My husband and I cleared about some of the spices and dry goods just before Christmas which gives us a head start there. I must have loads of kitchen bits and pieces that don't get used so this is a perfect opportunity for a clear out. Especially as we never seem to have enough room for anything!
Not looking forward to tackling the fridge, hopefully I won't get distracted by the nice bottle of white wine currently sitting in there....

Yeah - Some days it is great to have a tiny kitchen!!

can anyone recommend a good, strong and earth friendly cleaning product for wood kitchen cabinets?

We just moved in July, so the shelves have all been wiped down (relatively) recently, but the fridge is full of old food that I'm waiting to clear out until I've built the veggie bed, so I can use that old food as compost in the very bottom layer of the planter. SOoooo, I take this post as a prod to get that planter built this weekend, then clean out the fridge.
Looking forward to it :)

Cleaning the fridge out and organizing my dry-goods and pots and pans cupboard is a real must for me. These are great kick-in-the-butts to remind me to get cleaning. Maybe I'll even pick a nice bold coloured shelf liner!

So are we also completing the tasks that we highlighted for the kitchen this weekend as well or for whenever we've reached to a certain room on our list from Day One?

bzak, VINEGAR! It's a great cleaner. If you use baking soda as scouring powder, you can get a little extra action.

I did the final post-builder deep clean last week and weeded just before the holidays, so I think I'm in for attempt 3 at working out what exactly goes in which cabinet. Oh, and the fridge..... so not going to enjoy that bit.

@ sarajanie: I was thinking the same thing! Tiny...but perfectly formed (for this assignment, anyway).

I am definitely enjoying my flowers but am dreading the kitchen! I shared my disaster right here: http://turningithome.blogspot.com/2013/01/hydrangeas-and-messy-kitchen.html
I think I will start today and hopefully be done by Monday. A sick toddler and a hungry baby may take up more of my time!

I definitely need to do this weekend assignment.

For cleaning wood cabinets, Guardsman is the best and recommended by every cabinet manufacturer that I've used. Cleans and feeds the wood.

On another note, I went to use a mug the other day for coffee and found part of the shelf pin in it. When I realized it had broken, I went to the hardware store and got a replacement. I had to take all the glasses off that shelf for the replacepment, but couldn't get the broken half out of the hole, so I had to move the shelf to the too tall spot and all the glasses are still on the counter. Today's task will be to get all of that organized. Once I start, I'll probably be up until 2 working on the kitchen. Perfect timing. ;)

Our kitchen is a;ready 80% in line with the tasks above... so I'm going to work on one of my projects, a spice storage solution. The spices are about 10%, then the other 10% I'll peak in cabinets and get rid of anything we don't need / haven't used since I moved in.
Also, flowers. my current ones are looking scraggly.

Oh no... This task covers a number of tasks I had put on my list - not sure I can do all of them in one weekend. But I'll give it a try, and I'm glad the floor was mopped last weekend!

Ours is a home cooking household, so the kitchen gets a daily workout and the cabinets are always dirty. I can never make myself clean them and it is a nagging disappointment/annoyance for me. I need this nudge!

tryphe,

Only if you have time and want to do those this weekend - remember, that list you made is your master to-do list for the year, not just this month.

If your kitchen projects from your list are do-able along with the other kitchen tasks this weekend and you want to go for it, great - cross em off! But if not, jno worries - follow the assignment for now and revisit the kitchen in the upcoming months.

Either way, you've committed to getting it done and you will! :)

Ha ha, I knew the other tasks during the week this week were too enjoyable! That's ok; I am especially looking forward to decluttering small gadgets and cookware.

Since I was in nesting mode when I was pregnant (which was now 3 years ago), I've been intending to haul everything out and clean all the shelves in the cabinets. It is a small space so I'm fairly good about weeding down the assorted accoutrements in the kitchen--just have an attachment to those fancy cake pans from W-S that I've been gifted over the years even though I use them rarely. To the outbox they go this weekend...

Friday! I got a major head start on this weekend's chores, because: my flowers are still looking awesome, I just moved in this wednesday so my kitchen is still spotless (since I haven't used it yet) and I'm doing a massive decluttering as I unpack, and yesterday I picked up ingredients for the latest chickpea/carrot salad recipe on 101coookbooks.com

Sharing my quick to-do list here: buy (even more) vinegar+spray bottle, throw out everything in my outbox, buy white paint for my bookshelf & measure the poster I want to frame as my art piece before the 29th. Happy weekending, everyone!

Proud to say that I try to clean out and wipe the fridge at least once every two weeks - but I need to tackle the kitchen drawers and the mess of glasses we have.
A good addition to the list would be to actually WASH all the glasses - we cook with gas, and our glasses get kind of grimy if they're not used a lot, like champagne or martini glasses.

We lost power for four days just before Christmas. I decided to clean and reorganize my kitchen for lack of anything else better to do. I organized my kitchen into work stations and moved all of the stuff in my cabinets and drawers to the appropriate work space. I used post-it notes and wrote what was in each cabinet and drawer (for my husband) to locate it better and get the idea of the "flow". I then used canning jars to store items that were out of control. Such as brown sugar and chocolate chips that come in bags. I did the same with my assortment of dried fruits and veggies and nuts, flour, sugar, the list goes on!. Then took the time to label each jar and put them in freshly scrubbed cabinets according to work station. Now i can finish off the task by cleaning out our small pantry. It is such a joy to get in the kitchen and use it now.

Murphy's Oil Soap!

This whole thing is so in line with what I wanted to do this January even before I heard of the cure so I am double-stoked. I got a potted hyacinth yesterday and woke to the wonderful smell. It's sitting next to the potted mums I got last week. My table is turning into a flower garden! Since giving up a bedroom and moving completely into my kitchen-turned-studio I've been reconfiguring everything to make more sense as a tiny living space and this cure is helping the process along wonderfully. I'm making soup, salad and crackers, including making my own double-baked crackers. What fun!

I have chrome shelving on wheels for my pantry (very, small space) since my kitchen was cleaned during the week, my mom came to visit <3, I am going to work on raising and lowering the shelves so I can fit my dog food tupperwear under the last shelf to clear space in my living room!

Thanks!

My kitchen has been moving up my to-do list for the past year. I've been doing little-by-little and have already removed a bunch of extraneous stuff. I have a tiny galley kitchen in my apartment.

I think with a couple of hours of concentrated effort, I can finish it up this weekend.

Yes, time to face the music. I was just remarking the other night that our refrigerator shelves were starting to look a little gross. Also, I bought a bottle of Countertop Magic a good 6 months ago and have yet to use it. This weekend it is!

This is very welcome, since I have plenty of detritus to clear out in the kitchen. That stuff just piles up. But I will also work on my selected project of putting together my new Expedit shelves and the second IKEA table (and trying to get the first one I got to balance), which I got last weekend.

I tried to adjust my cupboard door last night and it fell off, does this count for brownie points or something. Should I just take off the rest or own up to the landlord and have them come fix it???????. I will clean the rest of the kitchen, not sure about the cooking thing. I still need to buy flowers for last week, (now this week), Gerbera (sp) I'm thinking. Thank you "Kitchen Gods" for giving me such a small kitchen.

I desperately need to do this, and actually started a week ago by cleaning out my fridge, but I am going out of town for four days starting tomorrow for a funeral, so this will be put off, yet again.

My tiny kitchen used to be so clean and organized, then someone's teenager with all her prepared junk food infiltrated the house. My cabinet is full of all these prepared foods like instant oatmeals and dintymore soups that I KNOW no one will ever eat. Totally messing with my mojo.

Any suggestions on good oven cleaners that are non-toxic or earth friendly? My oven needs a good cleaning in a bad way! I've never actually had to clean an oven before, so any tips or suggestions are helpful too. Thanks!

I've been gradually cleaning my kitchen over the past few days, so I'm looking forward to finishing it up. Today I'm tackling the flat top stove, which has gotten consistently more and more disgusting since I've moved in. I've read that baking powder is good to get it looking new again. Fingers crossed.

Luckily for me, I went crazy cleaning and organizing my kitchen before my Mom visited at Thanksgiving! But I still have some holiday things I need to move out of there (silver platters and stuff that I only use at Thanskgiving and Xmas), and the fridge and under counter storage could definitely use a cleanup! Thanks for the motivation!

I'm trying to figure out what to do with my "bar" area. I buy bottles of liquor, have one sip, and then remember I don't really like liquor... So I have quite a collection sitting on top of my refrigerator! I'd like to move them somewhere out of the way, but can't really think of a spot where I have space... I'll likely give a few bottles away, too.

I actually did most of that already on Tuesday when the boyfriend and I had a late night cleaning itch.

The only thing I haven't tackled yet are our trash cans. We live in Germany and separate almost everything. In an effort to seriously minimize plastic waste, I decided we could forgo trash bags. Now our trash cans (particularly the compost container) are pretty filthy and starting to stink. I really have no desire to get my hands (and nose) anywhere near the inside of those nasty bins, but I know I have to. Tomorrow it will get done!

On a side note - does anyone have any recommendations on plastic trash bag alternatives so I NEVER have to do this again?

Try bicarbonate of soda (think it's called baking soda in the US) mixed with a little water and left overnight. That's what I'll be doing tonight.

Ylajali- I did a quick search for eco-friendly bin liners and got this: http://www.polybags.co.uk/shop/eco-friendly-bin-liners-refuse-sacks_c923.htm maybe you can find something similar in Germany (or maybe via mail order)

Oh AT, how did you know I needed to do this!? And perfect, since my mom and sister are coming to visit next weekend! My flowers are still looking lovely from last week, but I'll treat myself to a couple more, because they make my apartment so much lovelier!

The mess in my 48 sq/ft kitchen builds up SO quickly, so I really need this. I've also been dealing with wheat moths so picking up more airtight containers for cereal and flour will be on my to-do list also.

alsoalsoalso

Thank goodness one of the items on my to-do list is figuring out a better solution for our "pantry" (which is really just a bunch of cabinets). I definitely need this assignment this weekend!

Charlieb: I would try Bar Keepers Friend instead. Use a little with a damp paper towel or a white scub Scotch Brite. Start with the paper towel and use the Scotch Brite if you get to a stubborn spot. After scrubbing, use a wet dish rag to wipe it clean.

Ha, I must be psychic! Last pieces of cleaning the kitchen done as if this morning. Since I cook about 5 day's a week (DH the other 2) I think I'll substitute cooking for baking. Cupcakes or an applepie. Flowers off last week are still in tiptop shape, so that'll be saved 'till monday.

More time left for floorcleaning, hanging the clock and filling the outbox... (Ok, so I'm not psychic ALL the time...)

@Charlieb & FLLW: Bar Keeper's Friend is the bomb! I've got a 90's era flat top stove and the only thing that will get the residue left from a pot boiling over is BKF. It's also the only thing that will get my white porcelain sink clean again. I just found a soft cleanser version (instead of the powder) at Lowe's this week, but haven't given it a try yet.

As for the kitchen--we moved into our house about a year-and-a-half ago and the kitchen could definitely stand some rearrangement now that we've been living with it for awhile. I'd really love to add sliding shelves to the pantry cabinet. I'm sure there are things in the back of that cabinet that got moved from the back of a cabinet at the old house and have never seen the light of day since they got here.

I need to make a decision about all the extra plates and dishes I have kept for the magical, imaginary future when I have enough space to entertain. I do plan to move to an apartment big enough for dinner parties in a few months, but will I want to serve my friends on those old crappy back-up plates?

Also really looking forward to a deep-clean of the fridge and shelves. Feels so January.

Two additional (very neglected) tasks; scrub the sink drain stoppers especially the bottom; ditto garbage disposer stopper. Better yet, just buy a new drainstopper for your sink. Thoroughly clean the drain recesses too; often, that's where smells come from.

Also, for older places, when's the last time the drawer/cabinet pulls were taken off and scrubbed? Piddly, yes, but chances are, they'll look less grungy & shinier + give the chance to thoroughly wipe down drawers & doors. Note: don't lose screws down the drain, disposer or under fridge.

I really struggle with getting rid of chipped plates. It seems, I don't know, wasteful? I never use them when entertaining or rather the guests don't get them and on a daily basis the non-chipped plates are always kept at the top of the pile for family use (waiting their turn to be chipped!). I can't donate them because if I don't want chipped plates why would I assume someone else would, and yet to throw an almost perfect plate in the trash ... well ... back to wasteful. I also have to order in replacements for my set and it takes forever for them to come. Honestly, I never seem to get around to ordering new ones. Hmmm.... Sounds like an excuse right so -Help! I'm stuck. Give me a good reason to get rid of those chipped dishes.

Oh boy, the Kitchen. This is one room I dread the most but it desperately needs. I will put on some good music and just tackle one part at a time! The fridge really needs a good clean out and I know there is a lot of food I can get rid of. I am hoping I can de-clutter the dishes and appliances as my kitchen as 0 storage space and the open shelves are covered with stuff. Would be nice to get it organized with only the items we need.

My husband and I cook all the time so cooking is the easy part. And I cook a lot on the weekends so I don't have to during the week.The flowers I have are still beautifully blooming, maybe I will get something small.

It will be hard work but come Sunday night, it will be so rewarding to cross this room off my list!

Some mosaic artists work primarily with broken china. There is even a name for the genre, Pique-Assiette, "plate stealer" in part because of Raymond Isadore, who covered his whole house in broken dishes.

Oh, thank goodness this weekend task is already pretty much done. My kitchen is on the small side so it gets sorted, organized and thoroughly cleaned all the time. Which leaves me time to finish mopping the downstairs floors from last weekend!

To clean wood cabinets, I L-O-V-E Howards Orange Oil wood cleaner, and Howard's Feed n Wax wood restorer/conditioner.

To clean stainless steel, I get one dish towel wet with dish soap and water and wipe everything down. I follow with a dry dish cloth to buff out and polish. If I see any stains or streaks, I put a few drops of mineral oil (baby oil) on a paper towel and buff down the surfaces again. This works great and is safe for all stainless steel. Some "stainles" cleaners can actually damage the surface.

Good point!

I definitely need this as well. I've gotten really lazy on making cleaning the kitchen a priority (at least for non surface cleaning) and now I've got an unorganized, jumbly mess. This will also help in go though my freezers so I can start eating those down and cut back on my grocery expenses for awhile (except for perishables). No more putting it off!

I feel like I'm falling behind already!! And I don't want to lose the momentum because then I won't make it to the end of the month (i know me).
I didn't set a date or invite anyone yesterday because my husband was at work and I wanted to run it by him first.
And now this weekend (big weekend in your words) I have so much going on. It's my grandmother's memorial service and there's family in town tonight and all day tomorrow is the service and dinner after. Sunday morning we're spreading her ashes and then I'm scheduled for lunch with friends. sigh. I'll try to get up early Saturday morning and get *some* of this done...but it's not looking promising.
I know on Sunday night, I'll crash...so not doing anything then. encouragement please!!!

@bzak I use Method (available at Target) almond wood floor cleaner. It comes as a Thick solution and I just put a little in a spray bottle and add some water! It smells wonderful AND I can use it if my hardwood floors need a little spot clean!

i have a smaller (8x12) and older (50s) kitchen that i am constantly debating whether to renovate (open it up to the dining room, move the wall to the garage, add new flooring). the contractors I've had over all want to gut it and start over. But the truth is that it's in good shape and functional (albeit a bit of a time warp) especially after i added these to the bottom cabinets so I can see what I have forgotten about that's hiding in the back

http://www.simplehuman.com/20-inch-pull-out-cabinet-organizer

these drawers made a huge difference! I like the canning jar and work station ideas will see if I can make the space more efficient this weekend. Already cleaned and organized the space under the sink when we did that part about the green cleaners. Vinegar and water took all the cat nose prints off the windows! Thanks for the green idea!

My kitchen is pretty well organized. Just want to share one thing I want to do. I have few exotic food items that I have bought in the past but have never used. It takes space so rather than going shopping and buy the usual stuff I will force myself to buy only items to use with what I need to cook. Farro, wheat grain, adzuki beans, mung beans, thai palm sugar, masa harina, shredded coconut Italian orange rind come to mind. Finding recipes and create menus around it will be fun.

Yay - I already did this one! I received a ton of kitchen gear for Christmas, so I spent a full day pulling everything out, throwing away expired food (that felt GREAT), purging cookbooks I don't use, and putting rarely used/seasonal cookware up in those high cabinets I never use. Now my kitchen has more stuff, but actually feels cleaner and easier to use.

(Hey - isn't that the red-haired girl from Texas? Her home tour was my favorite from last year!)

Goodwill finally came and hauled off all of the contents of my storage room. Hooray!!!!!

I made the Viking Chicken based on the recipe posted earlier this week and was it good. We will be eating the leftovers through the weekend. My oven could use a deep clean so I'll do that.

kitchen was cleaned yesterday & fridge was also cleaned out at the same time--wiped out & threw away old food.

i was thinking of making some chicken chili & a batch of nutella cookies, but my kitchen is now in such pristine condition that i hate to dirty it!

White vinegar and water makes it really easy to get old gunk off the stove and grease off countertops or cabinets. Just spray it on liberally, leave it for a few minutes and when you come back the grime is really easy to scoop up with a simple paper towel or rag.

@lesova I'm sorry for your loss. The cure is supposed to help I think, not make you feel even more stress at a stressful time.

Don't worry about the kitchen clean this weekend, you will find time to make it up before the end of the month. I was not able to do all of the mopping last weekend and felt very discouraged. But I got some extra time and energy on Wednesday and managed to get almost all of it done. Now I can finish the rest this weekend and be back on track.

big project: my Kitchen table doubles for crafts, homework, games + chemistry experiments..

On shelves: sewing machines, fabric, thread, yarn, craft supplies, projects, books...

Kitchen closet laundry area is like a garage.

lesova, just do what you can, when you can. sounds like this weekend other things are more pressing and taking priority--that's okay! the cure is always here for you anytime you are ready and able. take good care of yourself right now as you embark upon a busy and emotionally challenging weekend. we'll be here for you on monday morning! :-)

The kitchen task will take two full weeks, not just a weekend. I'm going to tackle small feasible parts of it (eg. two shelves per day or two drawers per day), and save time and energy to make a meal AND enjoy part of the weekend, rather than burning myself out trying to clean out all the cabinets at once.

I read the link about a well organized kitchen, and finally realized that the problem I am having is that my baking spices and dry goods are on the other side of the stove, away from my stand mixer and bowls and measuring spoons. We have a small kitchen, so I'm not sure how I am going to fix that, but it would make it easier to cook and bake, especially with my two year old daughter's "assistance." :-)

Woot! Woot! I deep cleaned cabinets & pantry, replaced shelf liner & edited all just before the holidays. Only one small project left in the kitchen which can't be done until I finish my BIG project for the month,,,restoring order to the bedroom cum storage room. Hopin' to get a huge chunk of that whittled down this weekend while y'all cure your kitchens. Anybody wanna trade spaces for the weekend? :)

Thanks for the sticky-note tip Rndmkos. The dh is leaving before dawn Sunday on an extended business trip. If all goes well, he's gonna need those sticky notes upon his return! Hmm...a master list might not be a bad idea either, lol. I'll be mailing him a handmade invitation near month end to a private dinner party for two so we can both enjoy a special meal & unwind after a hectic month.

Note to self: have camera ready to catch that look on his face when he walks in the door.

Happy Curing!

wendybees, Do you have a self-cleaning oven? A lot of people do, but don't realize it. I ran mine last week and it like new. There are two downsides - it smells terrible becasue it is heating up to such a high temperature that it is burning all the baked on gunk off. You just wipe away the ash with a clean cloth.

Some people say that it is tough on an oven - heating up as much as it does while in clean mode can be too much for an oven if it is very old, or just problematic.

But, the best thing is that no chemicals are used! Energy yes, chemicals, no. :)

Awesome, I have a head start on this because I gave my kitchen a good clean out on New Years Day.

So maybe instead of emptying out my cabinets, I will try to do something about the mess around my sewing area (which is in the kitchen).

Done! It took all morning and a little of the afternoon, but every nook and cranny of that kitchen is squeaky clean. I feel like I want to put a red velvet rope around that sucker.

Yesterday, I finally took in to be framed a piece of art we bought on our honeymoon. We've been married 15 years!!! I'm still shocked at how expensive custom framing is. I picked the cheapest everything, used the 60% off coupon and the $10 off coupon. It still came out to $114.

Regarding the kitchen, I finally broke down last summer and hired a professional organizer to help us with the kitchen. The main problem was that my husband does all the shopping and cooking so he's really the one that needed to decide what equipment and food to keep. It was well worth the money since he was way more cooperative with her for the 4 hours than he would have been with just me. I took it upon my self to empty the cabinets and clean the inside. Hubby threw out the old and not used equipment and culled through the expired food. The organizer put everything back in the cabinets, often in different locations. It was an exhausting 4 hours, but definitely worth it to clean out a kitchen we've been in for 15 years.

This weekend, I'm going to clear off the kitchen counters and wipe down the exterior cabinets and fridge. Also, my January project off the list is to clean out our walk-in closet. (You should see the horrific before pictures.) Yesterday, I dug out 55(!) hats, most of them baseball caps. We narrowed it down to 30 and I'm going to go to Bed Bath and Beyond and get one of those over the door storage containers. I had to stop after the hats because the dust gave me a major allergy attack. Note to self: take allergy meds before starting on the closet again!

i can't believe i'm excited for this, but i am! i usually loathe cleaning, but this feels manageable and will help accomplish some of the goals i set for myself in the kitchen (like setting up the new food processor i got for xmas and finding a new place for my cookbooks that doesn't take up precious counter space. while i am not looking forward to the deep clean my fridge needs, i know it will feel better when i don't have to shove questionable containers to the back when i put in new leftovers. and as long as i'm cleaning my cabinet doors, i might as well take this opportunity to replace the hideous '70s cabinet pulls the apartment came with. seriously, it's like they were made for a kitchen in a dungeon. woo kitchen cleaning!

Am slowly (rapidly) losing my mind trying to clear out the kitchen cupboards. Anyone want to play expiry-date roulette? I give you: one tin of John McCann Irish Oats - due to expire in .... 2006! Oh, God; it's worse than I thought....

@skyesage, i can't believe you already did it! i'm excited and a little envious of you for getting it done already.

@EnglishRosie, might be a good excuse to drink white wine and listen to good music!

Cooking is an everyday thing here - tonight we are having haddock in a spicy tomato-y stew. And, maybe because I cook, my kitchen is pretty well organized. However, the cabinets and the counters and appliances really need a thorough cleaning. I can do some neatening in the pantry as well.

I have one little task from my list that I'm going to try to fit in. We have some damage from ice dams last winter, where we just need a bit of filler and a touch of paint. I don't think the whole thing will take more than 30 minutes, but I've been putting it off for a year.

I love Method floor cleaners. It makes the whole house smell wonderful when I use it to clean the wood floors. I also love Mrs. Meyer's products because of their fragrances. I'll use her lavandar all-purpose cleaner for my cupboards.

@Azuresong - After paying $150 to frame a little 6x6 print, I bought myself a Logan Compact Mat Cutter for under $100. Now, for most things, I cut my own mats - it's not difficult, though I took a class through the adult ed center - and I make frames using one of many online options for custom frames or semi-custom frames.

http://www.amazon.com/Logan-Compact-Classic-Mat-Cutter/dp/B004J1B0BO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1357932763&sr=8-1&keywords=mat+cutter

You can get archival mat board at most art supply places or frame shops. The only downside is that you have to have room to store it. It slides under a bed easily, if that's a possibility.

Waaaah! How do I fit this in!. Actually, we are pretty up to date with cleaning part, but my pantry is loaded with herbs and other staples that have probably passed their life expectancy, and the spice cabinet( big) is a jumbled mess. this will be. Sunday afternoon task.

@stellabystarlight

I'm kind of excited fro this one, I was already culling through a lot of the pantry, fridge, and freezer to prepare for a diet I just started on Monday so reexamining the foodstuffs, spices might give me some ideas on what else to cook under the new rules. I can probably chuck some things that are old and aren't healthy anyways - essentially killing two birds with one stone! It's definitely time to scrub down the pantry shelves.

that kitchen already looks "cured." gorgeous.

I am so excited about this one- mostly because I know I only have one cupboard left to go- as I finished a major kitchen clean prior to January 1. (But seriously- why has buying flowers for my home been hanging out on my to-do list ...)

YES!! My kitchen counter is a nightmare, and my husband and I are supposed to use it as our table as well as food prep. I have mail and other detritus all over it, and I just need to spend a couple of hours sorting, purging and cleaning. I'll also use this weekend to organize the cabinets and drawers, continue weeding out items for the Outbox and run the first load of Outbox items to Goodwill (Yes, I know that doesn't happen yet, but I'm sick of looking at the full box, and I can fill it with other items before the end of the month.)

And I may be the only insane one here, but I use Simple Green for almost all of my cleaning. It's not as nice-smelling as some other cleaners, but it's biodegradable and works like a charm to cut through almost anything.

Finally I have an excuse to get rid of the unused, "meh" mugs that match my dinnerware!

Does anyone have a solution to remove grease spots from flat wall paint? My landlord won't let me paint. I've tried dish detergent.

Mine's already nicely organized--I'm so modest--but I've been ignoring a summer's worth of dust & dog hair long enough. Action! The outsides of the lower cupboards are dirty too--too many happy/muddy tails around here. And let's not talk about the inside of the fridge.
I like Shaklee Basic H (no,I don't sell it) mixed tp the degreaser strength for kitchen cleaning.

@lesova, I'm sorry about your loss. If you still want to participate and need encouragement, maybe just organize one drawer.

When my grandma passed this pass year, I made 7 layer cookies, which is one of the few things I remember her cooking (she was a "modern working woman" which meant not making things from scratch in that generation). Do you remember any dishes your grandma made that you can honor her with?

This one feels so big since I am behind already on the first weekend due to illness. I love a clean and orderly kitchen though, so I think I'll pick up with you all this weekend and not do the floors in the whole apartment as deeply. I really want to stay on track with everyone and feed off of your momentum! I can't wait to deep clean the counters and clean the cabinet doors!!!! It's gonna look great, and maybe make painting (on my big list) more inspiring and easier.

--I too like simple green as a deep degreaser in the kitchen. When I clean the vent hood filter I just spray with concentrated simple green, let soak, and the grease wipes right off!

THANK YOU everyone for your inspiring comments... it is very motivating!

Oooooo, not sure if this will get done this weekend; we're doing some work on our attic. Hmm. Might as well get a start, though!

Can't wait to go through spices and cupboards. Buy spices and dry goods in bulk bins, and I don't always transfer them to jars right away, making it tricky to identify them later. I foresee sniff tests in my future!

This is the BIG one for me in the cure. The rest of my place is in good shape as I've been sorting it out over the last 6 months but never got around to the kitchen.

Going to be a busy weekend !

I always give my fridge a deep cleaning in December. I get rid of anything lingering there from Thanksgiving and have it clean and empty so it's ready to go when I start shoving the Christmas groceries in there.

Well, I'll be honest, most of this week has been a bust for me, due to a new job and feeling a bit under the weather. I've passed out when i've come home from work, so my whole apartment, particularly my kitchen, is a mess. This weekend I intended to tackle the kitchen anyway. Might as well make a day of it and do the organizing too! I'm pretty good about clearing out the clutter regularly, but there are a few select drawers that will get a good overhaul. I'll try to keep my eye on the end result. . .

Thanks Parnassus, midcentmod & Madame P...I will breath and keep it in perspective. I like the idea of just doing a drawer or something small.

Have a productive weekend all!

bought a beautiful oncidium orchid on the way home. lovely.
looking forward to the weekend assignment. have fun everyone.

I got up from the computer, marched into the kitchen and threw away the chipped bowls which have been irritating me FOR EVER. There was only one left unchipped so I threw that out too for good measure, it had spoon marks on its cheap nasty bottom. I feel so free!

@lesova just take care of yourself. Why not just buy your flowers and put the kitchen on hold for a week or two? You have a lot to deal with in the next few days and the kitchen can definitely wait.

Oooooh this January cure get's better and better. Sleeves rolled up and digging right in. I have planned some much needed "me time' tomorrow, a run early morning, first class of my spanish course until lunchtime at my local library. Then I will reward myself with a nice pooch around the shops and a little treat (I have my eyes on a shirt in zara) in the afternoon for just a short while. Saturday evening will be "kitchen blitz" time for me and so I will get stuck right in, starting with my fridge.....

I am behind but I am don't feel guilty. I get the email usually around lunchtime but I don't get home until 5:30 pm. Sometimes I feel like tackling something, sometimes I don't. I definitely did not think I had to rush out at 6 pm to get mats - I am leaving for Saturday.

The kitchen project comes at the right time though as I will be out of town on Tuesday and tomorrow, I am meeting a petsitter who will come to my house to "meet & greet". She may not see the kitchen tomorrow but she will have the whole house available for inspection on Tuesday so I need to get cracking.

awesome! thanks for the info...I'll start with this first and see where that goes :)

@Dulcibella Thanks for the tip! I do think I would hang more art if framing were cheaper. I actually have taken in that particular piece to be framed at least two times before, but was put off by the price each time.

Oh, I'm so grateful for the reminder to replace items I'm short on. A number of my big serving bowls were sacrificed to my laziness/ my dog's naughtiness (if I forget to wash up before I leave the house - a habit I've finally kicked! - he pulls things out of the sink to see if there's anything tasty). I'd be in trouble when I have more than half a dozen people arriving for a Chinese feast and no bowls to serve the food in. And while I'm at it, I think I'll test out one of those new recipes as my weekend cooking task.

Our kitchen seems like the most used yet neglected room in our apartment. Despite cooking meals from scratch 6 nights a week it is not as organized or clean as it should be. I have not cleaned out the fridge since Christmas so that will be ...gross. I already have Meyer dish soap to wipe it all down with. The hardest part for me is getting motivated to start. I will just have to decide on the music and let the energy of the music animate my own energies. Here I go!

Ugh, I know I have to tackle the kitchen. I'll clear out old spices (yes, they do go bad, despite what my husband thinks), cull through that dreaded corner cabinet next to the sink (who designs these things?!), and keep an eye on my husband's progress with the entry project (kitchen is next to the front door). Because, yes, selecting the entry as my project of the month was biting off more than I could chew. But I'm going to do it! (motivation-speak to *force* myself to get this all done!!) Thanks all for the inspiration!

Jumping in last night, I got way more done than I was expecting to. I tried viewing cleaning as a 'workout' and tried to move fast enough to get my heart rate up. That worked, and I didn't dawdle or get distracted as easily. So, ready for another early morning kitchen 'workout' - off I go!

Done 2, 3 and 4. Husbandmanthing can be a *little*pedantic about cleaning so 1 is definitely covered - except for the stove. Turns out the inside top (under the electric grill plates) hadn't been cleaned since he brought the place 5 years ago. That was an hour's scrubbing with bicarb and vinegar between us celebrated with baked garlic giant mushrooms on naan bread and a 6 pack of beers. Helped that cleaning stove is an INSIDE IN AIR CON activity as the weather outside is 38C and around 95% humidity.

WOW, I am finally done with my galley kitchen! I am also reminded as to why I despise cleaning the refrigerator; a small, shallow, one sided sink does make for a good place to scrub out shelves and bins.

Here's what helped me get through the deep cleaning:

-I put on my "entertaining" playlist and it really relaxed and helped to make the cleaning process enjoyable.

-My kids are napping! Perfect timing, had the kitchen all to myself and could 100% focus on the task at hand.

-I kept glancing over at my flowers in the window and they just made me smile and clean even harder.

I hope these ideas help those of you that are struggling to get motivated about this task this weekend.

I looked at this post yesterday and my heart sank. I'm going away for part of the weekend, I didn't finish all of last weekend's floor cleaning, and some of my kitchen cabinets are a complete mess. BUT I went and bought my flowers last night, and they look very cheery. I'm going to tackle a couple of cabinets this morning, and a couple more when I get back on Sunday afternoon. And if I don't finish, so be it. I've decided that I'll make my best effort with the weekend chores, and like the floors, if I don't manage to get to the last 25% of it, I'll just have to celebrate that I completed 75%!

@bzak There's a great article all about setting up a great cleaning kit and what's best for different materials over on design*sponge. http://www.designsponge.com/2013/01/before-and-after-building-your-cleaning-arsenal.html

I will be working on the kitchen cleaning this weekend! We cook a lot and have plans to try out a new, homemade caesar salad recipe from the Cook's Illustrated "Science of Good Cooking" book that my honey got for Christmas. http://www.cooksillustrated.com/bookstore/detail.asp?PID=544

Happy weekend, everyone!

@lesova Life happens and you need to take care of yourself and the people you love first. If it helps to take your mind off of things by cleaning, go for it. If not, well, your kitchen will be there when you are ready to tackle it.

Woke up this morning full of good intentions, I was going to race and get the grocery shopping done and then start on the kitchen and have it done by dinner tonight. Then my dog found something disgusting to roll in, tracked it through the house so I had to wash her, wash her collar, find what she had touched in the house and clean it. Now I have the joy of hunting in the backyard to clean up whatever crap she found. Not what I'd planned but I guess that's the way it goes. I think I'll just aim for one pantry shelf today.

Stopping for lunch, and I'm off to a good start! I didn't realize how long it had been since I last cleared my fridge - it was embarrassing how much I tossed and recycled. The hard part has been cleaning the cabinets. My apartment has these terrible ancient metal cabinets that have some rust and discoloration inside that will never come out, so they never really feel clean. They are also painted a sickly yellow-white. I'm planning to move this spring, so it isn't worth a new paint job, but they are the most unfriendly part of my tiny kitchen.

Okay, hour 4, fridge is sparkling -- inside, underneath (egads), on top, and behind-- and 75 per cent lighter in the freezer.

Taking a break for tea and coddled eggs, a favorite treat from childhood that I haven't made in years. It will hopefully give me courage to tackle the cupboards and pantryand dirty dishes and mason jars now swimming in the sink.

I'm cooking dessert for a potluck tonight from the inspiration of the clean-out! Out of little-used things in the back of the fridge, we'll be having a moist almond cake with a drunken fruit compote and coconut whipped cream.

I am so pleased I have done this one. I feel really proud of myself and now want everyone to have a nosy in my cupboards as they look so good. Probably would never have done it without you AT - thanks!

This feels like a monumental task but I am taking it one step at a time. I got up around 7:30 and am taking my first break for lunch now. I started with the one side of the kitchen that has the cupboards. I have a really crappy kitchen and only have 5 cupboards. I had to put up extra shelving when I moved in just for extra storage space. Cleaned out cupboards, washed and wiped down the cabinets, walls, stove, cleaned out and organized drawers and outside of fridge. For the remainder of the day, I will be finishing cleaning out the fridge, tackling the shelving unit (yikes!), small movable island and microwave stand.

I feel like I am about half way there. This is a tough job but I know once its done, it will feel like a huge accomplishment. The kitchen is the worst room for me in my apartment so once its done, it will be all downhill from here!

Thanks everyone for the inspiration and advice. It really helps to hear what everyone is doing. Very motivating!

Cons;
-We love to cook and experiment so our kitchen is heavy on STUFF but light on storage (ONE drawer. in the whole kitchen)
-while dishes and surface cleaning happen on the regular, I know for a fact that our cabinets havent been wiped in...two years.
-The boyfriend is a sentimental-make-it-work thrifty to the point of hoarding type which will make getting rid of chipped/cracked dishes difficult.

Pros;
-Our Kitchen is tiny (again, ONE drawer.) which means less to clean!
-Sunday looks to be an empty, rainy/cold day, perfect for blasting 90's pop music and getting my elbow-grease on.
-Sunday is my day to cook anyway! going to pick up the few things I need to make this:
http://www.takeamegabite.com/vegetarian-beer-chili/
as well as a beautiful bowl of fruit (I've learned after week one that flowers + cats do not a happy home make)

I vote for keeping your 1950s kitchen. Here's mine: http://www.flickr.com/photos/leeep/6976539462/in/set-72157616538520747

The vintage metal cabinets can be tricky to work around. But they are built as sturdy as all get out, and refinishing them saved them from a landfill.

Might look into the simple human organizer! One of the cabinets could use a little internal structure.

Biodegradable plastic bags (we get ours Stateside at Whole Foods) can potentially help with your problem. For the period of time your trash is inside, it contains it nicely. But it begins breaking down within 30 days. If you've ever used biodegradable dog waste bags, the biodegradable trash bags are pretty much the same deal.

My feeling is if you're renting and something is broken in the home then you most definitely can call the landlord to fix it. It should be part of your lease/rental agreement or contract.

Highly recommend Still Tasty as a great searchable index of all kinds of foods and their proper storage and shelf life, and with their free app you can set notifications for stuff so you're more likely to consume before expiration. We also found a food bank near our place and I'm taking a bag of non-perishables that we received as gifts and can't eat due to allergies or diets, or just stuff we bought too much of and won't realistically use before it goes bad.

I really neglect my kitchen! I cook in it several times a day, as I make most food from scratch, but the cleaning is always just the bare minimum. This will be an exhausting weekend I am sure ..... have to come up with a good recipe and some new tunes ... what will it be for this task ...hmm??

Pantry done (with help of my 4-year old), major progress on my big project, and toys in the outbox.

Thanks for the motivation to finally clean the inside of my fridge - which I haven't done since I moved into my apartment last year! I'm thinking I'll bake up something yummy tomorrow using some of the new baking supplies I got for Christmas. Now on to the rest of the kitchen cleaning...

I have finished the refrigerator. I have washed some the bowls and serving pieces that had a home on top of the fridge. I have cleaned the stove, including removing the pipes and cleaning those, although I may have to call the gas company to inspect because I seemed to have cleaned them too well; I think there's a small leak now. I washed the filter above the stove. Threw out a bunch of magnets. Still have lots more to do. But I love my clean fridge.

Oh, and I bought a flowering orchid. It cost less than two weeks of flowers and I love Cymbidiums.

I thought I could do this, but now I don't know...I am working two 12 hr shifts - from 630 in the morning until 630 in the evening - every weekend this month. One of my coworkers just took another position, and now we are short so I am covering her weekends as well as mine! I had a hard enough time getting the floors done last weekend...the kitchen is an entirely different story.

Anyone have any time management tips for dealing with shift work? I am just so tired after I finish work

Almost done--only 4 drawers to go. Knocked the fridge off yesterday--45 minutes to perfect, too many of them spent wrestling shelves in & out. Could someone please tell me why the **** there was dog hair UNDER the crisper drawers? I don't keep dogs in the fridge, honest--tho' they might have appreciated it last summer when it was 103F.

Congrats to everyone who tackled their kitchen today - the "i'm finished" reports are so inspiring!

tackled the kitchen from 8-1:30 today, after which i had a prior engagement. just walked in. i was shocked just how slowly things proceeded. thought i'd manage to get both the kitchen and my adjoining family room cleaned in that time. was i wrong. i'm a majorly slow cleaner.

but i managed to get through the big cleaning tasks--fridge, pantry cabinets, under the sink, a few of drawers, & under the stove! i pulled out all drawers and cleaned behind each, also washed the trash & recycle bins. felt great. everything is spotless. tomorrow i only have until 10:30 and then i'm off for lunch and a visit with my aunt for her birthday. hope that i can complete the majority of the cupboards in a few hours. i know decluttering will have to wait for another weekend and likely i won't even make it to my one junk drawer--but maybe when i get home in the evening.

off to skim everyone's updates. happy cleaning (and cooking).

OK, I can sleep with a light heart - I've finished all but the last two cabinets and the fridge (and the mail/junk pile, but that is my big project for the month), and have purchased the ingredients for dinner & flowers. This is very satisfying!!

Going to make my first crock-pot meal tomorrow, now that I have created a space for the slow-cooker (a Christmas gift), so I can cook while finishing the cleaning. Progress!

Hooray for the January Cure! Today I finally cleaned the appliances replaced A YEAR AGO when we put in an IKEA kitchen. They have been living in the garage, making it impossible to have 2 cars out of the snow. Took photos and will list them on Craigslist tomorrow. I'm going to save deep cleaning the kitchen to a later day - with temps over 50 degrees and sun, it was perfect day to work in the garage.

http://sprng.me/hk1t6

I finished my selected project for the month! Properly hemmed my bedroom drapes and got more curtain rings so they hang properly.

Haha, 3dogma, same reason I always find cat hair under mine. My question is HOW did it get there since my furry feline friends do not have fridge priveledges.

Go, Jen, go!

A bit jealous here as I've only made a small dent in mine but tomorrow's the day. If I can just whittle my big project down to mangeable, I'll be doin a happy dance.

I made banana cake cupcakes with three over ripe bananas. They came out great; however, I forgot how not relaxing it is to bake with my two daughters, ages 6 and 9. I always think it will be so fun, but then they fight over who gets to pour, stir, mix, lick. Plus, there is powdered sugar and fallen sprinkles everywhere. Ugh.

Well, I never got to clean my floors last weekend because 1) it was raining and I didn't want to keep mopping muddy paw prints for days, and 2) I was busy putting my kitchen back together after our budget reno (FINALLY!). Today I cleaned house and swept and vaccuumed the floors so that I can mop tomorrow. I also cleaned all the surfaces in the kitchen and filled up a whole box of extra items to take to Goodwill tomorrow.

I also plan to tackle the pantry and fridge tomorrow. My kitchen is small and I've been pretty good about paring down things, so I don't think it should be too hard. Then I'll mop the floor, take items to Goodwill, and hopefully have some time to head to World Market to get the table I want as my landing spot in the entryway. Then I'll reward myself with homemade enchiladas, rice, and beans. I'm loving this January Cure!

Been working on this a little at a time over the weekend. Feels good. I think that you guys should make us do this deep cleaning in our kitchens every month. My kitchen tends to accumulate a lot of school work, business paper, mail, coins, bags and so on.

Wow I have never felt so good after cleaning anything as much as I did today after I nailed that fridge. It was a big job I had been avoiding so thank you January Cure! The endless collection of jars that store my food shall be tackled tomorrow & it's on my list.....

Ps. Ibright22 my kitchen is a big job too, i know exactly how you feel! I live in an old (but beautiful!) Victorian house which lends itself to dust dust & the floors in the kitchen are as old as the house is..

Couldn't sleep so tackled the drawers in the kitchen. (Waiting till later to tackle cabinets with the pots and pans in respect of the small distance from my kitchen to the neighbor's bedroom.)

We tackled the fridge on New Year's Day, so today we will do the cabinets.
Question for folks- shelf and drawer liners- yea or nea? And what type do people find helpful? We currently don't use them,but I'm wondering if they would be helpful- they look so pretty and practical when I see them in the store.

Done!!! Who hoo!

I use them in my drawers and the cabinets that hold dinnerware and glasses. I have the cushy kind that look like netting. I think it helps to keep things from sliding around and it looks better. I've seen cork lining at the store that looked nice but I couldn't justify the expense. :)

Yesterday was a lot of hard work but it paid off. I have a perfectly clean fridge, my boyfriend recently redid my pantry and cabinets, and the stove is always sparkling (since crusted on stuff irritates me to no end), so all in all a perfectly happy kitchen space. Now to grow my own herbs in the window box and I'm all set.

Oh noes! Been in the 'double shift' weekend world and it sucked. My recommendation is to do the homework this month, but maybe a smaller version of it? So instead of sorting through all your dishes, cleaning out the pantry, etc, tonight you can just do a basic clean (making sure there are no dishes in the sink, wiping off counters, throwing away old moldy food in the fridge) and putting some really delicious takeout on a fancy plate after (and definitely buy yourself flowers)

When I worked all weekend, every weekend, cleaning always seemed like a truly daunting task but one that, once a bit of it was done, made me feel way more balanced/at peace. One of the things I really love about the Cure is that while the means are 'cleaning' 'organizing,' the ends seem to be more about creating a space where you truly feel home. So this month romance yourself a bit (Do dishes by candlelight with some truly awesome soap) and maybe February can be your power-house cleaning month.

Holy crap!!! I had the same problem with the dog hair under the crisper drawer. Mind boggling to me, so glad to know I wasn't the only one.

I was so energized by the first few days of the challenge...I tackled day 8 a couple days ago, you will never believe how much of an impact having our kitchen, clean, due cluttered and reorganized has had on our whole cooking, and dining experience. Funny how just getting rid of those mismatched, chipped coffee cups has lifted our spirits too...chipped dishes really do leave a bad taste in your mouth after all!

My kitchen felt great this morning. Wow everything felt like it was in the right place! I did keep one handmade mug that is missing a a handle, but its my favorite because it curves into my hand perfectly and the handle was just sort of a bonus anyway. But I tossed a bunch of chilped dishes and also filled a box to donate.. I rewarded my kitchen by placing a vase of flowers on the counter when I was done cleaning.

Today it is time to scrub the fridge after yesterday's big purge, drawers, lower cabinets, walls, and floors. Thank you thank you for the cure!

almost finished...just need to put away the dishes and clean the stainless counter...closet not tackled today (that's in the hall way anyway)...thanks ATJC!

i have a lunch outing now & need to run. have fun to all that spend the day cleaning and cooking.

Worked in kitchen 8 hours yesterday, anticipate another 4 hours today. Discovered duplicate baking dishes for donation, that we don't need our separate blender or food processor or hand held mixer hanging out in the backs of cupboards since we have a kitchenaid stand and a wand with all of those attachments (mind blowing), that somehow I don't have cake pans but do have 8 pie pans, that there's a secret drawer in our refrigerator door we had never noticed (more mind blowing), and a better way of organizing our pantry cupboards. Everything is looking and feeling great, excited to make dinner tonight. Wrapping this up today is going to feel very satisfying, thanks for putting me on task AT!

i love me a clean fridge!! and now i have one. Yipee! :)

I want to give a big thumbs up to those who are tackling these weekend chores while also having kids/partners/work/etc.to pay attention to...this is a lot of time-consuming work! Lucky for me, I have a small kitchen with few distractions this weekend, but still I've worn myself out with the cleaning and re-organizing. I only have a small drawer left, and my kitchen will be the cleanest and most orderly it has ever been.
I'm planning a stern talk with my dog about sneaking into the fridge while I'm asleep --- I had dog hair under my veggie crisper, too! I didn't know she was so tricky...:)

The last time I deep cleaned my kitchen like this was when I was 8 months pregnant over seven years ago. This was major. I cleaned - reorganized - purged from 3pm until 11pm yesterday. My kitchen looks amazing and I had a lot of fun doing this project. My flowers are stunning and I can't wait to cook a great meal tonight!

My kitchen has those old 1980's oak cabinets, and I have been reading with great interest the old posts about how to make peace with them... I'm new to Apartment Therapy as of December, and am loving it. My cabinets are relaxed and happy today - they got the almond oil spa treatment yesterday, and have been loving all the attention. I know they will love me back in the coming weeks.

I am going to have to fall behind on the kitchen chores this week. I am now in escrow on a refinance, and I have to attend to some things before the appraiser comes in a couple of weeks. This morning I spent about an hour and a half making the garage look at least somewhat presentable and safe. Right now I have to go up on the roof to take the Christmas lights down. Then I'm going to Ikea and Lowe's (right next to each other) to get a few things I need, both for minor home repairs and also to further the cause of cleaning the kitchen. I've been to Trader Joe's already and got a tulip plant that can be my fresh flowers, although they are not blooming yet. I WILL attempt to at least get the countertops in shape and maybe do a few of the drawers. And I'll take a few things from the outbox, which is now in the kitchen, over to the Salvation Army.

It's actually pretty good timing that I'm doing so much cleaning and purging right before the appraisal, but it means there is a lot more to accomplish in a limited time.

Started this on Friday morning....just finished about 20 minutes ago and I've a rather small kitchen! I am exhausted an really the last thing I want to do is go BACK into the kitchen to cook. However, my mom invited herself over so I will.

I feel proud of all my hard work & the results are fabulous. I do wish contact paper wasn't such a pain in the *&%.

arrrrrgh...I was doing so well until this weekend..... who would have thought that a three year old with a cold would leave me cramming all this work into a Sunday evening..... I did manage a nice supper.....while said three year old repeatedly said yuck. On a happier note my outbox is grand....I got a call yesterday that a local donation place will do pick ups in 2 weeks.....so there are now four boxes stuffed full. Its amazing what I will sort through when I dont have to search for the proper place to donate.

Since I'm pretty minimalist and I also use my kitchen a TON, I am already fairly far ahead on this task. But it is interesting that the Cure is helping me notice things that I didn't realize needed noticing! I added to my room project list to clean the outsides of my kitchen cabinets with oil soap and I also need to clean the shelving and drawers in my fridge. And I need flowers!

Quick update: after unpacking all of my kitchen stuff, outbox-ing a great deal of it, cleaning lots of dishes & putting everything in its place I now have a kitchen (even though it's not really a kitchen, its one of the corners of my 1-room apt/studio). Thrilled to be able to actually cook/eat in my (new) home :)

Phew! That's it I am done. Absolutely exhausted but my kitchen is lovely and clean now. Only things I didn't tackle are the pantry (as that's my project for the month and probably needs a weekend on its own) and the extractor above the stove. I've got quite a lot in my outbox now which will be off to the dump/charity shop/eBay over the next week or so. Well done to everyone else who tackled their kitchen and I hope everyone had a nice dinner. My husband cooked roast chicken with homemade gravy, perfect Sunday dinner.

I am squeezing in a few chores in between football games, but the big push will have to be tomorrow. I had already done the fridge, but de-funkifying my cabinet faces will take some elbow grease. I did get out to Lowe's for a few items on the whole house list and put a few dishes/utensils in the outbox. Still loving the daily nudge!

Stella, I totally understand.
I am feeling discouraged about HOW disorganized I am, mostly because I can't seem to "shed the extra stuff". I am OVERWHELMED. Like what Stella said, I get caught in a "useful/wasteful" thought pattern - I mean, it just seems ecologically crummy to toss stuff willy-nilly. BUT - it can be such a drain of mental energy! Stella, I am sending you "permission" to let go of those things that drag your energy and mood down...

Can I get a huzzah for completing this task despite working two shifts this weekend? Ok, tiny apartment kitchen - but very messy tiny apartment kitchen. No more!

Jenojoon, I am also noticing things that I didn't realize needed noticing. I feel as if I'm developing a dialogue with my kitchen, and it's telling me what it needs and wants (as opposed to nice-to-have) if (a big IF) I'm listening. So much of the time, I'm not listening, because I'm rushing. I am becoming more of a minimalist too, as time passes, because for me it's just easier when I am clear on what's absolutely essential. I am curious if you became a minimalist over time (and perhaps you are a master declutterer?), or whether you have always been this way. Does anyone else out there have a kitchen which leans towards "minimalist"?

Also, on the topic of cleaning cabinets - I washed them with Murphy's Oil Soap first, and then used method's "wood for good" polish which has an almond scent to it, and which is plant based and non-toxic. I lived here for about two years before I first thought to clean the outsides of the cabinets, and the first time I did it, I kept thinking that the previous three or four tenants probably hadn't ever done it. Under the upper cabinets was very revealing... Once I finished, I realized the cabinets were "alive" again, and could breath. They have been breathing ever since, and it has made a huge difference for me.

Also, on the topic of cleaning cabinets - I washed them with Murphy's Oil Soap first, and then used method's "wood for good" polish which has an almond scent to it, and which is plant based and non-toxic. I lived here for about two years before I first thought to clean the outsides of the cabinets, and the first time I did it, I kept thinking that the previous three or four tenants probably hadn't ever done it. Under the upper cabinets was very revealing... Once I finished, I realized the cabinets were "alive" again, and could breath. They have been breathing ever since, and it has made a huge difference for me.

Horrified at volume of old food items that I have tossed. The root problem: I am an Urban Prepper, and in 2006, I stocked up the pandemic. Stuff that found its way to rear of cabinet and was not consumed is way out of date. There is a lesson here somewhere!

(There's an echo in here - sorry!)

I wish there was a forum we could all participate in. It would make the discussion so much easier (I read someone's response to someone else and I have not idea the reference, etc)

Wow, I wish I took a photo of what the cabinet under the sink looked liked 'before' I tackled it -- it's amazing now!! I wouldn't have done that/this project if it weren't for the January Cure; my deepest thanks to AT.

I still have yet to tackle the fridge, and the pantry is my major project for the month, but I'm so excited for the progress I've made thus far. I haven't touched anything or organized since moving in our apartment 3 years ago. Finally have solutions for cupboards and cabinets. Finally routed out the lingering BPA plastics.

Have completed the kitchen sort out. Was a lot harder than I thought it was. I've a lot of stuff moved into my Outbox and cleared out a couple of drawers and cabinets.

Now I have more room for food.I know, what a concept, food in a kitchen.

just enjoyed mini meatloaves and brown-butter mashed potatoes in our clean kitchen AND washed all the dishes. woo!

Whew. I was dreading the kitchen and only halfheartedly organized the tea cabinet yesterday. But then felt guilty so today was the rest of the cabinets and the dreaded fridge all the way down to floors again and even scrubbing out the trash can. I really want a new one but this one fits well under sink and it did only require elbow grease to refresh it. I feel horrid about the food that was thrown out but how do I still have so many expired jellies. The fridge is bare now. We tried a new recipe last weekend so after all the work tonight, I think simple fried rice is on the menu tonight. I got the second wind after reading comments today so thanks for keeping me going, AT community!

This was so good for me. Not only does my kitchen feel great, but my pantry and fridge look AMAZING. Finally went out and bought a bunch of glass containers to store all my grains/beans, etc. I cannot wait to tackle the other rooms in my apartment!

Done! It pretty much took all weekend, but it's so clean and awesome. I decided to turn this closet in the hall off the kitchen into a pantry. But then I had to clean out 3 other closets to make room for what was in the pantry-closet. So worth it. And we're making steak tacos!

This took way longer than I'd expected, and all I really did was organize and clean out the cabinets and fridge! Like lots of other people, I can't believe how much I threw out... I even ended up scrubbing all my pots with steel wool to get them shiny -- hard to believe so much grease builds up on the outside of pots! I'm also feeling like my "natural" detergent just isn't getting anything really clean. I use ecover -- does anyone have something else they really like that's natural but strong??

Okay. That turned into a huge project.
The kitchen is clean - which is awesome. But so is the fruit cellar...which is where some items that aren't used frequently went to. We have almost empty cupboards - it is beautiful. We ended up with 6 boxes going to goodwill and then we went through books and took 10 boxes to a used bookstore/goodwill. Plus bought shelves for the basement and started the large large project of organizing down there.
And bought dinner tonight :)
Kim

This task has at least started. Half of the cabinets de-cluttered and sifted for items to put in the outbox. Flowers were purchased. Pot roast was eaten. Oh, and my husband stole my big project...and got it done. Good thing, but I need a new selection now!

i even dusted the recessed lights and wiped down picture window.

this task was so worth the effort spent. admittedly took MUCH MUCH longer than i imagined & there's still residual piles & supplies to put away. & that dreaded hallway closet. oy. all that for a different day...sitting at the counter and admiring the view of what clean looks like...& in time for Downton.

(happy to have discovered isopropyl alcohol & warm sudsy water makes my black granite counter shine--shied away from the olive oil rub of the stainless though.)

I love the support/cheerleading that happens in the comments- hooray everyone!
status report: the pantry, freezer and inside the oven d remain untouched (but on the year's list). There are still a few lingering jobs to be done in the near future, perhaps on my catchup day? but already it feels so much better. Wiped shelves I haven't seen in two years, HEAVILY edited the condiments/leftovers and FINALLY cleaned the microwave and drying rack after way too long. Used AT's "sink full of soapy water" trick and a one-pot chili recipe for my home-cooked dinner so even after cooking it's clean and shiny. Onward!

Still working on the kitchen. I've now cleaned and sorted three of four flatware and utensil drawers, cleaned and organized the spice cabinet, deep cleaned two of three counters, really cleaned the toaster, cleaned and reorganized the lazy susan which houses, cereals, grains, sugars, and flours. Found a home for my new set of mixing bowls. Found a home for my beloved blue Le Creuset pot. I still have so much further to go... sigh.

I was able to get to most of what I wanted to accomplish today. I cleaned out the pantry and was able to use my gift card from Bed Bath and Beyond to get some clear containers to store snacks and odds and ends. I edited the fridge but didn't deep clean it yet. I did that a few weeks ago and I have company coming over this weekend, so I'll give it a cleaning before then. I also took a huge box of kitchen items to Goodwill for donation.

I also got around to doing last week's homework: mopping the floors. We're good about vaccuuming because of our dog, but we rarely mop and even use the Swiffer just occasionally. Needless to say, this was quite a job. Atthe recommendation of fellow ATers I bought Mrs. Meyer's Basil scented all purpose cleaner and got to it. My house feels great and CLEAN!

I didn't cook a new recipe, but an old favorite: cheese enchiladas, rice, and beans. I finished everything in time to eat, grab a glass of wine, and watch Downton Abbey. Very pleased with myself and glad I signed up for the ATJC!

How's everyone else holding up? I'm falling behind, but I'm determined to stay with it! I love reading everyone's comments and knowing that I'm not the only one doing this because it definitely feels that way sometimes. Kudos to all!

http://shoesoffplease.wordpress.com/2013/01/13/making-up-for-the-easy-one/

After a weekend of purging & organizing for my Jan Cure, I am a new found fan of classic Ziploc bags of all shapes & sizes - see thru, pliable, reusable. Medicine cabinet was a horror until I 'ziploc-ed' similar items...first aid, kid meds, cold meds, RXs. No more toppling & scattering 22 tiny bottles to reach the Tums. Plus, in every drawer in every room of my house, the little things that never have a home of their own - coins, batteries, cough drops, paper clips, nookies, travel toiletries - were organized into their own appropriately-sized Ziploc & placed neatly in my linen closet for easy viewing. I am feeling great!

I can't say that I finished EVERYTHING. But did purge the cupboards, clean the fridge, do the countertops and scrub the baseboards. Felt great. I concluded by watching the Golden Globes and making this Venetian Calamari recipe for the first time which was easy and very tasty.

I agree with whoever posted that it would be much more useful if these comments were threaded. Very hard to follow in this format when there are so many great things to read and say!

And thanks Apartment Therapy for putting this together. It's a HUGE help to little disorganized me.

I didn't want to, but o, that fridge needed a good cleaning.... I won't make you read the details, but it was bad. All clean and sparkling now!!

That's one of the times I'm so happy I love to cook and keep a very clean and organized kitchen (as totally opposed to the rest of my house, which is messy).

I had friends over this week-end, so I couldn't do anything. Fortunately, I deep cleaned the kitchen in December, so I only need to clean the spice drawer (some of the containers are leaking, which smells good but gets everywhere), organize the cookie-cutters and molds drawer, clean the up-side of my cabinets, and use some bleach in the sink. I only do that about twice a year, because I tend to stear clear of heavy chemicals (I have children and a cat), but it really makes a big difference, so I guess I'll bleach the sink today. Then I'll be up and running for tonight's assignement ! (thank you european time zone !)

@Openess, my kitchen is on the minimalist end as well and that is partly because I cook a lot and have been paring down as I find what is really necessary and what is not. My husband asked me if I wanted a Kitchen Aid stand mixer and I told him NO! Although I love the colors and how they look, sitting all pretty on the counter, I know that I rarely use a mixer and my handheld one is just fine and it's stored in a cabinet. I think that there are so many gadgets that's it easy to get caught in the trap of buying a lot, but you have to be really shrewd and only purchase what you know you will truly use and enjoy. I have let go of many chipped plates/mugs/bowls and it feels good! De-cluttering is a way of life, especially if you live in a small space (like me)!

I LOVE Ziploc bags as well! They are a life-saver when it comes to organizing. I have also been using our Chinese take-out containers. They are a great plastic size and they worked wonders in my junk drawer. Now, everything is all organized and my husband and I realized that we eat a lot of take-out Chinese food! Lol! Before I toss any container, I think if I can use it to store/organize something and that seems to work.

I thought I had a tiny kitchen, but geez it is still alot of work.

I even had a head start by having painted, purged and cleaned some things in November. This weekend, I cleaned the lower cabinets, stove inside and out, floor, sink, radiator, hung 2 baskets for gloves, hats, and flashlights.

Thank you everyone who recommended VINEGAR and BAR KEEPERS CLEANER!! That stuff is magical. It got rust off my 1940s Beauty Queen metal cabinets, and made those handles sparkle. I also used the Bona on my floors and they look great too.

I made chicken soup and finished the whole thing!

My outbox is getting smaller, finally too. I have my car loaded up to drop stuff off today after work.

I love zipper plastic bags too (any brand). I use them for traveling to organize like items and keep things contained in case they open while in transit. A true lifesaver.

I did it! It was hard, especially when the baby became impatient and wanted nursings ASAP, but I am glad I finished! I can't believe all of the stuff I forgot I had... I found an unopened jar of organic thyme... yes!! I even whipped together a DIY magnetic knife strip. http://turningithome.blogspot.com/2013/01/a-messy-kitchen-no-more.html Did anyone else feel like they went grocery shopping just by cleaning out their pantry?

@meisley I really admire the fact that you could do this with a nursing baby! Since I have a small kitchen (and I use it) I have to keep it organized. Still, there's a lot I didn't get to.

The biggest project left is the proverbial Under The Kitchen Sink, which is as mysterious as a Black Hole. The stuff that gets "drawn in" under there seems to vanish into another vortex or something. When I tackle that I'll post before and after pix : )

Thanks crylynch2! I came home on Sunday to a decently clean kitchen, so the whole thing wasn't a bust ...although I didn't do any of the work myself, it was my bf. I think I will tackle the fridge this evening (just off work, naptime now!) and buy some Mrs. Meyers for my dishes :)

Got more than half the cupboards deep-cleaned and purged before DH pulled me into his big project: an attic reno that consumed the rest of the weekend and spread dust ALL over my nice clean floors! Oh, well - he's building me more much-needed storage space.

Cooking did not happen...pizza, pizza, and supermarket chicken, but we have plans for a nice dinner tonight.

The task too me the whole weekend but incidentally cleared almost all of my Kitchen Tasks. i.e., More storage space in cabinets, clean cabinets, & refrigerator, etc. Tired but, loving my kitchen.

took not too

This weekend wasn't so fun. With a father-in-law in hospice, a fiance sleeping away, and a freakin' oven to clean! I wasn't happy.

I managed to clean the inside/outside of the fridge, oven and sink. I didnt worry about cleaning my cabinets too much because they weren't that dirty. I probably should have pulled the fridge out and cleaned behind it but since I was by myself I didnt want to risk it

I organized them and got rid of glasses without pairs. I didnt get rid of any other cookware because I'm fairly minimalist as is. I did take the time to reorganize my pantry and I gave away like 5 packets of Ramen to our neighbor. t.

Used up all my my cleaning products so Im going back to day-whatever and buying some eco-cleaner. I figured it was pretty eco to use up what you had before you bought more right?

Truth be told I only finished cleaning the oven, which felt somewhat epic in scope and though not entirely spotless, is in a much better place. I tried the baking soda and water paste method with modest success. Things got better with some cooper scrubs and SOS pads. I was hoping to find a miracle oven cleaner in Bar Keeper's Friend but that didn't do too much for the oven. It did, however, work wonders on my stainless steel sink, and my bathtub!!!! So in a sense I did find a miracle cleaner. An internet search led me to two eco products by Shaklee: Scour Off Heavy Duty Paste and Basic H2 Organics super cleaning concentrate, which I ordered directly from their site. I'm eager to try them. On another note I bought a large lovely bouquet of flowers from Trader Joe's for only $5!!! and they are doing great. I'll have to return. Lastly, I though I'd just share that found some good buys at Marshall's and thought I'd check it out for inexpensive frames.

yay! i was behind, but i did it! groceries and refrigerator are in shipshape now, and it only took 2 hours. now for the dishes... :)

just wanted to add that my almost-5 year old son took one look at the picture at the top of this page and announced "I love that kitchen" -- I asked him why, and he said it was because of the beautiful picture (of the colorful tiles) -- which made me realize that we've had plain white walls in our kitchen for the past year (when I put a shelf in the corner where I used to hang his artwork)! We have oak cabinets everywhere (and it's a rental so I can't paint them), but there's definitely enough wall space for something colorful. Need to get on that!

I'm a week behind due to an extended vacation so I'm just getting to Day 8's kitchen scouring and meal. Yesterday I cleaned my kitchen from top to bottom and discovered that the shelves in my fridge are much easier to clean when you take them out of the fridge and disassemble them. Who knew?!

Also, I had a first yesterday. I cooked my very first whole chicken! I followed Kitchn's recipe for Viking Chicken (http://www.thekitchn.com/viking-chicken-182165) and enjoyed it immensely.

Still working on the kitchen. Have now purged and cleaned 9 cabinets. I have washed every dish i intend to keep and quite a few I intend to donate. My outbox is huge and overflowing. Dumped all Tupperware and substituted glass containers. Quake waxed and reorganized my pitcher collection. Decided to put out fresh placemats even though I haven't finished cleaning because it looks cheerful. More cabinets yet to go. Then the oven and floor.
I expect it will be finished sometime in this century…

The kitchen is DONE! Except now I realize that it needs painting. But, never mind, it's sparkling clean and amazingly organized. TaDaaa!

I didnt quite finish the kitchen this weekend, but my freezer looked so good that I showed it too my guests!