April 11 - April 24 -- The Kitchen

[SparkleNana]

One question: Does your kitchen need it?

One answer: Of course it does!

My goal -- one 15-minute decrapifying (eternal gratitude to Mel for our WORD) and good cleaning session -- IN ADDITION to the regular kitchen time every day.

Of course -- that is TWO sessions for today since I didn't start yesterday!!!!

EVERY LITTLE BIT HELPS!

 

[luludou]

Cabinets are washed & ceiling.

Need to:
Wash above cabinets
Wash backdrop of counters
Wash oven, fridge, jenn-air
Wash & scrub floor
Refresh curtains

Just don,t know when it'll get done!

 

[SparkleNana]

Tonight, I emptied out the kitchen drawer that holds all the serving pieces, utensils, can openers - all the miscellaneous tools. I threw out half the stuff -- and put the rest in the dishwasher. I also cleaned out PART of the refrigerator and threw out some stuff.

Two weeks is a fine amount of time to concentrate on the kitchen!

 

[Winged One]

Oh wow, we've moved on again already?!!

The kitchen is not dreadful, but like all rooms, would benefit from some TLC. I think the big job I want to tackle here this time around is the corner press with my big appliances and my jars (for jam-making etc). As that hasn't been cleared out in a few years and has gotten messy. And a good wipe down of ALL the worktops right to the walls (moving appliances to clean u8nder them).

It is great to take little steps towards cleaner houses all year - it means I WILL eventually conquer the clutter!

 

[SparkleNana]

Lots of effort on the kitchen counters today! They have been REALLY cluttered! And that means -- dirty! AND -- not knowing what has been pushed to the back of the counter (where it is now invisible!) The counters are not finished yet --- but I can already tell how much better it will be when they ARE done!!! They're a lot better already!

The plan is to spend these two weeks working on different little parts of the kitchen.

 

[SparkleNana]

The dishwasher is running again! Here is my latest project: I had the knives, the forks and the spoons in three metal containers, standing up like pencils, sitting on the counter. The two silverwear drawers were full of junk AND dirty. I cleaned out the drawers and threw away the junk. I lined them with fresh paper, and arranged the remaining kitchen tools neatly. THEN -- I emptied the three big containers of silverwear. I put a generous amount into three pretty mugs - sorted by spoons, forks, knives. The rest of the silverwear went into plastic zip-lock bags, and into the silverwear drawers -- ready for parties and holidays. Much less space is taken up on the nice, clean counter.

Now I am taking a break on the computer. Then I will go work outside. Perhaps tonight.... while cooking dinner and watching TV, I MAy do another small project in the kitchen.

How are you doing?

 

[SparkleNana]

Today in the kitchen..... NADA! Nothing. Lots of real life stuff ---- but, sadly, no special cleaning and decluttering. (Which is why TWO weeks is SO GOOD!)

 

[SparkleNana]

Today - throwing stuff OUT of the refrigerator! Also -- throwing away OLD spices. I mean REALLY OLD! There is a limit to everything! It is satisfying to fill up a trash bag and get rid of things! (No - I couldn't fill the bag from the kitchen..... but there were other things that needed to GO!!!)

 

[SparkleNana]

DO YOU KNOW..... that, after THIS section in The Kitchen, we only have FIVE more sections?????????? Then........ the HOT summer months for mAINTAINING!!!!! (THAT WOULD BE... THE COLD WINTER MONTHS -- in the Southern Hemisphere -- for MAINTAINING!) AND THEN....... the Holiday Grand Plan begins!!!!!!!

Are you able to do any major work during July and August????? Even in Baby Steps? Usually..... I am not ABLE! BUT PERHAPS THIS YEAR......... in tiny baby steps.......

 

[luludou]

No major work here during summer months... unless we have a summer like last year... just rain, rain, rain, rain, rain...

 

[SparkleNana]

Today -- in The Kitchen.... I am working at getting everything "looking good"! Floor clear and clean. Counters clear and clean. No clutter.

In addition, I am working on the back porch. We spend aA LOT of time out there when it is warm enough. And now IT IS warm enough!

Also working on decluttering paperwork. THAT will take up the remaining 249 days until Christmas 2010! (Maybe.)

AND.... lot of work outside in the front yard. I still have not found white impatience plants at an affordable price. The white ones sell out first.

 

[sweetpumkinpye]

I don't normally do any major work in the summer. Definately a baby steps time of year.

 

[Belles]

I honestly have too much going on right now to really start intense cleaning in the kitchen, but I am curious...my cabinets need painting, have any you ever seen black kitchen cabinets?

 

[jinglemom]

I honestly have too much going on right now to really start intense cleaning in the kitchen, but I am curious...my cabinets need painting, have any you ever seen black kitchen cabinets?

Belles, one of my favorite kitchens that I've seen had black cabinets. It was in a model home that had spanish/tuscan architecture. The walls were white, cabinets black, and an island that was a medium brown. I liked the combination alot.

 

[Winged One]

I haven't made great progress in the kitchen yet (real life is interfering in a big way), but DH DID wash the floor on Tuesday and I have cleaned out 2 cupboards. But I want to get into a corner one for a good sort through before the end of the weekend....

 

[SparkleNana]

Winged One --- that's right! THIS two-week session ends this weekend. I just checked the schedule -- and April 15 - May 8 is Closets and something else....... Well.... I guess closets and storage areas can ALWAYS use a going through/straightening up!!!

Through baby steps, I have gotten The Kitchen into better shape. Clearer counters = more working space. I haven't missed any items that I have gotten rid of.

 

[SparkleNana]

Tomorrow is our last day of this session in The Kitchen. It is quite clear to me.... that "getting rid of stuff" is the best thing we can do! It makes it so much easier to work; to clean; and to think -- when we are not just pushing away "stuff"!!

Use any incentive you can muster up! Just keep getting rid of stuff!

Of course... we DO have to keep bringing things in, too! (Yesterday I bought Listerine, a bag of delicious Basmanti brown rice, and three pairs of shoes -- for the wedding, the brunch, and gardening -- from Payless. (Buy one, get the rest half off - and their prices are low to begin with!)

I was in a rush, yesterday, to pick up the grandsons. So.... I came in from shopping and dropped my bags on the kitchen floor, checked phone messages, and ran off again.

When I got home later that evening, I looked at the bags on the (clean) kitchen floor and thought -- "Hum. Shop and Drop."

In case you don't know...... clutter experts describe this kind of behavior as "Shop and Drop." A person goes out shopping, brings the bags home, and just drops them somewhere. And - too often -- forgets about them -- so they become clutter!!!

Now... in this case.... that is NOT going to happen! We are out of brown rice, and eat it frequently! Both dh and I use the Listerine daily, and we are also out of that! AND... I need decent shoes for the wedding events.... and for the muddy gardening! But, I do have to admit that there have been plenty of times of "Shop and Drop" behavior in the past! BAD behavior! Not BAD person! BAD behavior!!!!

 

[sweetpumkinpye]

Belles...I have seen black cabinets and love the look of them.
SN love the saying shop and drop. That is so appropriate to a lot of people. I am lucky not to be a shop and dropper.

 

[SparkleNana]

Our "final day" is here! Tomorrow begins a new two-week session!

I'm going IN... to the kitchen. I am going to telephone a friend..... and I HOPE she is at home. I want to chat with her while I do some cleaning and decluttering in the kitchen! If she does not answer the phone...... I will watch some TV while I work.

 

[luludou]

Kitchen spring cleaning is done! ceilings, walls, woodwork, light fixture, furniture, blinds, windows, floor.

Now for the kitchenette..... ceiling, walls, cabinets (in and over), window, light fixture, blinds are done. Still have some to do.