With the decrease in temperature, changing leaves and rich, satisfying fall flavors comes the holiday season. And whether you’re cooking for the whole family or opening your home for a holiday party, you’ll likely need to do some kitchen preparation.
Find out how you can get your kitchen ready for the holiday chaos to ensure your plans run as smoothly as possible.
Have a Plan
Creating an itinerary or a to-do list or even compiling your recipes can help ensure that you know what you need to do in the weeks or days leading up to the event and on the day.
For example, if you’re cooking more than one dish, you can maximize your time by starting on the food that takes the longest. If you need to deep clean, make a schedule so you’re not overwhelmed by doing it all in one day. If you need help making dishes or cleaning, make sure you reach out to enlist some hands as soon as possible.
It can also help to have a plan after the event to know what to clean up first or if you need help with it.
Clean Before, During and After
Having guests over isn’t the only reason you should be cleaning up your space. Having a clean workstation can help you prep and cook food more efficiently. And whenever you have down time, cleaning your space can help ease the burden when all the fun is over.
Doing a deep clean after you’re finished cooking and hosting is also sometimes necessary. You never know when you’ve dropped something behind the refrigerator or if a guest left their cup in an odd place. You don’t want to find out about it after discovering pests in your home.
Put Safety Mechanisms in Place
If you’re hosting and know that children will be coming over, you may want to consider installing child locks on your cabinets, childproofing sharp corners and putting sharp items away where kids can’t get to them. And if any furry friends are invited, consider putting any toxic food or plants in a separate room and installing gates between rooms you don’t want them in.
Test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to ensure they’re working properly. Home fires often occur during the winter months because of the increased usage of heating equipment and when you add cooking to the mix, there could be more risk. Aside from taking the necessary precautions and being careful when you cook, knowing you have working detectors throughout your home can give you more peace of mind.
Inspect and Clean Your Appliances
Whether it’s large appliances like your refrigerator, oven or dishwasher or smaller ones such as your microwave, food processor or blender, make sure they’re clean and undamaged. This helps you prepare for alternatives or get the appliance fixed and protects the health of your guests—no one wants to find a piece of a blender blade in their food.
Additionally, you’ll probably want to clean out your large appliances to make more room for the food, leftovers and resulting dishes from your event. You may want to figure out a meal prep plan in the days before the event to ensure you have enough room for your ingredients, reduce food waste and eat everything you need to.
Get Your HVAC Checked
While the holidays shouldn’t be the sole reason you get your heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) checked, it’s a good excuse to get your biannual service. Ensure you and your guests stay warm and cozy in your home by getting your HVAC checked for efficiency and repair anything that may be damaged or just too old.
You’ll also want good ventilation in your home as well, especially if you’re cooking, baking and having guests over. Ensuring your HVAC is serviced will help clear the air in your home and keep you and your guests comfortable.
Consider Home Improvement Projects
There probably isn’t enough time to do a full kitchen remodel, but there are ways to spruce up your space on a smaller scale before your holiday event. This includes changing out your cabinet hardware for something more modern or with more personality, installing a backsplash for your kitchen sink, giving the walls a new coat of paint or changing out your light fixtures.
These types of home improvement projects can make a big impact without having to break the bank.
Kitchen Prep for Holiday Fun
Taking the time to prepare your kitchen for increased usage and foot traffic can make a world of difference, especially during the holiday season. And creating a plan before your event can help with safety, efficiency and comfort for you, anyone visiting and their pets or children.
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