Chances are if you asked someone if they’d ever regretted not spending more time cooking and cleaning the kitchen, their answer would be a resounding “no.” Our lives are crazy busy—who’s got extra time to cook, clean, and organize the kitchen?! No one. That’s why we’ve put together this handy dandy list of 9 kitchen hacks that’ll cut down on the time you spend chopping, scrubbing, and rearranging.
Cooking & Cleaning
#1 Wash and prep produce as soon as you get home from the store. Wash and bag lettuce, cut carrots and celery, and chop onions. You’ll only dirty the cutting boards once and all your veggies and fruits are ready for the week ahead.
#2 Cook once, eat twice. It’s a good kitchen motto for crazy weeks. Cook a big batch of meat that can be stretched into two meals.
#3 Give your slow-cooker a workout. If you’re not utilizing this time-shaving kitchen appliance, then you’re missing out. Most slow-cooker recipes require minimal prep and are ready when you get home from work. Plus, you’ll only have one pot to clean when dinner’s done!
#4 Clean as you cook. Don’t wait to do the dishes until after you’ve eaten a meal. Experience says you won’t feel like doing them. Instead, kitchen experts recommend filling one side of the sink with soapy water and washing dishes as you go. Then when dinner’s done, you don’t have a sink full of dirty dishes.
#5 Get the whole family involved. Divvy up kitchen chores to cut down on the time you spend in the kitchen. If you’ve got kids, have them help prep, set the table, and wash dishes. Rotate who does what so everyone gets a turn.
Organizing
#6 Designate a spot for pots (and lids!). These are probably the bulkiest things in your kitchen cabinets. Keeping them organized will not only save space, but time too when you go to look for a certain one. Want to get serious about organizing? Invest in a two-level cookware organizer that slides in and out of the cabinet for easy access.
#7 Divide and conquer…your pans and muffin tins that is. A divider sliding tray is a great organizing tool for baking sheets, cake pans, and muffin tins. Metal dividers make it easy to arrange them by type for easier identification. Now they won’t get stuck under a pile of pots and pans!
#8 Use the bin system. The pantry can get out of hand in a jiffy. Use bins to sort canned goods, rice, pasta, and other staples. Make sure to label the outside of each bin. This way when you’re searching for that can of tomatoes for dinner—you’ll be able to find it quickly!
#9 Keep inventory. Just like grocery stores keep track of their inventory—so should you. Knowing what’s on your shelves saves you a last minute trip to the store. Apply a chalkboard decal to the inside of a cabinet for an easy way to keep track.
