The candles from inside the pumpkins have barely been extinguished. The embers of the bonfire may have only just died away. But with the Halloween and Bonfire Night celebrations done and dusted for another year, it can mean only one thing… Christmas is around the corner! Of course, turn on the television or visit your local shopsand you’ll be reminded, like a slap in the face, that the festive season is on its way! It won’t be long before our ears are ringing with all those familiar Christmas songs. And, regardless of whether your Christmas is going to be quiet and cosy or a massive family get-together, one thing’s for sure – you’ll want to be getting your kitchen Christmas-ready.
Get Christmas-ready: Start with the kitchen!
In the grand scheme of things, it’s unlikely that getting your kitchen ready for Christmas will be at the top of your Christmas to-do list. Presents, a tree, decorations… all these things are likely to be higher on your list of priorities. Having said that, it’s worth remembering what a pivotal role the kitchen plays in the average family Christmas. It doesn’t really matter whether you are planning a big party for Christmas or are looking to have a much more reserved one, food is always central to the festivities in any home. At the very least, there’s the big Christmas dinner to take care of.
The kitchen is the busiest room in a house and the hub of any home. Well, this is especially true at Christmas. So, there’s another good reason to get your kitchen Christmas-ready as a soon as you can.
Get it done in time for Christmas
If you don’t plan ahead, you could end up being one of the thousands – if not millions – rushing around in the run up to Christmas desperately trying to get things ready in time.
A thorough ‘deep clean’ is one of the things that a lot of people plan to do, but never actually get around to doing. Like most New Year’s resolutions, best laid plans are destined to fail. Instead, why not be more realistic? Cleaning a little and a lot around the home is the best way of getting everywhere Christmas-ready.
In terms of the whole house, take a room-by-room approach to make the task ahead much less massive and daunting. In the kitchen, break down your cleaning tasks into manageable chunks too.
The kitchen is overused over the Christmas period. This is why you need to show it some love early on, sothat it’s all spick and span in time for the holiday season.
Get your kitchen Christmas-ready: Declutter and decorate
Space is always at a premium in any kitchen. What’s more, if there’s ever a time when you need every centimetre of counter-top space then it’s Christmas. This is why you need to clear every inch of available counter space for the preparation of Christmas dinner and general cooking. Clearing away the clutter and making the most of the space you have is important.
Similarly, although hanging up decorations in the kitchen is not advisable, you might want to change things up. Consider how you can get the kitchen Christmas-ready in terms of colour scheme and décor. This is the chance to swap those summery pastel shades of dinnerware for deep reds and greens. Just as you change your wardrobe for particular seasons, you can do the same in the kitchen too.
Christmas-ready and clean ovens
The ovens in the kitchen (both conventional and microwave) work hard during the festive season. Give them a good clean beforehand. If you heat a damp sponge in the microwave for a minute or so, removing even the most stubborn and toughest of stains will be simple. Cleaning your main oven in time for Christmas is a must-do too. Don’t leave it until the last minute – get it all sparkly and clean in good time for the turkey now.
There are a multitude of dedicated oven cleaning products on the market. However, the most effective way to the get the oven Christmas-ready is to give it a quick clean first with a damp cloth. Next, sprinkle baking soda and vinegar on the bottom of the oven. Let the mixture sit for a while and then simply wipe away the residue with a cloth. Even the toughest of grease stains and burnt food will come away easily with this treatment.
The ‘little and often’ philosophy is definitely the sensible one to adopt to get the kitchen Christmas-ready. Indeed, it’s the best way to approach any aspect of Christmas planning. Finally, if you’ve thinking of a new look for the kitchen for the new year, get in touch with the Naughton Kitchens team for advice and great design tips.
