December 14, 2020

Need a Reset? The Clean Kitchen Sink Challenge is just the thing!

If you’ve experienced the impact of how a small change can create a larger change, you know that a simple adjustment can easily lead to this change. Something as simple as a clean kitchen sink can do this for your whole kitchen. And when your kitchen is clean, you’ll be surprised at how that can affect the start to your day and other aspects of your home as well. I know that this is a stressful time – you might wonder how a clean kitchen sink can possibly help with that. Clutter has been shown to be directly tied to stress. Starting and ending the day with a clean kitchen sink can help your stress levels!

I am excited to share a simple challenge that you can do this week with me that will impact your home all week long. I have a feeling that once you see how it impacts your day, you’ll keep it going! If you haven’t pre-ordered my latest book, Clean Mama’s Guide to a Peaceful Home, this what the book is all about. Small, simple changes that create a larger impact on our homes and lives in tangible ways.

Clean Mama’s Guide to a Peaceful Home comes out in just 2 weeks!  If you haven’t pre-ordered it, I have some really great bonuses intended to help you get started while you create a peaceful and cozy home. Head to this post for all the info and the Book Club schedule for January!

Here’s where the challenge comes in. Every night this week, I’m going to post in my Instagram Stories my clean kitchen sink and I encourage you to do same!  Follow me on Instagram @cleanmama and use the hashtag #cleankitchensinkchallenge and tag me so I can see and share your kitchen sink too. Of course, you don’t have to post your clean kitchen sink to participate in the challenge and if you’re seeing this after the challenge week you can still participate – this is something I challenge myself with every single night. 

If you aren’t familiar with my Nightly Sink Scrub and the routine that goes along with it, I find that this simple task is the key to a clean kitchen.  If you’re frustrated with the state of your home and feel overwhelmed with all that there is to do, START WITH YOUR KITCHEN SINK. You’ll also be building a little habit that will follow you into the next day – when you wake up to a clean kitchen sink, your tomorrow self will thank you. You can find the recipe, links to all the products shown, and more details throughout this post.

Clear the Sink and Counter

First things first, clearing the kitchen sink and counter is your first line of defense to make your kitchen sink less cluttered. As you clean up after dinner, keep this in mind. Empty the dishwasher or sink before you start to clean up and this will be a little easier. I always overestimate how long this will take – typically it’s 3-5 minutes. Not long at all in the scheme of things.

Once you have this tackled, it’s time to clean the sink! Here’s how I clean it…..

Nightly Sink Scrub

My favorite way to clean the sink is with my Nightly Sink Scrub.  If you are new here and haven’t seen this part of my daily routine, check out this post for all the details.  It will change your evening kitchen routine for the better.

The premise is that every night we reset the kitchen, put the dishes in the dishwasher, wipe up the counters and finally sprinkle a little sink scrub in the sink, add a squirt or two of dish soap or castile soap, and give the sink a good scrub and rinse.

Dry with a towel if you’d like or just let it air dry. Put out a clean hand towel and walk away from the kitchen knowing it’s reset for the next day. If you’re feeling like giving your sink an extra shine, spray with your favorite all-purpose spray and wipe clean after scrubbing. I have a free printable called ‘How to Speed Clean Your Kitchen’ on the free printables page that will take you through how I clean my entire kitchen step-by-step if you’re interested!

Curious what I use to clean the kitchen sink?  There’s a sneak peek of some new sponges coming to the shop in a couple weeks – see it on the sink side tray?

• Kitchen + Bath Labels – these are great for adding a little label to your decanted items.
• Spray Bottle – I use my DIY Stone Cleaning Spray in the spray bottle to clean counters and to give the sink a little extra shine.
• Mason Jar with Lid – love this new jar in the shop paired with the Kitchen + Bath Labels.
• Dish Soap – this dish soap is safe and natural and smells like fresh lemons – it’s amazing!
• Sink Side Tray – this tray is perfect for containing items and making your sink look cute.
• Bar Mop Towels – I love using Bar Mop Towels in the kitchen and am excited to share some amazing new products coming in a couple weeks!
• Glass Storage Jar – I keep this on the counter with bar mop towels in lieu of paper towels.