Even though I didn’t realize it at the time, I am grateful that I was responsible for household chores when I was young. My mom still keeps house in a fastidious way, and I try to do the same. In anticipation for holidays, mom would begin cleaning at least a few weeks out, cleaning everything from curtains to cabinets. My sisters and I were tasked with helping mom, and in the process learned how to be thorough about eliminating clutter and creating a healthy and comfortable home. I have always been drawn to the kitchen, and often helped mom clear out the cabinets and organize the pantry. Children as young as four can help with spring cleaning the kitchen cabinets by sorting food into like piles (all the cans together, all the cereal together, etc.), and older children can help by emptying the cabinets, wiping the inside of cabinets and cabinet doors, replacing food, and reading expiration dates. Learn more about children, chores and age appropriate tasks.
Cleaning out kitchen cabinets periodically is important because cans, bags and boxes are often forgotten and can go bad, because they spoil or are contaminated. When going through cabinets, clear room on countertops or kitchen table and put all food from cabinets there. First throw away opened products that have gone stale. Then, inspect any open products like noodles or flour for signs of contamination, like insects (though it is not a pleasant thought, read Bugs in the Cupboard). According to the article, “infestations are not necessarily the fault of the homeowner,” since bring a contaminated item from the store into the home can cause these problems. Any open products that are deemed good should be packaged thoroughly so food remains fresh. Glass and plastic containers are great for this. Here are some of my favorites: Air-tight Round Canister, Glass Cookie Canister, and Stainless Steel Canisters. I have glass canisters in my kitchen, and they have a plastic gasket in the lid to make a strong seal.
Double check the expiration dates on all products and discard any items well beyond their dates. Use up any items that are nearing their expiration, and make a list of any items that you need to replace.
Spring is also a great time to doing a deep clean of your refrigerator (pulling out the shelves and drawers and sanitizing them, wiping down the inside of the refrigerator, and removing dust from exterior of refrigerator). While you are at it, why not clean the oven?
Just don’t tell my mom I am glad that she made me do chores!
What are your hints and tricks for spring cleaning?