28 Days to Mary and Martha-Work on the kitchen

Here is a printable for you.
How much better my days would go
if I would think on this, all day!

I hope you’ve been washing your dishes every day! I have, and it has helped so much!

Once my dishes were washed and put away, it was easier to see the empty spaces in my kitchen. It was also easier to see everything that didn't belong!

Clutter takes away so much from a room. So, before you go any further on cleaning your kitchen, start the declutter process. Just the kitchen for now.

Get a box, and fill it with everything that doesn't belong in the kitchen. Don't worry about putting any of that stuff away right now, just get it out of the kitchen. This includes the 15 extra toddlers cups you may have, that you have been putting away on a daily basis! Or is that just me? I kept 3 plastic cups out for the 3 kids that actually drink out of cups. They will just have to keep better track of their cups now.

Now your dishes should be out of sight (put away, or in the dishwasher)
Here are some tips to get you started on the rest of the kitchen:

1. When using the dishwasher, place one cup right side up in the top rack. Add a small amount of vinegar. When the cup fills up, vinegar water fill pour out into the bottom of the dishwasher. The upside-down cup will catch all the extra bits of food swishing around your dishwasher, so that your dishes aren’t caked with dried food crumbs.

2. If you have any fruit sitting out on your counter, cut it up and make a fruit salad! We buy lots of fruit, and it clutters the counters. And usually goes bad. But, if it is cut up, the kids will eat it in less than a day.

3. Keep a small basket or box in the kitchen, to stick everything in there that doesn’t belong. Have one in there on a regular basis. It helps

4. If you don’t use the item at least once a week, it does not belong on the counter (toaster, blender).

5. If you can get the counters cleared enough to spray and wipe down the whole thing, go for it. Otherwise, just worry about what you can see. We aren’t deep cleaning here!

6. How often do you bake? Do you really need all 5 baking sheets in your oven at all times? And how many baking dishes do you really use? Get rid of the extras (as I’m looking in the mirror).

7. If you know you aren't going to use it, get rid of it. I tend to save glass jars, "just in case"...well, time to get rid of them. They are just taking up counter space.

8. Vinegar, water, (50/50) and a little bit of Sweet Orange Essential Oil  is great for cleaning the kitchen! That same mixture, with just a little bit of olive oil is great to clean wood floors and cabinets.
9. Last kitchen tip for now: Once the kitchen is fairly clean, light a scented candle. It just makes it look so much nicer.

How does your kitchen look?

And just as a side note, sometimes, life happens. Your kitchen is not going to stay looking great. Just remember that the minimum is your dishes. Keep doing those, and you'll be fine.