Everyone’s coming out of lockdown with at least one new skill—whether it’s nailing your first clean pushup or figuring out how to do The Shuffle; unlearning the idea of touching your face 200 times a day or remembering to pull on a shirt over your boxers in time for a video conference with your colleagues. Some are mastering the art of the winged eyeliner, others are developing a sudden interest in gardening.
Perhaps the most amusing are people entering their kitchens for the first time. And then having to stay there and cook every meal for themselves (#quarantinecooking), because not everyone’s feeling a-okay about contactless delivery yet. We applaud everyone trying. But while it is absolutely a period of culinary creativity, it isn’t a great time to romanticise the messy cook.
7 Easy Steps to a Clutter-free and Hygienic Kitchen
Here are some quick tips on how to keep your space uncluttered, surfaces sparkling, and your motivation levels high—even long after lockdown.
1. Clear Your Counters
This seems obvious, but you may be surprised to see how your counter slowly gets cluttered over time with appliances, jars, bottles, assorted junk. You could argue that there’s a method to your madness, that you like your stuff displayed and within easy reach, but it’s a hundred times easier to wipe down when you don’t have to move everything out of the way first. PLUS, it gives you that much more space for prep work and mis-en-place when you’re trying to get your meals ready. Yes, it will fit in your cupboards. If it really (really) doesn’t, at least lob it all into a single tray so when you have to move stuff out of the way, you’re moving all of it at once.
2. Start Clean
Remember how you couldn’t get yourself to sit down to study for an exam without first cleaning your desk, setting it up, getting the right stationery, yada yada? Contradictory to what your mom believed, it wasn’t just a way to waste time or an excuse to delay hitting the books. Psychologically, it’s less overwhelming to start with a clean slate. Don’t start in a disaster zone, even if it may well turn into one later. Make sure the sink, countertop and floor are clean when you begin, and that you have enough space for the gastronomic experiments to follow.
3. Watch Your Food Prep
Use separate chopping boards for uncooked foods like raw meat and salad leaves. Wash and dry your hands after handling these kinds of foods, and clean surfaces again immediately after use. Regular soap and water is fine; just ensure that your cleaning cloths are germ-free and do not forget to dry surfaces (including chopping boards) thoroughly after cleaning. Germs love damp surfaces, and enough water is all they need to multiply.
4. Multitask
While you’re waiting for your Coq au Vin (ok, fine, toor dal) to simmer, start putting away the stuff you’re done with—appliances, utensils, ingredients—and wiping down surfaces as you go, so the mess doesn’t pile up. The more you have left to clean after, the higher your chances of leaving it for later. If you’re opening packages, bin them on the go. Cutting vegetables? Put the unusable leftovers in the recycling bin. Spilt something? Don’t cry over it, but don’t let it sit and stink up your space/make it sticky either. Wipe it down as soon as you see it; use a kitchen cloth so you can rinse and reuse, as opposed to piling up endless paper towels.
5. Stockpile the sanitiser, not the dishes
Wash and dry your dishes immediately after use. Not only it is straight up gross to have to power through greasy plates, cutlery and utensils after they’ve been lying around a while, it’s also a open-bar party for germs and roaches. When you’re done with the dishes, make sure you also manually remove all the little bits of food that have spiralled into the sink. Finally, wash the sponges and brushes you used to clean up with detergent and warm water after each use. For best results, follow a no-overnight-dishes rule so you always wake up to a fresh kitchen that you’re happy to walk into. Trust us, you’ll be grateful for it.
6. Have a dedicated day for various spaces
If you don’t have the time to do a deep clean every day, schedule a different part of the kitchen on different days of the week. Stoves, chimneys, exhaust fans, the window/wall above the stove, the inside of a microwave, behind the fridge, light fixtures…these are all easy-to-forget grime hotspots that gather dust and oil spatters without warning. Give the inside of your fridge a weekly sweep as well, and keep an eye on the expiration dates on everything that’s in there. Tackle these spaces one at a time through the week, and you’ll avoid unpleasant surprises later.
7. Wash your hands
Wash your hands. Wash your hands. Wash your hands. Wash your hands. Wash your hands. Wash your hands. Wash your hands. Wash your hands. Wash your hands. Wash your hands.
To sum up., a well-planned kitchen will serve you in the best way and make your life easier! When it comes to decorating your home space, customised to your taste and wishes, Hipcouch provides a premium and passionate service. To get in touch with our Team, call/whatsapp at +91 97698 91528 or contact us here.