to make a habit of doing it as you go. Putting away spices or having a bowl for scraps eliminates the annoying chore of cleaning everything at the end.
2. Countertop Minimalism
Between appliances, decor, and spice racks, it’s common to find yourself without space. However, you can easily avoid this by embracing minimalism! A thorough purge or simple storage solutions can help keep countertops a place for meal prep.
3. Tackle the Fridge
Fridges quickly fill, especially when you have a big family, so try cleaning them more often. While you don’t need to scrub the outside every day, pop your head in to spot spoiled leftovers or wipe any spills.
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4. Organize the Pantry
Pantries are sort of like the closet of the kitchen, which means they’re just as susceptible to clutter. As tempting as it is to toss half your groceries in there, make a point instead to go through the shelves and clear out what you don’t need. Proper pantry maintenance keeps away spoiled goods and wasted money.
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5. Habitutal Sweeping
Kitchens are a breeding ground for crumbs and spills—nightly sweeps get those little messes off the floor so you don’t have to worry about them later. It’s even better if you have a Swiffer because the upgrade can tackle bigger jobs.
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6. Wash the Oven
Dirty ovens not only sully food, but they’re also a huge fire hazard. Don’t wait to clean your oven—the job isn’t that tedious and can even be done overnight by mixing a simple solution of baking soda and dish soap into a paste. Coat the inside of your oven with it and let it sit while you sleep.
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7. Sweep the Counter
A nightly wipe-down is in order to get those crumbs off your countertops. They may not seem like a big deal right now, but telling yourself that all week soon leaves you with an unusable countertop—and a larger mess to clean.
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8. Clean in Your Free Time
Have a few minutes before the oven timer goes off? Tackle little jobs around the kitchen to save yourself a headache later. You’re already in there and you’d be surprised how much you get done in 90 seconds.
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9. Have a Compost Bowl
No cook has time for back-and-forth trips to the compost bin. Empty bowls are the best kitchen helper because not only do you keep scraps in one place, but you can easily dispose of them later.
10. Run the Dishwasher
It’s a common trap to believe the dishwasher still has room. After all, why run it now when you can still fit a few plates in there? Just run it! The last thing you want is a full dishwasher when another batch of dishes comes knocking.
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11. Tackle Stains Immediately
Minor spills aren’t a big deal in the moment, but they can easily attract bugs or ruin countertop finishes. Wiping them immediately prevents sticky residue and unpleasant surprises later on.
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12. Strive for an Empty Sink
It’s easy to leave the odd utensil or plate in the sink—and it’s also an easy to fill a sink. Try to keep your sink as empty as possible for larger pots and simple rinses. Not to mention, there’s something about seeing an empty sink that puts us at ease, too.
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13. Designated Areas
Making sure everything in the kitchen has its place is one of the best ways to maintain order. Designated areas help you know where to put everyday items and eliminate the nagging need to just dump stuff anywhere.
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14. Wipe the Sink
It might not be your favorite chore, but wipe the sink down whenever you do dishes there. Sinks are also magnets for crumbs or spills and scrubbing it afterward gets rid of lingering bacteria.
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15. Invest in Storage
Pegboards, floating shelves, or even stick-and-peel shelves can all help you free cabinet space and keep clutter off countertops. They’re often inexpensive and easy to install, too, which means you don’t have to make a whole day of it.
16. Replace Sponges
Sponges and rags do a lot of the dirty kitchen work, so they need to be replaced more often. Once jobs are done, these little items often sit forgotten on sink ledges to collect bacteria and odor—replace them every week or two to keep things fresh.
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17. Soak Large Dishes
Pots and pans could do with a good soak or power rinse before the dishwasher. Keeping an empty sink and dishwasher not only gives you the space to do this but also saves the headache of having to do it later.
18. Keep Out Personal Items
Car keys and wallets are one thing, but try not to leave your purse on the counter or a backpack beside the fridge. Dropping personal items anywhere sets a precedent for continued behavior, which leads to a messy kitchen.
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19. Put Stuff Away
Put items away as soon as you’re done with them. Telling yourself you’ll do it later usually ends with nothing more than a cluttered kitchen.
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20. Don’t Go Overboard
Regardless of what commercials say, you don’t need a ton of cleaning supplies for a spotless kitchen. In fact, overindulging not only wastes your money but also takes up more cabinet space.
