A Case of the Blahs

I mentioned on Wednesday that I would elaborate on why exactly I will be spending this weekend, at least in part, cleaning my kitchen and I am here to say, my kitchen has a case of the blahs.

Everyday can't be all glamor, fame, and Martha, some days will always be cheese on toast and pajamas till Three Noon. But something that can help that feeling of doldrums is to give your home a little once over and take some time to think about how you use your space. Underutilized space, mess, and clutter can create little energy vortexes in your home that make it so much less fun to spend time in, and right now I need to re-energize my kitchen.

I am going to be doing the Spring Kitchen Cure hosted by the Kitchn, part of the Apartment Therapy blog group. The Cure makes it easy to make over your space (in this case, the kitchen) a little at a time until you turn around and find out that you've actually made a much bigger difference than you thought possible.

Today is the end of week one (of four) and I thought I'd share a little of my progress. Part one of the first week's assignment was to take some before pictures, especially of your fridge, freezer, and pantry. You may think your space is okay, but try taking a before and after of your freezer and you will be AMAZED.





The second part of the assignment was then to purge anything that needs to be gotten rid of. Got any undated freezer mysteries? Toss 'em. Four year old jar of unknown condiment you used once? Toss that too. Spices, oils, or vinegars that are past their prime? Gone baby gone!

Finally, wipe down every surface, bottle and jar before you put it away. I have to say, just the act of throwing away the few things I did (I tend to keep my fridge pretty clear - I'm a bit of an expiration nut) was very satisfying. I can't wait to work on week two and straighten up my utensil and tupperware drawers (yes, I realize the dorkiness of that statement, but I stand by it).

The kitchen is pretty much one of my favorite places in a home and mine could use a little pick-me up before spring and summer roll around and I want to do nothing but cook all of that yummy fresh produce. I think this cure is just what the doctor ordered. Don't worry, I will be putting up a special weekend post with TWO recipes I made with some of the odds and ends I needed to clear out but just couldn't bear to throw away. Also, next week, look for recipes for Masala Daal and Naan. I'm feeling spicy.