It won’t be long and the before you know it the snow will be falling and the holidays will be upon us.  Fall is the perfect time to prep your custom kitchen before all the holiday parties set in and the weather gets cold.  A little prep ahead of time can reduce stress and make the winter months more enjoyable.

Things to Do

• Clean and organize pantry – Throw out any expired food. Having an organized pantry will allow you to see what you need or may be close to running out of. Restock those commonly used items for baking such as flour, sugar, and other baking product.
• Clean out the spice drawer - Check dates and make a list of those commonly used spices you are running low on.  While it won’t hurt you to use old spices, they tend to lose their flavor over time and can affect the taste of those holiday recipes.
• Dust and clean cabinets and countertops - You should wipe down and dust your cabinets on a regular basis.  Clean off any food that may have spilled and wipe down the inside of the cabinets.  There are cleaning products for purchase that won’t damage your cabinets and countertops.
• Check cabinet doors and hinges – Occasionally you will want to make sure that no screws have worked themselves loose and adjust cabinet doors and hinges.  It is most common on a corner cabinet with a lazy susan.
• Get rid of items you no longer use - Sometimes we tend to collect gadgets and they end up taking valuable cabinet space. If you have items that are still in the box from your wedding 10 years ago now might be the time to donate and get that tax deduction.  It is not worth storing things you don’t use. Especially that crockpot that might be missing a lid or the handle is broken off.
• Check under sinks for any potential problems - Make sure that underneath your sink is not leaking.  Also stuff steel wool around the pipe openings to the cabinets to prevent any rodents from getting in the house. 
• Replace hand towels and dishrags - Once a year it is a good idea to get new hand towels and dishrags.  Make sure you have enough.  When we entertain we tend to go through more than usual.
• Clean out and organize the junk drawer - In every kitchen there seems to be one area that collects clutter or junk.  There might be some low cost kitchen updates that can help you overcome the junk drawer in the kitchen altogether.
• Clean stove and ovens - There is nothing worse than smelling food that is burning from spilling over.  This is the perfect time to wipe down knobs and handles.  Clean up any spills that may have been there for a while.

Taking the time to do these things will make your winter months that much more enjoyable.  It will also allow you to spend more time with your family and focus on those things that matter most.

If you would like to talk to a kitchen expert at Brakur Custom Cabinetry about updates you can do before the holidays get here you can click below.