How to Avoid Holiday Frustration with Some Kitchen Preparation

Holiday time brings substantial holiday stress. Halloween night comes and trick-or-treat festivities continue through the early evening, and then next thing you know, family members are knocking on your door as you’re still scrambling to decorate the turkey, dress the house, and throw the kids in the oven.

If you are also a procrastination professional, it is probably a good idea to begin preparation early. Even in the simplest of ways, on the day of, your preparedness can relieve ample stress. There are many things to be done, such as finalizing your guest list and creating the evening’s menu. However, considering the extensive hours spent in the kitchen during the holiday season, one way to get ready is by pre-organizing the kitchen itself.

There are vital elements of the kitchen that will be utilized significantly more during these last few months of the year, especially by guests. Leave your visitors in awe of your keen sharpness by paying attention to these specific areas:

1. Refrigerator. Everyone is guilty of sometimes becoming lazy when it comes to cleaning out your fridge. How many times have you accidentally (or lazily) left leftovers sitting on your top shelf? How many times have you left a carton of milk sitting while you went on vacation? When is the last time you changed the water filter? Although you may not notice the expired goods sitting on the door shelf, your guests may. Additionally, it may be a good idea to scrub the shelves of remnants and spillage while you’re at it! Why be self-conscious every time a guest opens the fridge in search of a beverage when you can have it readily cleansed right before the big holiday?

2. Pantry. The last time you thoroughly cleaned your pantry was probably when you moved in. Doing so is opportune for so many reasons. Not only can you finally throw out all the expired goods, but you can also familiarize yourself with all of the ingredients and supplies you do have so holiday grocery shopping is a little easier and less wasteful. Additionally, it’s a great way to gather food to donate to your local homeless shelter for Giving Tuesday! Do yourself and others a favor by finally rummaging and clearing up your hoard of a pantry this holiday season.

3. Countertop. When it comes to hosting, a big turnoff can be a cluttered countertop. Without any available space in such a central section of the house, guests may feel awkward and cramped when attempting to become comfortable in a foreign space. As one of the first things you examine once you enter the kitchen, the countertop is substantially important. However, not only is it prime real estate for guests but yourself as well. Handling sharp and hot objects while cooking may become very dangerous without a proper place to rest them. Reduce your clutter and simultaneously reduce your stress.

4. Sink. During a Thanksgiving feast prepared by yours truly, you humbly look down the table at your friends and family excitedly digging into the delectable feast you had painstakingly set forth. No one is speaking, which is a clear sign of their deep satisfaction. You wouldn’t have been able to do it without your handy dandy sink and faucet. And you definitely won’t be able to do the post-cleanup without them either. This holiday season, make sure your kitchen’s sink and faucet are both at peak performance and clean to simplify your pre and post-festivity duties. The last thing you want is a broken fixture or a stack of dirty dishes to impede your hectic holidays.

There are many ways to get ready for the holidays. Follow Kingston Brass’ helpful tips to be the best host of the season.