While some of the following ideas may seem obvious to most of you, I am sure there are some people out there who haven’t really given a lot of thought to the following suggestions. (I know that I used to be one of them until I really thought about these.)
Keep a broom nearby.
The kitchen gets a lot of traffic, and as such should be maintained daily. Having a broom in sight will encourage you because out of sight is out of mind. This is also true for the insects you will not attract by keeping the kitchen floor free from crumbs and such. (If the sight of a broom makes you want to fly, you have another problem that can’t be addressed here).
Remember to replace sponges frequently.
Sponges are traps for bacteria and should be changed monthly (if not more often). You can put sponges in the dishwasher to clean, but they still should be kept separate (one for spills and one for dishes. Get different colors.)
Organize the pantry and refrigerator on a regular basis.
This means more frequently than the occurrence of a full moon or the next solar eclipse! If you take something out of the pantry, put it back in the same place. (The Great Manitou should surely strike me dead, as I am so guilty of not doing this. Still, take my advice and do as I say and not as I do.) Refrigerators can get really funky and if you clean them out on garbage pick-up days for example, you will be doing your part to ensure the continuity of the natural flow of the food chain. Besides, penicillin has already been discovered.
Do YOU have any kitchen organization tips to share? Please do.