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📍 Introduction:

If you prevent the mess in the first place, you’ll waste less time later cleaning up. Here are some tips and tricks for keeping your kitchen tidy while you cook up a storm. 

📝 Notes, Tips & Tricks

Workstation: 

* Create a workstation: Keep all vegetable chopping, mixing, kneading, etc. in one place. Regularly clean it. Avoid mess elsewhere. Mark your territory! 

* Use a garbage or compost bowl: As you work, dump trimmings in a large bowl. This saves you from unnecessary trips to the trash can, which often leads to dropping things on the floor. They also help keep counter space clear. Alternatively, reuse a plastic bag that held the vegetable you are now chopping. It’s already going into the trash. Fill it with more trash! 

* Designate one cutting board for chopping vegetables (woodblock suggested) & another one for raw meats & onions (plastic recommended for easier washing & disinfecting). You can even place a flexible cutting mat *on top* of the cutting board to keep the workstation intact. 

* Work on top of large kitchen towels. They capture crumbs & splatters. 

* Never cut or prepare food directly on the counter. Counters can’t go in the dishwasher! 

Reducing Dishes: 

* Re-use bowls & tools when possible: If a bowl or measuring cup might be useful later, give it a quick rinse or swirl a dish towel over it & leave by your workspace. For liquids, use the same pyrex measuring cup for all ingredients in sequence. For baking, use a digital scale & tare to zero after each addition. 

* Use easily cleanable items when possible (e.g., silicon spatulas, nonstick for eggs/vegetables). Avoid hard-to-clean items (e.g., garlic presses, large appliances). 

* Batch activities to reduce the frequency of cleaning. Wash all vegetables at once, cook potatoes for the week in one go, etc. 

* Keep extra messy items away from cleaner ones. For example, if you have a saucepan filled with gunk, don’t put it in the sink with your lightly used mixing bowls. It will spread the mess & make everything else harder to clean. 

* Use parchment paper on baking sheets & casserole dishes. They prevent sticking without requiring oil & even sometimes help you avoid washing altogether. 

 Protection from Spills & Splashes: 

* Cover bubbling pots & pans with lids: Splattered oil is tough to clean up. 

* Pour, measure, spray, & scoop over the sink: Powder, flour, & oil are particularly hard to clean up. Make a habit of keeping them away from countertops to save unnecessary wiping. You can also spray cooking spray over an open dishwasher. 

* Place a sheet pan/tray under baking items to catch messes (e.g., bubbling lasagna) 

* Slow down. If you are doing too much at once, your technique will get worse, leading to spills & splatters. Additionally, you will have less time to clean as you go! 

* Give yourself cushion time. When preparing to cook, assume an additional ~20% cooking time. This will make you feel more relaxed, & if you finish early, you can always find ways to spend the extra minutes. Try to prep a bit before you start cooking (e.g., put ingredients at workstation, finish washing & chopping before turning on the stove). This reduces that frantic feeling of having too much to do at once. 

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