Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images
When Paul and I lived in our apartment, we had limited countertop space. Our entire kitchen was in the shape of an “L” and included our refrigerator, sink, and dishwasher.
As I made large meals, like a Thanksgiving feast, we spread out into our dining room. Though it made more of a mess, I needed the space in which to work.
In that tight space, we had a sink without a divider, so it was a bit more difficult to clean.
Continuing our Take Back your Kitchen post from Part 1, I remember maneuvering in that tiny space to take back my kitchen with a big sink without a divider.
Part 2: Take Back Your Kitchen without a Divided Sink
1. Prepare the Dishwasher
When everything in the kitchen is in disarray, concentrate on the dishwasher. If the dishes are clean, then put them away to have a clean space.
2. Empty the Sink
Without a divided sink, I could not tell what was rinsed and what needed to be rinsed. When I went to clean, I just piled everything on the counters. With an empty sink, I washed it out.
3. Setup Boundaries
Then I began rinsing items and placing them directly in the dishwasher since I had no clean countertop space.
My dishwasher was to the left of my sink, so I worked from left to right to clear off my counters. I rinsed until I had fully loaded the dishwasher.
4. Start the Dishwasher
With the dishwasher full, I started the cycle. Our dishwasher was not large, so I usually had more dishes left to rinse or wash.
5. Take a Break
At this point, I usually needed a break as I was transitioning between mostly dirty dishes to mostly rinsed and clean dishes. Depending on how much of a break I needed, I might just sit for a few minutes and then get back up to finish.
6. Designate a Hand Wash-Only Counter
After my break, I came back to reorganize. I would remove any remaining items on the left countertop and clean the surface. I would then place any dishes that needed handwashing into the sink leaving all the other dirty dishes on the right countertop.
7. Hand Wash the Special Dishes
In the clean space to the left, I put down a towel. Then I hand washed the items and set them on the towel to dry. If large pots still needed cleaning, I washed those by hand to free up space in our dishwasher.
8. Clear off the Counters
By now, my left kitchen counter was clean. I concentrated on rinsing the remaining dirty dishes and stacking them on the right counter or to one side in the sink.
9. Finishing Touches
With all the dishes either cleaned or rinsed and ready for the dishwasher, I added these finishing touches:
- Wipe down all surfaces
- Run the garbage disposal
- Clean the sink or the half not in use
- Sweep the kitchen floor (if the floor is dry)
- Remove any spills or marks on the kitchen floor
- Go rest with my family
Getting back your kitchen is hard within a small space. I have been in homes where there was not enough room for two people to be in the kitchen at the same time. Though working in a tight space is difficult, it is not impossible to creatively entertain and clean.
Investing in the lives of others is an admirable way to using time wisely. Taking back your kitchen is a job that often goes unnoticed, but a task that must be done. Having a plan in place to tackle the dirty dishes makes the process a bit easier. Discover what works best for you as you entertain, serve, and take back your kitchen. Happy cleaning!
Question: What are your tips for working in a kitchen with limited space?