Simple Ways to Prepare Your Kitchen for the Festive Season

Do you feel that in the air? It’s the first signs of the festive season! We know, we know…there’s still November to get through, but it never hurts to start making early preparations to speed things along come Christmastime.

That’s right, you can start today making simple fixes around your kitchen so that when the time comes to throw together a festive dinner destined to knock your in-laws’ socks off, you won’t be scrambling to find cutlery that matches or dashing back and forth to the shops because you’ve forgotten to get ingredients. Read on…

Take Stock of What You Have – and Plan Ahead

Do you already have an idea of what you want to prepare? You needn’t have a fully-formed idea, but having the basic ingredients for classic Christmas dishes will help you out.

Have a look through your pantry and fridge to see what you already have and what you’ll need to shop for in the weeks before the festive season properly begins. If you know any of your guests have food allergies or restrictions, you may even consider getting ingredients beforehand to accommodate them. There’s no reason food restrictions should dampen the festive spirit, after all!

Declutter Your Counters

You’ll need as much counterspace as you can when the big day arrives. Maximising your workspace will smooth things along so you won’t be rummaging around for utensils or ingredients that disappear into clutter. Clear as much of your countertop as you can, including putting appliances away from sight and clearing away papers, receipts, and any other loose items you may have.

Don’t have anywhere to put the items you cleared off your counter? You may benefit from having vertical shelves (like this one) to store these items in plain sight without taking up precious counterspace.

Locate Your Crockery

The Christmas feast is ready, the guests are hungry and waiting – but where’s the dinnerware? Don’t let this happen to you! Locate your festive crockery in advance so you won’t have to dig for them at the last minute, then dust them off so they’re all spic and span.

Make sure you’re not missing any spoons, plates, or other utensils so your guests can have matching sets (but mismatched crockery may be trendier than you may think). Be sure there is enough to accommodate all your guests – there’s nothing more awkward than not having a plate for someone!

Make Room in Your Fridge

It may be time to address the mysterious, mouldy creation that’s been brewing in the back of your fridge for the past few years.  Take this time to clean out your fridge of any unnecessary items. Check food for its expiration date, and make sure you’re not buying too many groceries so that you’ve got unwanted excess food that spoils before you get a chance to touch it. What’s more, larger items can even be stored in the freezer to free up more room.

Once you’ve thrown out expired food, empty out your fridge. Disinfect the door handles, clean the doors, and wipe down the shelves and drawers, paying special attention to sticky spills. Now you can place the food back in. Rearrange them so food items are easy to access. You can also place a box of baking soda to deodorise your fridge for the next several weeks.

That’s it for simple kitchen fixes! How do you get your cooking space prepped before the festive season? Be sure to share your thoughts down below in the comments!

Until next time…