How to Organise Your Kitchen for Effortless Holiday Cooking and Hosting

The holiday season is here and, let’s be honest, hosting can be a lot. Like running a marathon and juggling at the same time. For most of us, the kitchen becomes the hub of family gatherings, where the perfection of your roast potatoes can feel like success or failure.

So set yourself up for success. An organised kitchen can be your secret weapon against holiday hosting stress, so here are our tips for getting through it without a hitch.

Clear the Clutter

Before you do anything else, create some space. Being in a cluttered environment spikes your cortisol levels (the stress hormone) and that’s the last thing you need, so take a deep breath and declutter.

Start with the worktops and put away anything you don’t need to have immediately to hand. Sort through cupboards and drawers with a critical eye and get rid of anything you don’t use. Then check the pantry for out of date foods, or things you’ve bought, but never actually used. If the space is still feeling cluttered, find temporary places outside of the kitchen to stash infrequently used gadgets until the new year.

A Pantry that’s Ready for Anything

The space you created by decluttering your pantry will soon be used up with seasonal items, or bulk buys for dinners and parties. A well organised pantry, or pantry cupboards, will be the key to calm and efficient cooking. Group similar items together (snacks, cereals, pastas and grains etc) so nothing gets lost or forgotten about, and keep frequently used items at eye-level so they’re ready to grab.

Fridge Fundamentals

A full fridge and freezer is less efficient at keeping things cold, so organising it efficiently can save space, energy and help avoid any unwelcome stomach bugs. Remove any unnecessary, bulky packaging from foods. Be aware of what foods need to be in your fridge, and what’s safe to store elsewhere, like eggs, and find another home for them temporarily. Ditch any old condiments that are past their best, and if it’s never been opened, put it in the pantry cupboard.

Prep the Tableware

Prepping the serveware ahead of time will be just as helpful as prepping your pantry and fridge. Think about what you might need, and make sure those things are front and centre. If you know you have people coming for drinks, make sure the wine glasses are easily accessible. Make sure you can easily grab the big serving platters when friends come for dinner. It will save you time and reduce the stress of hunting around for things at the last minute.

Create a Command Centre

If you’re juggling shopping lists, menu plans, recipes and timetables on a million pieces of paper, stop. Designate a single spot in the kitchen where all the reference info you need is stored. This could be a file, a drawer, or even in a notebook. The key is to keep everything together and make sure it has a designated home to which it is always, always returned. If you can keep a pen there too, even better.

Stock Up on Cleaning Supplies

After the magic comes the clean up, so have your supplies ready so the aftermath doesn’t feel so overwhelming.

Enjoy Yourself!

An organised kitchen will save you time and energy during this busy period, and feeling ready and prepared will keep the stress levels under control, letting you just enjoy your time with friends and family.

If you’d like a hand with the holiday prep, we’re here to help. From kitchen organisation to full-home decluttering, we’re here to make your home a place where you can just relax and enjoy the holidays. Drop us a line to find out more.