Decluttering Countertops - Before & After

~Before~

 

As I mentioned in a previous post, my theme for this year is simplicity.

So I figured the best place to start would be my kitchen countertops.

 

~Before~

 

The first thing I did was to remove everything off of the counters.

 

 

And then I filled the sinks with bleach & water

and wiped down the counters and let them soak.

 

 

While the counters were being disinfected by the bleach solution

I sorted through everything I had removed from the counters

and decided which I was keeping, which was going,

which was going to be put back on the counter,

and which was going to have to find another home.

My guideline for this was if I used it every day it could go on the counters.

Less than that and it would have to go in the cupboards.

And anything I couldn't remember using or was broken was

put aside to give away or throw away.

 

This old CD player was on my countertop but it isn't needed

as I listen to the radio or my music from my ipad.

It was boxed up to donate and will free up a lot of space on my counters.

 

I do use my little chopper quite a bit but not every day

so a spot was found in the cupboard for it.

 

The lid on this kettle was broken and I am tired of boring electric kettles.

This went to the garbage and a red kettle will hopefully soon grace my stovetop.

 

 

 

I actually wasn't sure if the can opener should be on the counter or in a cupboard.

I decided to put it in a cupboard but decided if I found myself constantly

pulling it out to use I would move it to the counter.

 

 

 

 

~Before~

 

 

~After~

 

What a difference - so much more counter space.

It makes working in the kitchen so much easier!

 

~After~

 

Of course, the whole time I was moving things back and forth

Coda decided he needed to lay in the middle of everything

and keep an eye on things! Lol

~Finding the amazing in the simple~

Thanks so much for stopping by!



 

I am joining...

Have A Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson for Share Your Cup Thursday
The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home

Cleaning The Coffee Maker

 

Cleaning the coffee maker is quite simple to do

and makes the coffee taste so much better.

The recommendations for cleaning on my coffee maker

is to clean it after 60 uses.

This works out to about once a month for us.

 

First, add four cups of vinegar

and eight cups of water.

Add a fresh coffee filter.

 

If your coffee maker has a self-clean button turn that on

and then turn on the coffee maker

and let it brew through the cycle.

If you don't have the self-clean

just turn on the coffee maker and do a regular brew cycle.

 

Once the cycle is finished let it sit for 15 minutes,

empty the vinegar/water mixture

and run another cycle through,

although this time with just plain water.

If you haven't cleaned your coffee maker in quit some time

you may want to do a second vinegar/water cycle

and then a rinse cycle.

 

My coffeemaker has a charcoal filter

so I replace it when I clean the coffeemaker.

 

Remove the old filter

and replace with a fresh charcoal filter.

 

Let it soak in water for 10 minutes.

 

 

Then rinse under running water for 10-15 seconds.

Let drain completely and place back in the coffeemaker.

 

 

Brew a fresh pot of coffee and enjoy!

 

~Finding the amazing in the simple~

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Pantry & Freezer Cleaning

Just before it is time to start harvesting in the garden

I like to give my pantry and freezer a thorough cleaning.

This is pretty much an all day job but it is the best time to do it

as the freezer and pantry are at their lowest stocked points.

I start the day by unplugging the freezer 

and taking everything out and putting it in baskets.

I try to put like things together,

breads in one basket, veggies in another, meat in another, etc.

When I am done taking everything out

I leave the freezer and head over to start on the pantry.

I start by taking everything off one section and

wiping it down with a mild bleach solution.

While the one set of shelves is drying

I start taking things off the next section of shelving.

It is always handy to have a large garbage can nearby

to throw out any old items or packaging.

When I am about half done working my way around the pantry

it is usually time to head back to the freezer.

Once all the chunks of ice have fallen down

I scoop them out with a shovel.

I'm short and it's the easiest way for me to get them out - lol :)

I then wipe down the freezer with a very mild bleach solution,

rinse it and dry it.

As I put things back into the freezer I make a list of everything going in

with the quantity of each item.

When I am all finished I put the master sheets on top of the freezer

and as an item is added or removed I change the total on the sheet.

Once everything is all back in looking neat and tidy

it's time to plug it back in, shut the lid

and wipe down the outside.

Now it's all ready for the veggies that I will be freezing.

Then it's back to the pantry to finish the last half.

For some reason this side always seems to go a little quicker

but I don't mind.  By this time I just want to be done.

When the shelves are done I give the floor a good wipe down as well

and change and update any shelf labels that need it.

It's a wonderful feeling to have it done

and seeing those clean, empty shelves

just waiting for the canning from the garden.

~Finding the amazing in the simple~

Thanks so much for stopping by!