I’m one of those people who find mess and clutter in my home very distracting. Nothing gets me more than the kitchen though because that’s where most of the mess happens. But, i’m lazy too – after all that cooking, I’d rather relax on the couch or take stroll around Purdue than scrub my stove. Here are my tips to keep the mess to a minimum so you can clean your kitchen in under 15 mins(even after cooking for a small party).

1) “Garbage” bowl
Every time you cook, keep a bowl or trash bag out to toss your scraps as you prep food, so they don’t clutter up your chopping board. Instead of walking to the trash can with handfuls of scraps(probably dropping some on the way, you get to consolidate your mess in one spot. Also, the meat trimmings and garlic peels left sitting on your counter/chopping board dries up over time and become harder to clean. For a super fancy “garbage bowl”.

2) The lazy man needs to be efficient.
Utilize all waiting time to clean dishes or tidy up. While waiting for my food to cook, I place all bowls and utensils I don’t need to use in the sink. After stirring the pan around for a bit, I come back to wash my chopping board. Before you know it, the sink has been emptied just as your food is done cooking.

3) Cleaning up immediately
Don’t let a small mess become a bigger problem later. Accidental spills on the counter-top? Wipe it. Oil splatter over your stove? Soak it up with a paper towel. Baked on food? Let pan sit in hot water+soap for an easy clean up later. No gunks to deal with :)

After your meal, all you need to do are your dishes, a quick wipe down of surfaces and sweeping the floor. I prefer to get through my dishes and put them away first before wiping. But whatever order works for you. It usually takes me ten minutes to clean up my kitchen so I have the rest of the night to relax. For more relaxation times, book a cleaning with CleanMyTribe, West Lafayette and Lafayette’s quality home cleaning service. For services in other parts of Indiana, check out our local CleanMyTribe Indy and CleanMyTribe Fort Wayne pages.