Life these days can seem so busy, from getting the kids up and to school, getting to work, making dinner, finding time to socialise and whatever else we each have on our plates. So saving a little time when we can, can make a world of difference.
The kitchen in particular is a place where there is so much going on throughout the day. So, what can we do? To make the cooking, cleaning and organizing of the busiest room in your house a little easier?
That’s why we’ve collaborated with to put together some handy life hacks for your kitchen, which should hopefully make everything a little easier, and take out some of the hassle out of your busy lifestyle.
1.The Moving Chopping Board
When chopping, be it chicken fillets, butternut squash, tomatoes or whatever takes your fancy that evening, you might often find the board will slip around on the countertop. But there’s an easy solution – and it can be found in your kitchen! (Most likely on the window sill.)
HOW IT’S DONE
- Take a piece of kitchen roll and run it under the tap until soaked
- Ring out the tissue
- Unravel the tissue and place it over the surface
- Place the chopping board on top
- Job done! Now you can chop and slice food without slipping and sliding – much safer for chopping with sharp knives too!
2.As Solid as Butter
Most of us have all experienced this – the butter’s too tough to spread! Go to make some toast or a sandwich and it’s like trying to spread a block of cheese. The microwave can offer a potential solution but if done too many times the butter will begin to separate and go a bit nasty. That’s if you don’t accidentally leave it in for too long, resulting in a melted yellow mess. We have the solution.
HOW IT’S DONE
- Simply unwrap some of the butter and grate it as you would your favourite cheese
- Take the resulting spaghetti and spread as needed – the smaller surface area will mean it’s easier to distribute (and if on toast, will melt faster)
- Job Done! No hassle, no melted mess and strange burnt buttery smell in your kitchen.
3. A Clean Sponge is a Clean Kitchen
When the cooking is done, the cleaning begins. The dishes, the knives, the forks, pots and pans. That sponge gets a hell of a workout. By the time you’re done the little scouring sponge gets a rinse and finds its spot. Yet, still wet, mould and mildew can build up, meaning things may not be as clean next time round. Let’s get to the solution:
HOW IT’S DONE
- Take the wet sponge once you’re done cleaning and place the clip on one edge of the sponge.
- Once you’ve done this turn the clip to the upright position and stand the sponge in a vertical position.
- All the water will drain out, leaving you with a dry and fresh sponge to come back to the next time it needs a workout.
- Job done!
Bonus tip: soak sponges and cloths in hot bleached water before draining to ensure it is fully sterilised, and make your sponges last even longer!
4. Dodge a Blocked Drain
The ultimate irritation: the dishes are done, everything is clean and ready to tidy away. You tip out the cleaning water into the sink, only for it to remain floating there. You can hear the plunger calling you from the cupboard under the sink. But this can all be avoided! This simple trick is here to save the day, using something that’s often fundamental to your morning routine…
HOW IT’S DONE
- Every few days, once all the cleaning is done, fill your kettle to its maximum capacity.
- Once boiled, pour the entire contents down the sink, making sure to repeat the process regularly.
- Doing this will unstick any grease, grime or oils along the pipes of your sink, allowing everything to flow more efficiently.
- If you have baking soda to hand, pour some down the sink prior to pouring the water, as this can work as a great cleaner.
- Keep at it, and job done!
- “I’m not crying, I’m just cooking.”
So you’re busy cooking away, boiling here, frying there, chopping, searing and scoring to make something you know will taste amazing. But you have one ingredient you’ve been avoiding, worried for the inevitable tears and the uncomfortable interruption they will have on your pleasant cooking experience. The onions. But how can we prevent the tears that so often come with onions?
HOW IT’S DONE
- 2 options, depending on your planning
- Freeze the onions some time before you cook, then once they have thawed enough to chop, chopping should leave you tear free.
- Bit of a strange one, but it works! For more immediate results hold a piece of bread in your mouth, slightly sticking out to absorb the irritant coming from the onion and stopping it getting to your eyes.
Job done!
5. Burst the Bubble Overflow
So, you’re making pasta. On goes the cooker as usual, water in the pot, onto the stove. Now you wait until it boils so the cooking can begin. With several other things going on though, it can be very easy to get distracted and cause the bubbled-up steam to cascade over the sides. The solution? Again, something you probably have to hand – this time, in your cutlery drawer.
HOW IT’S DONE
- Go through your process of boiling the water as normal.
- Before you go onto your next task, place a wooden spoon (or anything of a similar shape) on the edges of the pan, stretching from one side to the other as in the image
- This way, when the steam starts to build up, the spoon will pop the bubbles as they rise and stop the bubbles overflowing onto the hob, causing the starch to burn to the surface (and saving you time having to scour it off later)
- Job Done!
So, these handy tips are just a few awesome tips to help you clean, cook and prep more effectively and efficiently, so that you kitchen can keep beautiful and you can keep moving! Hopefully they will help keep your kitchen running smoothly, and minimise any extra clean ups and spills along the way. Because like we said, we are busy people!
We hope you found this article helpful, and do check back again soon for more helpful tips and hints for your home!
This article was a written in collaboration with Kreative Kitchens, , in the UK.
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