5 Quick Wins to Instantly Tidy Your Kitchen
Feeling overwhelmed by a messy kitchen? These five quick and easy tips will have your space looking tidy and stress-free in no time—no deep cleaning required!
A tidy kitchen doesn’t just look great—it helps you feel more in control, reduces stress, and makes cooking and cleaning so much easier. But if the thought of overhauling your entire kitchen feels overwhelming, don’t worry. Sometimes all it takes is a few small changes to make a big difference. Here are five quick wins you can tackle today to instantly tidy your kitchen.
Be sure to download my free printable at the bottom of this post: Instant Kitchen Refresh Cheat Sheet to help you quickly reset your kitchen today!
My kitchen is a work horse. It’s small but mighty! We’ve lived in our home for over 20 years and I have cooked thousands of meals in my little kitchen. As a homeschooling mom raising a lot of kids, and being home all day, we typically ate three hot meals a day. I cooked nearly everything from scratch and spent hours in the kitchen every single day. When I was raising my children, on any given day I would feed 7 – 15 people. And even though my youngest child is now in college, I still regularly cook meals to feed a lot of people.
Over the Christmas holiday I had a lot of our family home for the holiday and I was feeding 15 – 17 people every day for 3 weeks. (My brother in law passed away just before Christmas and I was also feeding his family daily.)
My little kitchen took a beating and is definitely in need of some TLC. I had multiple family members helping me in the kitchen and I’m so thankful for the help, but as things were often put away in the wrong spot, inside my cupboards is also feeling out of sorts and in need of some organization.
5 Quick Wins to Instantly Tidy Your Kitchen
If you’re like me and ready to get your kitchen in tip top shape for the new year, I have a few ideas to help you get started! These five tasks will help you quickly get your kitchen back in order and ready to serve your family efficiently and effectively.
1. Clear Your Countertops
Your countertops are prime real estate in the kitchen, and keeping them clear can make your entire space feel more organized. Start by removing anything that doesn’t belong, like mail, random papers, or small appliances you rarely use. Once the clutter is gone, wipe down your surfaces to give them a fresh, clean look.
Pro Tip: Only keep essentials on your counters, like your coffee maker or a cutting board you use daily. Everything else can be stored in cabinets or drawers.
I’ll admit I’m a sucker for some pretty kitchen decor, just keep in mind that you don’t want to take up valuable work space with knickknacks or decor.
2. Tidy Up Your Sink Area
A cluttered sink can make your whole kitchen feel messy. Take a few minutes to wash any dirty dishes, put clean ones away, and give your sink a quick scrub. Don’t forget to wipe down the faucet and surrounding area for a polished finish. The area around and behind the faucet can get pretty grubby pretty fast, so pay attention to that area and wipe it down daily when cleaning your sink before bed.
Pro Tip: Use a small tray or caddy to keep dish soap, sponges, and brushes corralled and organized. It’ll make the area look more intentional and less cluttered.
3. Declutter Your Refrigerator Door
The refrigerator door often becomes a catch-all for magnets, papers, and expired coupons. Decluttering it is a quick and easy way to make your kitchen feel instantly tidier. Remove anything outdated or unnecessary, and keep only what’s truly meaningful or useful.
Pro Tip: Limit fridge door items to one or two things, like a family photo or a weekly meal plan. This creates a cleaner, more streamlined look.
On my fridge, I have photo magnets on the side that I’ve filled with blank and white family photos which make me so happy but still feel clean and uncluttered.
4. Organize a Single Drawer
If you’re short on time, pick one drawer to organize. It could be your utensil drawer, your junk drawer, or even your spice drawer. Empty it out, toss or relocate anything that doesn’t belong, and neatly arrange what’s left. Be sure to wipe it out clean before replacing items.
Pro Tip: Use small dividers or containers to keep items separated and easy to find. It’ll save you time and frustration later.
5. Wipe Down Your Appliances
A quick wipe-down of your major appliances can make your kitchen feel cleaner in minutes. Focus on the stove, microwave, and refrigerator doors. Use a damp cloth and a bit of cleaning spray to remove smudges, fingerprints, and spills.
Pro Tip: Make this a weekly habit to keep your kitchen looking its best with minimal effort.
Action Steps to Take Today
- Choose One Quick Win: Select one of the five quick wins from the blog post to tackle today. Whether it’s clearing your countertops or wiping down your appliances, start with something manageable that will make an immediate impact.
- Set a Timer for 15 Minutes: Dedicate just 15 minutes to tidying your kitchen. Use this time to focus on one small area, like a single drawer, the sink area, or your refrigerator door.
- Create a Maintenance Plan: Decide on a simple daily habit to help maintain your tidy kitchen. For example, commit to wiping down your countertops every evening or putting away clean dishes as soon as they dry.
- Celebrate Your Progress: Take a moment to appreciate the work you’ve done. Snap a photo of the area you tidied, and enjoy the satisfaction of having a cleaner, more functional kitchen. Remember, every small step counts!
👉 Join the Homemaker’s Society today to unlock the full Kitchen Reset Challenge and create a kitchen you love to cook and live in. Are you ready to Take Your Kitchen Reset to the Next Level?
The Kitchen Reset Challenge is your ultimate guide to transforming your kitchen into a stress-free, functional space. As a member of the Homemaker’s Society, you’ll gain instant access to this and more exclusive resources, homemaking classes, and personalized support to help you declutter, organize, and simplify every corner of your home.
As you work on clearing the clutter and tidying your kitchen this week, remember, your progress doesn’t have to be perfect. Even the smallest effort can make a big impact on your space. So, grab a cleaning cloth and get started—you’ll feel so much better when it’s done!
Which of these quick tasks will you do first? Let us know in the comments or share your before-and-after photos in the Facebook group (links below)! I’d love to see your progress.
Facebook Groups
- The Ministry of Homemaking (free group)
- The Homemaker’s Society (THS members only)
Free Printable Instant Kitchen Refresh
Get your kitchen tidy in no time with my Tidy Kitchen Checklist! This free printable includes actionable steps and daily maintenance tips to help you create a clutter-free, functional kitchen. Perfect for busy homemakers looking for quick, impactful changes!
How to Download
- If you’re a member of The Homemaker’s Society, you’ll find your link to download the Instant Kitchen Refresh Cheat Sheet below.
- Become a member of The Homemaker’s Society. and you’ll get instant access to set of Instant Kitchen Refresh Cheat Sheet and hundreds of other helpful resources for your home as part of your membership.
- FREE for non-members too! If you aren’t ready to become a member yet, just fill out the form below and you’ll get the Instant Kitchen Refresh Cheat Sheet sent straight to your inbox!
- OR, you can purchase the printable Cheat Sheet here!
Members Only Download here
Just click on the link below to download your Instant Kitchen Refresh Cheat Sheet. Don’t forget that you can find this and hundreds of printables in the Resource Libraries!
