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Feel like you spend a lot of time in the kitchen? Whether it’s cooking, eating, washing dishes, cleaning up, or helping with homework, the kitchen is the hub of the home. Today I’m sharing 5 super simple things that I do to keep the kitchen running smoothly. I hope today’s post gives you an idea or two of some great ways to save time, save money, or just be a little more efficient in your kitchen.
I use bar mop towels to wipe up messes and counters – my favorites are these white ones from Target. Add it up and it’s a huge cost savings if you switch from paper towels to these. Want to read more about this process? Go to this post.
I keep a sink scrubbing brush under the sink. I use it nightly with this homemade scrub and soap to wash and ‘shine’ my sink.
Having the area under my kitchen sink organized is essential for me to keep the kitchen clean and tidy. I try to keep it pretty and functional with a few tools like a lazy susan and a couple repurposed containers.
Washing a lot of dishes or rinsing dishes for the dishwasher? Put your silverware in a colander for easy rinsing or washing. No silverware caught in the garbage disposal or down the drain and you won’t need to fish out a knife from the bottom of your sink.
Keeping sponges and scrubbers accessible, but also open to the air for easy drying and less microbial growth and cute is important to me. I use a cute little vintage container for my sponges and a Fiesta tray to hold soap and dish soap.
How about you? What would you add to this little list?
Robyn S. Says...
Any idea where you got that cute container in the last picture? The clear bottle with the little starburst pattern. I love that pattern!
Becky Says...
Post authorIt’s from Caldrea:
http://www.caldrea.com/product/Palmarosa-Wild-Mint-Glass-Hand-Soap/155336.uts
Jeanette Says...
I finally found some white sponges! Yay! Thanks to your inspiration, my kitchen sink looks pretty, too. 🙂
Jamie Says...
These are some wonderful tips…I am horrible at keep this area nice and clean….the thing is these tips are so easy to follow!
Leslie Says...
Wonderful ideas! I shared it on my FB page!
<3
Andrea S Says...
I think you would really like the Norwex Enviro cloth. Super tiny microfibers remove surface contaminants (instead of spreading them around like cotton towels) and micro silver embedded in the cloth kills the contaminants as the cloth dries! Not. One. Single. Chemical. Needed.
Pixie @ Cheerfully Vegan Says...
I found your blog because of An Unrefined Vegan’s giveaway! I am thrilled!
Now I’m wondering what I use paper towels for (other than messes on the floor) that I could replace them with bar mops. I guess I also use them to cover microwaveable things that don’t have lids. I’ll have to keep watch to see what I’m doing. 😀
I have a rectangular basket that sits beside my sink that all dirty silverware goes into (which keeps any from falling in the sink and down into the garbage disposal, or onto the floor – usually.) When I do dishes by hand – our dishwasher died – I dump the whole basket into the sink, wash the basket and pop it into the rinse sink to keep the silverware from going down into the garbage disposal. Then it goes to the other side of the dish drainer to hold the cooking utensils as they dry. It works very well.
Becky Says...
Post authorGreat tips!
xo, Becky
Linda Beth Says...
I was looking for but could not find anything on cleaning the garbage disposal, the disposal gasket, and the neck of the drain that the gasket sits in. That is the most foul disgusting dirt trap imaginable. I have a brush for the disposal and the trap, but that rubber gasket thingy and the drain neck has to be cleaned out with an old, used toothbrush, under running water, which sort of splashes the dirty gunk a bit, so be careful. (Be sure to dispose of the tooth brush afterwards, its too nasty to keep for any other cleaning jobs now). I popped it in the dishwasher once and then after thinking it over, removed it before I did the dishes. That’s one thing that is too dirty to was in the dishwasher and have those bits of rotten crud zinging around all the other dishes. And yes, I have also sprayed the gasket down with cleaner and left it to sit but you still need the brush! I would love to find a different way if you have one. PS: this is my vote for #1 dirtiest location in the kitchen!
Jennifer Says...
I’d love to know where you got the ceramic dish that your sponge is in. It’s very cute!
Becky Says...
Post authorIt’s a vintage pottery piece – it’s from an antique store.
Beachbum Says...
I keep a short handled shower squeegie by the sink and use it to quickly move counter crumbs, etc. to the sink while I am working and too busy to stop and get a rag, wet it, wipe, rinse it out, and move forward. Of course, later you must still wash the counter, but it is a quick fix for getting rid of bothersome messes while working. PS: Also works great for quickly getting rid of wet spills so they do not run down your cabinets.