Spring Kitchen Cleaning in Four Days

If you're hiding inside when the weather really gets chilly, you will probably find yourself spending a lot more time in the warmth of your comforting kitchen. It's the prefect time to think ahead and go through those dusty kitchen cabinets to freshen up and use up leftovers.

Fridge
Do jars take up more space than fresh produce, dairy and meats? Wasting food is never a good idea, but remove that ancient jar of pickles or find a great use for half-used condiments. Have half a bottle of BBQ sauce floating around your fridge? Make a BBQ meatloaf for dinner tonight. I keep all my jars and bottles together, so I can see what I have at a quick glance, to avoid over-spending on items I'll only use once.
Freezer
You'd be surprised at the prehistoric goodies that are taking up valuable space. The best way to avoid frost burn? Double bag it and use a sharpie label with the date and contents. Take a peak in your freezer Sunday night and make Mondays your day to use something from the freezer in a recipe. Keeping tabs on dates will save money and avoid waste. Once your freezer is tidy, use it to keep things fresh and keep your cupboards clear. It's where I store items that I use weekly, like ground coffee and snack baggies with a tablespoon of tomato paste, whole-grain flours, rice, nuts and seeds that can easily go rancid inside a cupboard. Flax meal should also be refrigerated, but I keep mine in the freezer to make more space for fresh veggies and dairy.

Pantry
Cabinet doors do not equal dust protection. Just because your pantry lies behind closed doors does not mean that dirt, dust and grime don't sneak in. These areas accumulate dust and other foreign critters the same way other areas of your house do, so they should not be ignored. Take this time to not only to wipe down the cabinet doors and shelves, but also to reorganize your goods. Check out food labels and toss anything that is spoiled. Your pantry will be dark and daunting no more.

Appliances
Clean all of your appliances in one day. Your dishwasher, stove and oven can pick up odor and collect grease. Add 1 cup of vinegar to your dishwasher and run it on the short cycle to make it sparkle inside. Pop on the self-clean switch to your oven or spray on a coating of oven cleaner while you wipe down the front of your appliances.