Hello there!
Hope you are getting on well with lock down life?! It’s been a bit of rollercoaster over here but I’ve been trying my best to plough on with the never ending list of jobs! What has really been helping me keep motivated is making lists. If you follow me over on Instagram you will have seen that I have been going round Rose Cottage making a list of jobs for each room. This has helped make the whole thing seem more achievable for me and giving me a real focus. I started with the kitchen; my favourite room in the house and the one I spend the most time in (especially since lock down and having to make approximately 1,652 meals a day!!!). The list for the kitchen alone was 2 pages long and included things like repainting furniture, defrosting the freezer and deep cleaning the cupboards. The (universal) kitchen lock down list went down a storm when I shared it over on Instagram, so thought I would share it over here too along with a few hints and tips. So here goes…
- Make a list (or use mine below) of the jobs you want to complete
2. Think about your storage solutions
Having the right storage in place in your kitchen can really help you to organise and make the most of the space you have. Baskets are your best friend, I most use the Curver range (available in Tesco) and use them for food, cleaning products and lunchboxes.
I also love the Ikea plastic storage solutions, especially for dog food, treats and cereal.
I like to reuse plastic food containers where I can. The little trays which fruit comes in are great as separators for organising your drawers. Keeps everything nice and tidy and also reduces waste – what’s not to love?!
3. Deep Clean
Here’s what I use and how I clean the following:
Washing Machine
Take out the powder drawer and soak in the sink for 10 minutes in hot water and fairy liquid. Give the compartment a good clean with white vinegar and bicarb of soda. I use this little tool – a Sonic Scrubber to get right in there. Put the drawer back in and place a cupful of white vinegar into it. Give the drum, door and seal a good wipe down with a damp cloth. Put a cupful of bicarb into the drum and run on the hottest wash your machine does.
Dish Washer
Top up your dishwasher salt and rinseaid first, then put a small bowl of white vinegar in the top shelf. Run on the hottest wash.
Sink
Sprinkle bicarb of soda around your plug, add a capful of white vinegar. Leave for 10 minutes, then wash away with hot water. Then add a few drops of essential oil for a beautiful smell!
Oven
I am trying to reduce the amount of heavy duty harmful cleaning products I use in my home, but still to find anything as good as Mr Muscle for cleaning the oven. I always take the racks and spray them outside, leaving them to soak for 30 minutes.
Cooker Hood
Take out the filters and soak in a sink full of boiling water, white vinegar and fairy liquid for 10 minutes. Leave to dry fully before refitting.
Microwave
Place a bowl of warm water and a few drops of lemon essential oil into the microwave for 2 minutes. Wipe down all surfaces.
Descale Kettle
Put into kettle 100ml white vinegar, 400ml water, 3 drops of lemon essential oil and boil. Leave to sit for an hour, rinse, wipe and reboil.
Tiles and Grout
Using the Sonic Scrubber and some Cif I clean all the grout and then wipe down all the tiles with warm water.
4. Spend time planning your kitchen work tops
I wrote a blog on kitchen styling which has some fab practical tips on making your kitchen work for you!
Read it here: Styling your kitchen worktops
5. Don’t rush it!
You will never do all of this list in a day, make a plan to do it over the period of a week; This makes it more realistic to achieve. Plan to tick off a few jobs per day.
Let me know how you get on with your lockdown lists and any tips you have on keeping motivated!
Hope you enjoyed reading, as much as I enjoyed writing!
