Get Your Kitchen Organized and Holiday-Ready in 8 Steps

The kitchen is the heart of every home, and that is never truer than at holiday time.  Festivities can involve cooking for large groups, parties, and houseguests.  Plan ahead and actually enjoy the precious time with family and friends! If you lack the time, ask a professional organizer to help.

Clean: Wash down cupboard fronts and handles, clean inside the microwave, inspect your oven for food build-up, and wipe the stove top.  Clear out everything from under the sink and wash/re-organize.  If there’s a second fridge in the basement, consider moving rarely used items. If you notice a lot of old items or missing items, you might need a professional organizer to help organize your kitchen.

Declutter cupboards:  Our professional organizers recommend making room in your pantry and cupboards for your holiday bakeware and seasonal ingredients. Re-locate and organize your summer supplies (e.g. popsicle molds, patio table cloth).  Pare down the plastic storage containers (toss if no lid or broken/stained).  Move anything that isn’t kitchen-related (e.g. school papers) to a designated spot. Trash out-of-date canned goods, half-eaten bags of chips, and stale crackers. Gather small miscellaneous items and place in labeled containers.  Place rarely used items on high shelves.

Organize the refrigerator: Empty your refrigerator completely and wipe down. Toss or finish up nearly empty salad dressings and jams. Use up aging vegetables. Check the cheese for mold.  Throw away expired yogurt, milk, juice, etc.  Re-fill fridge by grouping likes with likes.  Use storage containers that stack nicely.

Find your holiday dishware: Unpack those holiday plates and platters now. If you wait, they may be forgotten. Store them nearby either in the newly de-cluttered cupboards/pantry, or dining room.

Plan your holiday menu: Make your food plan early, and to the extent possible purchase ingredients well ahead.  Gather favorite recipes in one spot and anticipate any special needs of your houseguests.

Check your kitchen supplies: Our organizers always recommend you take an inventory of serving dishes, nutcrackers, candles, pie plates, turkey basters, etc.  Check your spices for expiry dates. Order what you need online if you lack the time to go shopping.

Acquire equipment you’re missing: Do you need to buy or borrow any furniture (e.g. card table, extra chairs)?  Is a larger coffee maker long overdue?

Hire a handyman: Are there any home improvements to address before the houseguests arrive? Do you have a hard-to-reach corner shelf that a Lazy Susan would fix?  Will that wobbly chair leg make it through the holidays?

Kitchen Organization During the Holidays

Holiday gatherings are supposed to be joyful and stress-free. Potomac Concierge can help in any number of ways, including arranging cleaning help, de-cluttering and organizing your kitchen to maximize workable space and storage, handling maintenance and repair issues, shopping, and running errands.  Call us today and our professional organizers will get your kitchen in top shape for the busy holiday season.