Around the House: Wake Up to a Spotless Kitchen Every Day

By Yehudit Garmaise

I usually love waking up with the sunrise to start working, but when I go to make coffee, I must be welcomed by a spotless kitchen.

If you also hate seeing anything out of place in your kitchen first thing in the morning, consider the checklist before heading to another room to relax after dinner:

1. Put all leftovers in plastic or glass containers right away and put them in the refrigerator to keep them fresh and to get them out of the way. Put all condiments and drinks away.

2. Wash and dry all dishes before bedtime. All dishes must be washed or placed in the dishwasher right after dinner. In addition, all dishes, pots, and pans must be dried and put away. Family members can alternate pairing up for dish duty and drying duty, while chatting with other family members who are still sitting in the kitchen.

3. Award the children who volunteer or who are assigned to wash and dry dishes by letting them each tell two stories from their days, while the other children only tell one, as they alternate.

4. Wipe out your sink with a sponge and a little dish detergent. Make sure no food or food scraps are left in the sink overnight. They look dirty and can make your kitchen smell not great. If you are feeling ambitious after rinsing out your sink, dry it with a clean towel.

5. Wipe down all kitchen counters and the stovetop. Cleaning the countertops is an oft-forgotten step that is crucial to waking up to a clean kitchen every morning.

6. Clean the table on which you eat. Use a damp towel and little dishwashing detergent to clean wood or plastic. If your table is glass, spray it down, and if you use a table, wash it after every meal.

7. Sweep your floors well. Make sure to get the cooking area and under the table and chairs. Some use an “electric broom,” or mini vacuum cleaner for the many times a day the kitchen floors need to be swept.

8. Throw all dirty and wet dish towels in a hamper or right into the wash with other towels.

9. Take out the trash, which is a job to be delegated to a non-cook to help ensure everyone wakes up to a kitchen that is fresh, clean, and gleaming for another productive and sunny day!