Perfect order in the kitchen has always been considered a sign of a good housewife. But maintaining it can be very difficult due to lack of free space and lack of a competent storage system. Small tricks and bold solutions will help you forget about the mess and create a cozy environment, thanks to which your kitchen space will become thoughtful and functional.
Hot spots in the kitchen
The mess looks most noticeable in open space. This rule works clearly in the kitchen. But as soon as you free the tabletop, window sill and open shelves from unnecessary things, the feeling immediately changes. This is the principle of cleaning in “hot spots”; its main task is to eliminate external chaos. The ideal countertop is empty, the ideal open shelf holds only a few dishes and nothing else unnecessary. Flowers look beautiful on the windowsill, but a pot once left can easily gather other kitchen utensils around it. And then the space will begin to become cluttered again.
Interierno company, photographer Andrey Orekhov
Studio New Life
Rule 5 – Use different cutting boards for meat and other food
Photo: @grabwood1
Raw meat (especially poultry) is the main source of dangerous bacteria: E. coli, salmonella, listeria. Pathogenic microorganisms spread to other foods from cutting boards and knives. For example, when a housewife first cuts meat, and then uses the same devices to cut raw vegetables into a salad.
How to ensure hygiene and safety in the kitchen? Use separate boards for different food groups. Every time after cooking, wash the utensils with soap and pour boiling water over them. By the way, microbes feel better on wooden boards than on plastic or glass bases.
Cleaning while cooking
If something can be washed or put back in its place immediately after use, it is better to do so. Rinsing the whisk after beating eggs for an omelet is one step. Throwing it in the sink, then taking it out from under the rubble and putting it in the dishwasher is already two. The same goes for knives and cutting boards; they may be needed several times during the day. It is better not to build barricades in the sink with them, but to always keep them clean.
During the cooking process, food and spices also like to move from their places to the table and remain there until the big cleaning. It is better to control their movements and immediately return them to the refrigerator or drawers until the next cooking session. This way you can save a lot of effort and time in the future.
Photographer Anton Brzhozovsky
Studio “Cozy Apartment”, designer Natalya Preobrazhenskaya
Zone 5. Living room
Living Room, Family Room, Your “Den” This is a sample list for my living room. Change it to suit your family's needs. Start the work from the very top and gradually lowering, finish it on the floor: get rid of cobwebs and clouds of dust under the ceiling and from Dust Bunnies (from FlyLady.ru: Kelly writes about Dust Bunnies - those same balls, lumps of dust that “live” with us under the bed, under cabinets, etc.) Don't even think about starting this list if you haven't gotten rid of the clutter. And only then can you start doing the items on this list that you haven’t done for months, and maybe years. And don't expect to get everything done this month. Print out the list and pin it to your QOL. I keep this list in a plastic “file.” It gives me the opportunity to celebrate what I've done.
Additions to Zone 5:
If you have your family room, game room, screened-in patio or balcony, or any other room that your family uses regularly, focus on decluttering one of those rooms each month (you may be able to find more time). Don't overwork yourself! It took more than one month for the rooms to become overgrown with junk, and you won’t be able to clean them out in one week. Remember: BabySteps! If you can't complete a task, simply delete it and move on to the next one. Don't save them! We do the same thing every week and every month. I'm just your “reminder.” FlyLady
15 minute rule
Real cleaning masters do not neglect the well-known 15-minute rule. It's simple: all you need to do is dedicate a quarter of an hour to caring for the kitchen every day. The content of this fifteen-minute session may vary, but the essence is the same - turn chaos into a system, not clear away the rubble, but prevent its formation. On busy days, the kitchen can be saved by delegating responsibilities. You can divide the 15-minute rule among all family members. Even if everyone spends five minutes a day doing light cleaning, everyone will notice the results.
A very useful habit is to leave the kitchen clean in the evening. It is enough to do minimal cleaning before going to bed - wipe the table and work surfaces, put everything in its place. These few minutes will give you a pleasant feeling of cleanliness the next morning.
Studio MC Interior
Another useful habit will make life easier for dishwasher owners: if you sort out clean dishes in the morning, you won’t have to accumulate dirty dishes in the sink from breakfast. If you can’t wash it right away, it’s better to hide the kitchen utensils in the dishwasher. This way you can maintain at least visual purity.
Crumbs and drops on the floor and surfaces seem like a small thing, but their concentration in the kitchen sometimes goes off scale. They spoil the appearance and make it impossible to walk barefoot or place a laptop on the tabletop. Therefore, it is better to keep a brush or vacuum cleaner within easy reach and remember to use them. Then you can wash the kitchen floor “seriously”, with special products, once a week.
Photographer Christian Johansson
Studio Korneev Design Workshop
Eco-friendly kitchen cleaning: DIY cleaning products and detergents
Homemade Sink Remedy. Some studies claim that the sink contains a greater concentration of bacteria than the toilet rim. Here's my recipe for a simple sink cleaner that you can make yourself and use every day against germs:
- 1 spray bottle
- 1 part white wine vinegar
- 1 part water
Mix vinegar and water, pour the mixture into a bottle and shake thoroughly. Label the bottle “Daily for the sink” - this will prevent you from confusing bottles with different products and will remind you of the required frequency of use. Simply spray the sink and faucet, wait a few minutes and wipe. You will get perfect results in no time.
Essential oils. Add a few drops of an essential oil you like to your homemade cleaner. Essential oils not only have a pleasant aroma, but also effectively remove pollution, naturally purifying the air. Cleaning products with synthetic fragrances, on the other hand, contain neurotoxins, phthalates, allergens and sensitizing agents that can compromise your health.
Cleaner made from baking soda and lemon. Baking soda can be an indispensable aid in keeping your home clean and fresh. To make an easy-to-store mixture, take the juice of half a lemon and a small amount of baking soda to create an abrasive powder. This pair works great on rust marks on porcelain surfaces and many other surfaces that may seem so difficult to clean.
How to clean the oven. The layer of grease in the oven can be cleaned without traditional toxic cleaners - using baking soda and a spray bottle. Sweep crumbs and loose debris out of the oven. Using a damp sponge, coat the inside of the oven with a layer of baking soda. Over the next few hours, continue to moisten the baking soda with water from the spray bottle as it begins to dry out. Finally, remove the baking soda along with any food and grease particles and wipe the oven clean.
Kitchen helpers
In the fight against dirt, it is important to have allies. All kinds of household chemicals, “smart” rags made from modern materials, protective screen covers against drops, silicone mats, as well as robotic mini-vacuum cleaners and other gadgets will help maintain cleanliness. You can always choose something that will really make your kitchen life easier. Even regular paper towel rolls can be a versatile tool. They will help wipe dishes after washing, remove dirt or spilled liquid, clean the hob and much more.
Studio TZS Design, photographer Tom Spanier
Designer Daria Golovacheva, photographer Mikhail Loskutov
DesignStudio13, designer Olesya Berezovskaya
What will you need?
Each job requires the presence of certain materials. In this case you will need:
- sponges for cleaning surfaces (preferably of different hardness);
- garbage bags (durable);
- glass cleaner;
- dishwashing liquid;
- cleaning powder, gel or paste;
- clean paper or cotton towels;
- rubber gloves;
- trash container;
- plastic scraper;
- toothpicks.
Those who prefer to clean without chemicals prepare baking soda, vinegar, lemon juice and mustard powder.
Storage systems
To maintain constant order in the kitchen, you need to try to return the item to its place immediately after use, and not leave it where necessary. At the same time, it is better to keep everyday items closer so that you always have them at hand. All kinds of organizers will help you create order. Basic cleaning supplies should also be stored in an orderly manner and not hidden in a distant drawer. This will make it much easier to maintain cleanliness regularly.
Studio Paul Lopa Designs
The Organizing Experts Company
Studio PLANiUM
Useful tips
- Do not mix products that contain ammonia with those that contain chlorine. When they combine, they form toxic fumes.
- Chlorine can damage wood and dark surfaces.
- You can lay wax paper on the bottom of the drawers - grease and dust will settle on them. When the paper gets dirty, you just need to replace it with a new one.
How to make cleaning easier? Avoid old stains from appearing as they are more difficult to remove. If you pay attention to certain areas every week, dirt will not accumulate in large volumes, and the need for general cleaning will arise less frequently.
Get rid of excess
Experience shows that getting rid of unnecessary things is not so easy. Once you get into the bins of kitchen drawers, it turns out that there are simply no unnecessary household items in them! Gifted 10 years ago for a wedding, a yogurt maker and a caquellon, a set of souvenir glasses with funny inscriptions, a mini grill for sandwiches, a dish with a chipped edge, a grater that you bought for your student dormitory (what if the “main” grater breaks?) and a good two more a dozen terribly useful things around the house that you don’t use only because they seem to be “working”, but you simply didn’t have a good reason to use them. Now you can start making fondue and yoghurt, just prepare the cheese and spoons!
However, before you start putting all the items you find back on the shelves, sit down and think carefully. First, ask yourself when was the last time you used this or that item. If you haven't used it at all over the past year, you should definitely part with it.
If you don’t want to throw away an item, try putting it in good hands, for example, selling it at an online flea market or donating it to charity. In many cities there are now services that collect, sort and distribute things donated to charity to those in need.
- The most useless small appliances that waste space in your kitchen
We are studying the market for electrical appliances and thinking about whether it is worth buying a yogurt maker, a raclette maker and other kitchen “gadgets”.
Hob
Definitely, vitroceramics are easier to clean than conventional electric and gas burners.
Of course, it also has its drawbacks - not only is it more expensive, but it should also be washed only with expensive special products and washed carefully. But vitroceramics free up so much time and cooking with it is so convenient that you can come to terms with it. In general, if you are willing to spend money, vitroceramics are the best choice. Another tip:
– choose vitroceramics with electronic control (as in the photo below) – it is much more convenient than traditional handles
And if you want something cheaper, then choose not an enameled hob, but one made of stainless steel - unlike enamel, it can be rubbed with abrasives.
