Organized Room to Room: Odd Things to Clean

I wrote this post last year and felt that it was worth reposting.

I was in the middle of cleaning and organizing my kitchen. It occurred to me that I had neglected several odd things. Even though this series is about organizing, cleaning seems to go hand in hand.

Flatware Drawer

We have lived in our house for almost five years. Two weeks ago was the first time that I emptied the flatware drawer and cleaned it out. All of the flatware was taken out and washed along with the organizing trays. There were several serving pieces I never used since I forgot I even had them! Those items were donated. I even found baby spoons and Mr. B. is 3!

If you haven’t cleaned your flatware drawer lately, I highly suggest you do. You will be amazed as what you find in there!

The Toaster & Can Opener

Remember to empty the crumbs from the toaster. There is usually a little tray underneath the toaster that needs to be emptied. Electric can openers can get down right dirty. I have found that the blade from my electric can opener pops off and can be run through the dishwasher.

Clean the Coffeemaker

I LOVE my coffee in the morning! To save money we almost always make our coffee at home instead of running to Starbucks. I just learned that the coffeemaker is supposed to be cleaned with vinegar water every couple of weeks. The vinegar will help break up the deposits in the coffee pot making the coffee taste better.

Mix one part white vinegar with two parts water. Poor into the reservoir on the coffee pot and run it through a cycle. When the coffee pot has cooled, poor out the solution. Run two more cycles of plain water through the coffee maker.

Behind Appliances

Every once in awhile, pull out the appliances and clean behind them. It is always amazing to me how much stuff collects back there! Keeping your appliances clean will help them run more efficiently and improve their longevity.

Unplug the refrigerator and clean the coils on the back of the refrigerator with a vacuum. This should be done every 6 months.

Make sure to clean the lint trap inside the dryer after each use. Every year, pull the dryer out and clean the dryer vent. Cleaning out the lint will help reduce fire risk.

As you continue on your Simply Organized journey, consider cleaning some of the items you never think about. I know most of the time we get caught up in the regular household chores and the maintenance items fall by the wayside. Make a list of things that need to be done on a weekly, biannual or annual basis and add it to your family calendar.

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Renae Chiovaro

Renae is a married working mom of two handsome boys. She works as a registered dental hygienist by day and blogs here at How to Have it All by night. She enjoys cooking from scratch, working in her vegetable garden and functional training.

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