Prepare your kitchen for the holidays

Great design and great looks =
An amazing kitchen ready to host

Before even thinking of your menu, you need to get your kitchen in shape and this means an extensive cleaning and organizing. Let’s start with the macro cleaning and help you get your amazing kitchen looking very presentable.
First of all, remove the clutter from tables and countertops. Organize any pending mail and bills that may still be piled on your counters, and put away all important papers. You don’t want your guests finding a reason to offer you “sharp economic suggestions” in front of your parents and in-laws. Nor do you want an important note lost in a pile of dirty napkins. Don’t have the kids do it. If you want this one thing done right for this one day of the year, make time to do it yourself.

Show off your great looking countertops

Thoroughly clean your table and countertops. Remember our tips on how to avoid stains from your kitchen countertops. You’ll have lots of family members over and spills should not ruin the evening for you.

Cool idea with a fake fire place built into the design from Masterbrands

This should get you started. But we have more suggestions to help you clean your kitchen and proudly receive your guests to the holiday party.
Get ready for the cooking and avoid last minute issues during the event, like cooking by new recipes that you haven’t tried before by yourself.
Don’t forget to address any source of unpleasant smells in your kitchen. For instance, trash cans. Go outside and wash them out with a pressure hose and some dish soap. Disinfect all bins with a cleaning spray and make sure you have extra trash bags, too. You will need them!
Feeling ready to show off your beautiful kitchen? If you’re not too proud of that part of the house, let’s add a full kitchen remodel to your New Year’s Resolutions

Did you know this is the busiest time of year for home appliance repairmen?

Is everything in your kitchen working perfectly? If don’t want any extra guests (the emergency repair crew) over for Christmas, follow the tips of appliance pros so they can spend time with their families over the Holidays, instead of hanging out in your kitchen while you should be cooking and relaxing.
Let’s make sure everything you need to throw the party, and clean up afterward, actually works as it should! We went through the tips for cleaning and organizing your kitchen, we’re sure you did all that! Now let’s look inside the appliances and make sure those are in top working condition and clean.

Before you get busy preparing for the party…

The most tragic thing that ever happened to me (and my amazing new kitchen) was for Christmas 2013, right after we got done remodeling. We invited both sides of the family. Parents, in-laws, sibling and kids, and then some. We thought it would be fun to make it a whole day event, so we started early. The menu was exciting, everything was ready, cookie dough was out of the freezer. What could go wrong?
It feels like everything did! Oven didn’t work well, something was making a horrible noise, the garbage disposal was smelly, the fridge started dripping, the ice tasted bad…. Ok, maybe I’m exaggerating. But it felt that tragic. And everyone was over and watching. It was not a success. The good thing about starting early was we had time to change plans and ordered in. That was not the plan. So I promised myself I would always remind people to check all their necessary appliances BEFORE the guests arrived and the party started. If you discover today that anything needs fixing, a week is enough time to get a repairman or change plans.

Check and clean the oven with time

Begin with the oven, one of the most important. Know that this is not a good time to run the self-clean cycle on the oven. It requires the oven to get very hot any old food burning up inside can fill the house with nasty odors that won’t go away easily. On the other hand, the self-cleaning function is really stressful on the oven and can actually trigger a breakdown, threatening the success of your holiday party.
To clean the oven properly, remove all racks. Use baking soda and water and apply all over the inside, remember to spray the bottom and walls of the oven. Let it sit for 15 minutes, then scrub with warm water.

Don’t forget your microwave

Place a microwave-safe cup full of water with a shot of liquid detergent in the oven and run it on high for a couple of minutes. Let the steam stand inside to soften buildup, then wipe clean with a soft cloth.

Your best friend the dishwasher

Remember you are going to be using way more dishes than usual and this is when you look at your dishwasher and realize how much you love it. Therefore, it is important to make sure it runs efficiently. The dishwasher washes stuff, but it doesn’t wash itself. To clean it properly, run the dishwasher empty except for a cup of vinegar on the top shelf. Check the drain and clean off any residue. Wipe off the rim of the door and the door gasket, using white vinegar and a sponge to remove any gunk. Clean the filters under the lower rack.

Now you can focus on friends, family and quality time together, knowing your appliances are working perfectly. Enjoy the Holidays!

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