It’s almost that time of the year. A time to celebrate, surrounded by good food and good company. The holidays are also the time of year that puts the most strain on your kitchen. Suppose you put a little bit of time into prepping your kitchen for the onslaught of holiday entertaining. In that case, you can eliminate half of the stress associated with catering for friends and family. We’ve put together a pre-holiday to-do list to get your kitchen into tip-top shape for the festive season.
Purge
Clear out your pantry, fridge, and freezer. You’ll be surprised at how many expired spices and sauces you’ve managed to accumulate over the year. Take frozen food out of boxes and store in the freezer in plastic bags instead to save space. Wipe down the shelves in your pantry and fridge. Doing a kitchen purge is also an excellent way of checking that you have everything you need for your festive feasts, while also making space for you to store all your culinary creations.
Declutter
Now that you only have what you need in your pantry, fridge, and freezer, it’s time to organise everything and make space on your countertops. Get rid of the pile of random junk mail and odds and ends on the kitchen counter. Stash away the appliances you won’t need for food prep and remember to keep the kitchen Christmas decor to a minimum. You don’t want glitter ending up in your lunch.
Clean
Do a deep clean of your kitchen before the holiday rush starts. Wipe down all your countertops and appliances and clean the inside of your oven and microwave. Disinfect your rubbish bin and make sure your sink drain is unclogged. Don’t forget to pull out the special cutlery and crockery that you only use for special occasions to make sure it’s sparkling and dust-free.
Childproof
Childproofing may not be something you need to think of 11 months of the year, but you may be playing host to younger guests over the festive season. So, it’s worthwhile making sure that your cleaning agents and other dangerous chemicals are out of reach. Cover your plug points and ensure cables are not easy to pull on.
Fireproof
No one wants to think about a kitchen fire, but it happens. If you have a fire extinguisher, make sure the service is up to date and if you don’t have one, consider investing in one. Also, check the cords and plugs on your appliances aren’t frayed and that they are wired correctly.
Most of all, relax! If you’ve prepared in advance for the holiday madness, there’s no reason you won’t enjoy the festivities.
Spending all this extra time in your kitchen will often bring those little design flaws that drive you crazy to the fore. If you decide that it’s time for a remodel after the festive season, be sure to check out our guide to redesigning your kitchen and visit our showroom for the latest in innovative kitchen fixtures and fittings.
