HGP 2020 - Kitchen

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PamelaG

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A clean and organized kitchen is a must during the holiday season, so this week, we're taking on the kitchen in the Holiday Grand Plan.

Week Eight sees us down and dirty in the heart of the home: the kitchen. It's Kitchen Week at the Holiday Grand Plan!

This week, we'll clear the decks for the holiday cooking to come with a kitchen clean-up and declutter. Routing out the year's dirt and disorder gives us a fresh, clean start for holiday cooking to come.
In holiday prep, it's Checkpoint Week and time to make plans for Halloween night.

HOLIDAY PREP
  • Make one batch of Holiday Goodies.
  • Make one extra meal for freezer again labeled HOLIDAY MEAL.
  • Buy two canned food items from menus (get 2 of each item, one to use and one to donate to food drive).
  • Buy 1/8th of TO BUY gifts. Save all receipts, note return policy before buying. Ask for gift boxes.
  • Wrap and label packages. If needing to ship, get some shipping boxes now and store packages in them.
  • Work at least 1 hour a day on homemade gifts.
Checkpoint Week! Evaluate Your Progress:
  • If unable to find an item for a person on list contact them or their family for ideas.
  • If a homemade gift is not going well, set it aside for after Christmas and decide on another gift.
  • Buy pumpkin for Halloween.
  • Review costume plans with children.

CLEANING/ORGANIZING AREA: KITCHEN

This week's assignment, from Katie Leckey's Cleaning Grand Plan:
Kitchen Closets: Empty them!
Pull everything out. Use trash bags, boxes, etc to sort and redistribute your items.
Remember-places would love donations of kitchen items. If you have not used something in a few months, chances are you just will not use it so donate it.
Kill the clutter!
Kitchen Cabinets: Tackle one by one if the job seems overwhelming.
Start above counters, on one side of the room and work in one direction & when done, tackle cabinets below the counter.
Save the under-sink area for last, for me it was the hardest.
Check any open boxes for bugs.
Don't forget to wipe down empty shelves, re-line (if necessary).
If you store medicines in the cabinets, check expiration dates. Verify prescription items with your pharmacist.
Throw out medicines that "didn't work", expired or tasted so horrible you won't use them, etc.
Don't forget to empty drawers, clean inside, then replace items.
Get rid of duplicate items (utensils) if you can.
Get Rid Of:
  • Old, currently unused cleaners
  • Cans & Bottles of food over 6 months old unless there is a later expiration date
  • Old cracker/cookie boxes probably stale
  • Pans & pots that you don't use, have duplicates of, are in horrible shape, etc
  • Extra serving dishes (store them elsewhere unless you have lots of room) until needed. Donate if you have not used them in the past six months
Clean all appliances inside and out (refrigerator, stove, dishwasher, microwave, toaster oven, coffee maker--use vinegar once through, followed by several rounds of water-- stove vent, etc.)
Sink: Use a toothbrush to get rid of gritty dirt at faucet. Clean drains, disposal, etc Use favorite cleaner to make "shine".
Pantry: Use same method as for the cabinets. don't forget to wipe down while empty. Try to combine duplicate boxes of things to throw out that which you haven't and probably won't use.
When this is done, you will probably want to dust any appropriate items, vacuum from ceiling to floor, including vents/ a/c ducts, clean any windows, and sweep & wash the kitchen floor (I always do that last!)
As far as I'm concerned this is probably one of the hardest rooms in the house. If you have tile on your counters or table, this is a good time to spray them down and clean and reseal the grout.
Be ruthless! Go through every drawer, cabinet, counter. Did you take time to do all that work and sell yourself short? Did your Mama tell you a job worth doing is worth doing well??? Well go ahead and "git": make that kitchen shine. Go through the spices and the cookbooks again. I know there are things you still really need to do.
 

Miss JoDee

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I am close to having the kitchen done. I have 1 of 3 window, the door, range, refrigerator, under the sink, 1 light fixture and wipe any spots on the wall, under the sink and floor. 2 hours or less.
 

AuntJamelle

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Oct 22, 2007
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Kitchen week already!!! o_O

I have gone through and detail cleaned the front of all cabinets and drawers. And I cleaned the inside of the fridge. And cleaned marks off the walls in the pantry. Still have the rest of my list to do...will tackle one cupboard at a time!!!

I have not done any freezer cooking yet. Need to get started on cookies! I have a long weekend this weekend with DS being on Fall break.

We have our pumpkins - ready to carve!

99% of gift crafting for Christmas is done - should be able to finish - only have 2 things I absolutely must finish.

I've added items to my Amazon wish list and to that for DS.

I also finally started wrapping gifts! Feels good to at least have that started - will do more this weekend!

No idea what we are doing for a costume for DS. We are not going trick or treating so it will just be for his enjoyment. He wants a homemade costume - we're in negotiations :rolleyes:
 

housewife2

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cleaning out my kitchen cabinet after online school is done today wrapping is pretty
 

Lori K

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Pantry closet has been done. On my "to-do" list (to hold myself accountable):

  • cabinets with pans / cooking dishes -- DONE
  • island drawers (4)
  • cabinet with cookie sheets, cutting boards -- DONE
  • turntable -- clean out, organize -- DONE
  • upper cabinets -- clean, organize -- DONE
  • spice cabinet -- consolidate and organize
  • under sink storage -- wipe down, consolidate (whenever possible), organize
  • sanitize dishwasher and garbage disposal -- DONE
  • clean oven -- DONE
  • clean microwave -- DONE
  • floors and baseboards
  • cabinet over refrigerator - DONE
 
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Miss JoDee

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I volunteered DH to do the top of the range and mop the floors tomorrow. I will do the refrigerator Thursday since garbage pick up is Fridays. Everything else is done.
 

AuntJamelle

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My work on the kitchen is paused for the moment - we have the carpet install scheduled for next Friday - which means all tasks that must be done prior to carpet going in have to be done before then.

So I will be spending most of my long weekend cleaning and painting and assisting DH with various projects - bookshelves he is building and also the finishing pieces that go around the bar cabinets.

I'll try to keep working on small things in the kitchen as I can today - have to help DS with school still so can't stray far.

It's only 9AM and I want to go back to bed!!! LOL
 

Miss JoDee

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I finished the kitchen today. It is ready for decorating. I want to start decorating but first I have to finish up some this n that stuff so next week I can get the laundry and sewing room cleaned up. That means some sewing of pillows and crafting and making of placemats. Almost there. Wrapping party on Sunday. I will enlist DH's help.
 
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Minta

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Oct 14, 2007
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I got most of the inside of my cabinets cleaned out but not for following this though. In the past week we had mice make an appearance .. one in the garage and one in the kitchen. We have been in this house for 5 years and never saw a mouse until now. Traps were set and 2 were caught, one under the stove and one in the garage. Thankfully found no traces of them being in the cabinets and I am hoping there are not any more. Leaving the traps for now just in case.

Under the sink was cleaned out last month when the sink trap cracked and caused a mess.

Most of the pantry baking items I need for the holidays have been bought.

I still need to:
Clean the outside of the cabinets
Give the floors a real good scrubbing instead of just mopping or steam mopping them.
Clean the kitchen window and sliding glass doors.
 

halimer

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Aug 30, 2008
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I haven't looked at this thread until today - probably out of fear - but something made me start redoing the kitchen cabinets last week so at least I am half done with that!
 

missjane

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Oct 13, 2007
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I've come to realize I haven't gotten my pots and pans cabinet situated just how I want it. All the other cabinets are functioning pretty well as they are. I did rearrange the plates last night. I need to give the outside of the cabinet doors a good scrubbing...not bad, but they definitely need a little attention.

I was going to paint behind the new vent hood tonight, but all the paint brushes are in DH's tool shed. It's raining, and I didn't feel like going out in the rain. The old vent hood was HUGE...Ranger brand. Anyone still have one? The new one is smaller, so it doesn't cover as much of the wall.
 
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