How to Clean Your Brother's Kitchen!
Posted 07-21-2009 at 02:00 PM by Ask Viki!
My brother's girlfriend of 10 years just up and moved 250 miles away! She tried to take my niece and nephew but the court said they had to stay, yippee! So now comes the fun part; cleaning the trailer so when Child Protections Services comes to inspect the childrens living conditions, it's ready. I should mention that my 'ex-sister-in-law' is a hoarder; of food and anything offered 'free'...anyone need an old upright piano?
So here's how Mom and I did it:
I took a large trash can from outside and cleaned it with PineSol, dried it out, put a bag in it and set it in the middle of the kitchen. Then put a trash bag in a clothes basket to use for things to go to Goodwill. I started with the cabinet under the sink, combined the 4 half filled containers of vinegar, 3 bottles of dish soap, threw away the 12 pieces of moldy pieces of sponges and scrubbers and 6 empty cans of air freshener spray.
Next was the cabinet full of pots 'n pans (too many for someone who rarely cooked!), we only kept the ones that weren't broken and matched, put all bakeware on the top shelf (it's the skinniest), crock pots and other rarely used pots on the bottom and sauce/frying pans on the middle shelf.
Next we tackled the drawers next to the sink, all three were filled with silverware, straws & plastic ware from every restaurant in the world, 42 knives (does anyone need this many?), and assorted other kitchen utensils, including things Mom and I couldn't figure out what they were for! We decided that the kids, who are 8 & 9 didn't need 9 sippy cups so in the Goodwill basket they went.
Then we started refiling the drawers: top drawer is for the everyday tableware, second drawer has mixing utensils, a cheese grater, a small container of cookie cutters and other assorted baking utensils and the bottom drawer has the garbage bags, grilling accessories, and only 4, yes only 4, usable, unbroken, non rusty knives!
In the upper cabinets we put all food that is microwaved above it, lunch making supplies in the next cabinet, above the counter and then put the dishes fairly close to the dishwasher. On the opposite side of the sink has the glasses, coffee cups, coffee supplies and assorted travel mugs & specialty cups.
Next we started on the big pantry; we threw away all the boxes and cans dated back to 2002 (yes, she was feed them food that was over 4 years old), moved it next to the fridge instead of on the opposite wall from the stove, and put the cans & boxes back in. We put all the boxes and cans back on the shelves by their frequency of use; tomato sauce & large cans of juice on the bottom, cereal, pancake mix, and crackers on the top, fruit & vegetables on their own shelf. The more used an item is the closer to eye level we put it. The other 'pantry' turned out to be a 60's era desk; we put it behind the kitchen table for bills & school papers.
By the way, we've now emptied the outside trash can twice! Over the stove we put the boxes and cans of food that are only cooked on top of the stove and organized the cabinet to the right of the stove. Since my brother doesn't bake much, the baking supplies & spices take up the top two shelves and the rest of the spices on the bottom two shelves.
We also broke the child labor law according to my niece; she didn't think her and my two boys should have to help, oh well I said! They got paid for their work...cookies! :-)
Now, here it is, 5 am on Sunday morning, and all I had to do was turn on the coffee pot (I always get it ready the night before), the kitchen is almost sparkling and the house no longer smells like a garbage can. Just from cleaning the kitchen!
I won't even go into how bad the rest of the trailer was; however we have a chat with my brother how it's his responsibility now to keep that way!
We hope you enjoy reading this and take away some good tips for organizing your kitchen!
So here's how Mom and I did it:
I took a large trash can from outside and cleaned it with PineSol, dried it out, put a bag in it and set it in the middle of the kitchen. Then put a trash bag in a clothes basket to use for things to go to Goodwill. I started with the cabinet under the sink, combined the 4 half filled containers of vinegar, 3 bottles of dish soap, threw away the 12 pieces of moldy pieces of sponges and scrubbers and 6 empty cans of air freshener spray.
Next was the cabinet full of pots 'n pans (too many for someone who rarely cooked!), we only kept the ones that weren't broken and matched, put all bakeware on the top shelf (it's the skinniest), crock pots and other rarely used pots on the bottom and sauce/frying pans on the middle shelf.
Next we tackled the drawers next to the sink, all three were filled with silverware, straws & plastic ware from every restaurant in the world, 42 knives (does anyone need this many?), and assorted other kitchen utensils, including things Mom and I couldn't figure out what they were for! We decided that the kids, who are 8 & 9 didn't need 9 sippy cups so in the Goodwill basket they went.
Then we started refiling the drawers: top drawer is for the everyday tableware, second drawer has mixing utensils, a cheese grater, a small container of cookie cutters and other assorted baking utensils and the bottom drawer has the garbage bags, grilling accessories, and only 4, yes only 4, usable, unbroken, non rusty knives!
In the upper cabinets we put all food that is microwaved above it, lunch making supplies in the next cabinet, above the counter and then put the dishes fairly close to the dishwasher. On the opposite side of the sink has the glasses, coffee cups, coffee supplies and assorted travel mugs & specialty cups.
Next we started on the big pantry; we threw away all the boxes and cans dated back to 2002 (yes, she was feed them food that was over 4 years old), moved it next to the fridge instead of on the opposite wall from the stove, and put the cans & boxes back in. We put all the boxes and cans back on the shelves by their frequency of use; tomato sauce & large cans of juice on the bottom, cereal, pancake mix, and crackers on the top, fruit & vegetables on their own shelf. The more used an item is the closer to eye level we put it. The other 'pantry' turned out to be a 60's era desk; we put it behind the kitchen table for bills & school papers.
By the way, we've now emptied the outside trash can twice! Over the stove we put the boxes and cans of food that are only cooked on top of the stove and organized the cabinet to the right of the stove. Since my brother doesn't bake much, the baking supplies & spices take up the top two shelves and the rest of the spices on the bottom two shelves.
We also broke the child labor law according to my niece; she didn't think her and my two boys should have to help, oh well I said! They got paid for their work...cookies! :-)
Now, here it is, 5 am on Sunday morning, and all I had to do was turn on the coffee pot (I always get it ready the night before), the kitchen is almost sparkling and the house no longer smells like a garbage can. Just from cleaning the kitchen!
I won't even go into how bad the rest of the trailer was; however we have a chat with my brother how it's his responsibility now to keep that way!
We hope you enjoy reading this and take away some good tips for organizing your kitchen!
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