SPRING CLEAN SERIES: Preparing Your Kitchen and Pantry for Spring

​Moms, throw open your windows -- the spring season is almost upon us! It is high time you air out, dust off, and prep yourself, your family, and your home for the new season.

All week I will be posting spring cleaning challenges to get you into spring fever mode!
Let's get started with the kitchen and pantry. Shall we?

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7 Tips to Prepare Your Kitchen and Pantry for Spring

For me, spring cleaning is cathartic. I love to weed through the closets, declutter thoroughly, and ensure that everything is spic and span. But, the kitchen is where I like to bring my A-game.
I must admit, however, that spring cleaning is no picnic. That’s why I have rounded up 7 best tips on how to prepare your kitchen for the warmer months ahead.

1. Start Off with the Cupboards
I don’t know about you, but I always find my cupboards overflowing with ‘clutter’ at the end of winter season. By clutter, I mean those odd glasses, to-go cups with missing lids, kid’s token cups from birthday parties

and whatnot you’ve amassed over the winter. They take up lots of cupboard space and should be discarded immediately. Once you’ve decluttered, give the cupboards a thorough cleaning.

2. Tidy Your Pantry
Next up is your pantry -- the big elephant in the room, right? It's time to go through all the canned foods and boxed items to check the expiration dates. It doesn’t have to take you all day; in fact, only ten minutes can do the trick.

3. Deep Clean Potholders
Potholders can accumulate grease and dirt over the long winter months. All the stews, casseroles, and baked treats can take a toll on your potholders. If you aren’t the handsy type, just throw them in the washing machine. They’ll look sparkling clean and ready for spring season.

4. Clean and Oil Cutting Boards
Just like potholders, cutting boards can take a beating during winter. Oil them to ensure that they are prepped for all the dicing, chopping, and slicing to come in spring and summer. Think ahead to those bbq parties and outdoor dining opportunities to come!

5. Buy New Food Containers
I'm big on meal prepping, which requires extensive food container and tupperware options. The trouble is that these containers get quite dirty from food stains and sauces. Buy new food containers to give your kitchen the look and feel of spring and toss those old stained ones. Or try these tips for tupperware deep cleaning from Food52. (Also, check out the comments section on this Food52 post, which has tons more helpful suggestions!)

6. Deep-Clean your Fridge and Freezer
Put on your gloves and do a bang-up cleaning job on your fridge and freezer. Don’t forget to toss old food and load the fridge with fresh spring foods. Also, did you know that cleaning your fridge coils is an essential annual task to ensure it is running properly? It can also save you $$$ on your electric bill since the fridge won't have to work overtime to keep your foods cold. Here are some great instructions from HouseTipster to keep those coils clean!

7. Invest in a Few Spring Flowers
There’s nothing that says spring quite like fresh potted flowers or plants. Maybe this is the year to try an herb garden or just get an easy $5 budget bouquet from the grocery store. Either choice will simply liven up the mood in your kitchen.

What a way to start your spring season on the right foot! Follow along with me on Instagram as I share with you my progress in the kitchen and beyond this week.
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Tomorrow I will be  giving some great tips for cleaning up your closet for spring, including tips on how to prepare your winter sweaters for storage.

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