And as we fast approach the holidays, family dinners will be a huge affair with lots of visitors and dishes to clean. To make it a somewhat bearable duty, here are 10 tips you can put into use to ease the agony.
Wash as you go
Make it a habit to soak and wash the dishes as you go. This will prevent the leftover food on the pans from getting sticky and hard making it harder to remove hence taking more time and energy. Do not leave the kitchen until the dishes are done and the cooking is finished. You will get the feeling of accomplishment as you sit to eat.
Reuse
There is no need to use different dishes or spoons for example when you can use one for different things. If you must, rinse and wipe then proceed. This will reduce the amount of dishes stacking up.
Invest in some fun supplies
A pretty kitchen helps. Invest in some cute pieces here and there and more so on something you will use while washing like soap. Look for one in your favorite scent and before you know it, you will start enjoying it.
Dish arrangement
Despite the piling dishes, stack and arrange them in a way that doesn’t affect the integrity of the kitchen. Don’t leave them to lay around everywhere. Not only will it put a dumper on washing, but cooking too will be hampered with no free counter space to work on.
You don’t have to wash everything
With soap that is. If for example you used a plate for bread you can simply wipe it off and run through some water. If something hasn’t touched meat, oil or something like eggs, you can do a simple rinse and skip the soap.
Use gloves
Sometimes the reason we don’t like doing dishes is because we don’t want to ruin our expensive manicure. Invest in a good quality pair of gloves and it will offer some protection and keep you warm and dry as you clean.
Keep a bowl of soapy water in the sink
You don’t always have to wash items individually. For instance, if you finished scraping the last food off the pot, place it on the sink, squirt some liquid soap and add hot water. Drop dirty dishes as you use inside. This will remove the oils and dry food making washing easier.
Clear the sink
Always put back the dishes to their rightful place and empty the sink and counter. Finish off by washing the sink and cleaning the work surface. This should be done before you start cooking your next meal to create space for the new batch.
Listen to something
Use that time to learn something new or listen to your favorite podcast or music. This will create a somewhat conducive environment that will make the process enjoyable.
Attitude
They say it’s all in the mind so get yourself to look at washing dishes differently and learn to enjoy it as you do it. You can use that moment to take a break from everything and enjoy the silence. Afterwards you can reward yourself with a hot bath or cup of tea.
What are your New Year’s Resolutions?