7 Essential Tips to Keep your Kitchen Clean while Cooking

When I'm cooking, I take pride in having an organized, clean kitchen. I just realized how much it helps me cook better.

I used to be messy, having every ingredient out, and not managing my workspace properly. Onion peelings were everywhere. Dirty dishes stacked up next to my knife. After eating, I would look back at my kitchen and feel overwhelmed by the cleaning.

I often thought, "I will never cook again; I have so much to clean!"

Then, I realized I never saw such mess in a professional kitchen. How do they do it? How do chefs keep their kitchens clean and never feel overwhelmed? I learned how and I share it with you!

Let's go through 7 essential tips to keep your kitchen clean and your mind sane while cooking!

Start with a clean kitchen

If you start cooking in a messy kitchen, it will just get worse. Make sure your worktop is clean and ready to use. Nothing should be out of place, and your sink should be empty and ready to use.

Only get out the tools and ingredients you need

This is the best way to stay organized. Only get what you need. When cooking a recipe with many ingredients, you might want to put everything on your countertop, don't. You will only clutter your space.

For example, if you need to peel and cut carrots, just get the utensils and ingredients to peel and cut carrots:

• Carrots
• A container for the peelings (More about it just after)
• A board
• A knife
• A peeler

Everything else should be away.

Always have a trash container next to you.

This tip is the one that keeps me sane when I cook 🧘‍♂️

I used to peel my veggies and leave the peeling on the countertop, creating a mess. Now, I use a small container as a trash can. I throw it in there, keeping my kitchen clean. After cooking, I just have to empty the container and clean it.

You can even have multiple containers:

• One for organic waste for composting
• One for plastic waste
• One for general waste

Mise en place

Last Friday, I hosted a board game night. My friends brought the games and drinks, and I cooked. I made a starter, main course, and dessert, and I barely had to cook while they were there. And I played every game with them, thanks to my mise en place.

Mise en place means "Set up" in French. It means having everything ready before you start cooking. This prevents you from being overwhelmed when you turn your stove on.

For example, my starter was a puff pastry asparagus, prepared earlier and kept in the fridge. I just had to put it in the oven when they arrived.

Marche en avant

Marche en avant is a technique described in the HACCP food safety system. It means "walking forward." Essentially, an ingredient should always move from left to right, from unprocessed to processed (or right to left if you are left-handed). This prevents mixing clean products with dirty raw products.

Let's use the example of carrots again. The peeled carrots should be on the left, your knife and board in the center, and the sliced carrots on the right.

This way, your kitchen will stay organized and clean.

Clean as you go

If you follow the previous tips, you will feel less overwhelmed and more organized while cooking. But what about the cooking aftermath? How to handle the stacking-up pile of used pots and pans?

The solution is simple: clean as you go. When you have 30 seconds, clean a plate or fill your dishwasher. Use a microfiber towel to clean your worktop quickly.

Think of each step of the recipe as done only when your workspace is clean. When you finish peeling carrots, put the peeler in the sink, make sure no peelings are left on the countertop and clean the peeler whenever you can. When you finish cooking, most utensils are already clean, leaving only a few items to wash.

I often only have one pan and the plates and cutlery to clean after eating.

Following these tips will keep your kitchen clean, make your life easier, and help you enjoy cooking more. Let me know if you have any other tips; I would love to hear them!