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7 Days to a Cleaner More Organized Home - Part 1 : The Kitchen
by O Quinn

Description: A guide to organizing your home in seven days. Get started in the kitchen on Day 1.

The idea behind these seven days is to bring back some order to your home. You will tackle an area of your home each day. These are quick cleanings, not deep cleaning. To make this program work you should keep up the order in your home by putting things away each day. Start off the morning with a clean slate.

So let's begin.

Have a piece of paper and a pen or pencil handy. This is where we will keep notes on small items we can hopefully find in the surplus of our homes or if not pick up at a very reduced cost (think Dollar Store here) to help the room along.

You should also make note of and put aside any items you know you would like to get rid of. Don't overdo it, we're just cleaning here but if something catches your eye have a central place to keep it until Saturday or go on and dump it.

Monday: The Kitchen

Empty the sink of dirty dishes. Fill it with warm water. Put all the dishes (that can fit) back in there to soak.

Take the top off the garbage and place it in the middle of the kitchen floor.

Start putting things on the counter away. When you come to something you know needs to be tossed dump it in the garbage. If it's a dirty dish then put it in the sink to soak.

Open the fridge and toss all expired foods. Empty the plastic with expired foods and dump the plastic in the sink to soak.

Empty the dish drainer and/or the dishwasher. Start washing and rinsing those dishes.

Are your counters cleaned off? Is the sink empty? Get a bucket and add a teaspoon of dishwashing liquid and a dash of your favorite all purpose cleaner. Get two cleaning cloths.

Douse a cloth in the solution and start wiping from top to bottom the counters and the cupboards.

Go over the fridge with one of your cloths. You have two. If one gets gunky place it to the side and get the next one.

All done? Now dunk the cloth in your now a little less pristine solution and mop the floor. End at the door, turn out the light and pat yourself on the back.

So did you notice anything you might like to have to help the kitchen? Small baskets to help the junk drawer? A lazy susan for the spices? A basket for teas? Not too much. Our goal is to enhance not overwhelm.

Tomorrow the Living Room and Dining Room....

O Quinn is a stay at home organizing mom. Visit her at Homemaking Organized. For monthly tips and articles including some vintage homemaking sign up for the newsletter at Organized Homelife and get access to downloads.