So this is pretty basic, but it is so very important. Keeping a clean kitchen is the first step in leading an organized life. Especially when you have a family or are trying to live a healthy lifestyle. If you wake up to or come home to a dirty kitchen, you are less likely to have the motivation to create healthy foods.

Basics of a clean kitchen:

1. Dish-free and clean sink
   Keeping your dishes out of the sink is a great habit to get into. Once they are dirty, wash, dry and put them away. While we’re at it, after you wash your dishes, make sure that you wipe the counters as well as clean around the bases of your faucet(s). Sludge builds up fast around those taps! Also, clean as you go while you are preparing foods.
2. Clean counters
   Put everything away. Any items that you might just toss on there at the end of the day should be dealt with now rather than later. It doesn’t take long! And always wipe the counters off when you’re finished with them.
3. Once a month (at the least), take a moment to wipe off and dust the areas that you don’t normally pay attention to, such as the top of your stove’s exhaust hood, the top handle of your stove’s warming drawer, the top of your fridge, the doorway cills, window cills, etc..
4. Sweep your floors often. I recommend doing this and creating a habit of doing so after you’ve finished eating a meal and before retiring to bed or Netflix 😉
5. Mop your floors once a week. I know those fabric mops seem so handy, but they are horrible for kitchen floors as they will not take food off the floor easily. Go for a traditional rag or sponge mop.
6. Always wipe down the top of your table. Do this with the counters after you’ve washed your dishes.
7. Throw out old food from your fridge the night before garbage day and take the trash to the curb when you’re done.

I know it sounds like a lot, but once you have a habit out of these key kitchen-tidy/cleaning tasks, it will take you no more than a half hour each day and it is so worth it!