I’m so excited to be sharing some of my organized kitchen with you all today! Â I’m also sharing my best tips on how you can keep your kitchen clean and organized too! Â We all know that kitchens are the hub of the home. Â It’s where everyone wants to hang out and one of the hardest spaces to continually keep clean! Â One thing I’ve learned about myself is that a clean kitchen is absolutely essential for my sanity. Â When my kitchen is a mess so is my head! Â It’s really hard for me to focus on anything else when my kitchen is a mess which is why I’ve always worked hard to have a clean kitchen. Â My kitchen drawers and cupboards for the most part stay organized, but every so often they need a little re-fresh! Â I knew as soon as my kids got out of school and things slowed down a bit it was time to tackle some kitchen cupboards and drawers.
Ace Hardware reached out to see if I would be interested in trying out their e-cloths. Â I’ll be honest, I don’t accept many sponsored posts like this, but I have a soft spot for Ace! Â We have one near our house so it has become our go to hardware store (I swear my husband is there once a week at least). Â The guys who work at our store are so friendly and Ace always has whatever we need when it comes to house projects. Â Plus at Christmas time they put up a huge train around the top ceiling of the store and my son could spend hours at the store watching it! Â He begs to go every December. Â So good memories with Ace. :) Â I was also excited to work with them on this post because the more I learned about this new product they are carrying, the e-cloth, the more excited I was to try this product line. Â You all know I LOVE a good cleaning product! Â I’m all about anything that can make my life easier when it comes to cleaning. Â You guys – I’ve been using these e-cloths for a while now and love them! Â They are chemical free, extremely effective and you simply add water to clean with them – they last for up to 300 washes!
Like I said, my “befores” weren’t awful, but things were starting to get messy and kitchen drawers tend to get crumbs in them and just need a good clean out from time to time.
When I’m organizing kitchen cupboards/drawers I always take everything out.  I used the e-cloth cleaning cloth to wipe out all of my drawers and clean out the organizers.  Love this cloth.. it’s so absorbent.  It always bothers me when I buy dish cloths and they don’t absorb anything!  After the drawer was sparkling clean I made sure to only keep and put back what I really use!
So much better!
Below our kitchen utensils I keep our dish towels. Â This drawer stays clean but needed a good wipe down!
Then our clear storage containers are below that. Â This drawer always ends up a mess!
Much better! Â But I have to say that this drawer is getting re-organized again because I came up with a better way to do it that will help me keep it clean. Â Does anyone else lay in bed at night trying to come up with new ways to organize your kitchen containers? Â Ha! Â Just me? Â I can live with that.. ;)
I handed El an e-cloth and put her to work on the other side of the kitchen. Â She would empty drawers and wipe them down cleaning out all the crumbs and dust and then I’d come by and toss things we didn’t need and put it all back organized. Â Because these cloths are chemical free it makes them perfect for cleaning out drawers that hold items for eating and drinking.
This bottom drawer holds our water bottles. Â My husband and I always take our heart rate band/monitor and a sweat towel to our gym, so I added containers to hold those in this drawer also.
Above that is the plastic bowls/cups that the kids use daily. Â And yes.. Christmas plates stay in this drawer all year because they are Kole’s favorite. Â He asks every day for a “4 plate” which means he wants 4 different things on his Christmas plate. I love 7 year olds. :)
Lots of good organization going on in the fun little drawers near our nook!
This time of year the larger drawer in the middle holds stuff for the pool!
The pool controller, googles and sunscreen. Â All we need to ensure a good summer around here. Â And popsicles! Â Can’t forget the popsicles. :)
Our silverware drawer got a good wipe down too. Â The e-cloth was perfect to clean out all the crumbs!
The top cupboard to the left of the stove holds our medicine (just shared how and why I re-organized this space in this post).
And the top cupboard to the right of our stove holds our every day plates and bowls. Â I forgot to photograph the cupboard to the right that holds our cups! Â Next time. :)
While El and I were busy cleaning and organizing the kitchen drawers I put my other two helpers to work on our french doors and windows!
LOVE the e-cloth window cleaning cloth! Â It came with two cloths in the package. Â One you add water to and clean the windows with, the second cloth you use to dry the window after. Â These are my favorite! Â SO easy to clean the windows and doors completely streak free! Â I also love that they are chemical free making them so safe for my kids to use.
Plus the kids loved them. Â Kole was having so much fun I kept him going on the french doors in our living room. Â Because I’m tricky like that. :)
These will be new staples in our house for sure! Â I asked Kole this morning to clean up his toys and he said “can I please just wash the windows again instead!?” Â Ha! Â His new favorite chore. Â I have a feeling my french doors are going to stay pretty clean this summer. :)
Like I mentioned before, keeping the kitchen clean and organized is a must for me! Â The good news is that if you establish a few simple habits it’s not that hard to always have a clean kitchen (despite your kids’ constant efforts to mess it up!). ;) Â Here are my best tips for keeping your kitchen clean and organized!
5 TIPS FOR KEEPING YOUR KITCHEN CLEAN AND ORGANIZED
1 – Declutter drawers and keep only the essential!  This is the key to keeping your home organized and it’s no different in the kitchen!  It’s a good goal to have some space in your fridge, cupboards and drawers.  Less is more!  Create a home for each item and teach your kids/family where everything belongs.
2 – Keep everything off the kitchen counter! This is hard I know!  Kitchen counters can easily become the dumping ground for anything and everything.  Don’t let it happen!  Establish zones in other areas of your home for all paper, purses, kids’ backpacks, etc. so that the kitchen counter doesn’t become a catch all.  It’s also a good idea to use minimal home decor in the kitchen so that things don’t get cluttered and you have plenty of space for cooking and eating.
3 – Wipe the stove, counter and sink after each use. Â The e-cloth kitchen cleaning cloth is perfect to use on your appliances! Â If you get in the habit of immediately cleaning up kitchen messes and spills right after they happen you’ll do it without thinking! Â It never pays to put off washing dirty dishes or scrubbing the stove. Â The mess hangs over your head and just smells worse when you get to it later. Â Remind yourself to do it immediately until it becomes a habit and you don’t have to remind yourself anymore.
4 – Do a mini fridge/pantry tidy each time you buy groceries. Â One thing I’m in the habit of doing is a mini clean-out of my fridge and pantry each time I bring home groceries. Â It honestly only takes 5 minutes! Â I wipe off the fridge shelves, toss anything that’s bad and put the new groceries back. Â In the pantry I toss bulky boxes and straighten anything that’s messy and then put the new food away. Â This way our fridge and pantry always stay clean and organized and I never have to do a major overhaul on them.
5- Involve the kids! Â You will never be able to stay on top of keeping your kitchen clean if the kids aren’t on board. Â They certainly help make the mess and need to be involved cleaning it up! Â This can be hard – as moms we want things done fast and right so it’s tempting to just do it ourselves, but by doing that our kids never learn how to really clean and how important it is to pitch in and help around the house. Â During the school year it can sometimes be hard to have your kids do a lot of chores also because they are so busy with activities and homework. Â Summer is the perfect time to get your kids involved cleaning! Â I know my three kids are on major kitchen duty this summer. Â Lucky aren’t they!? :) Â They know they always have chores to complete before we get to do something fun.
Lucky for them “fun” is never far behind. :)
Thank you to Ace Hardware for introducing me to e-cloths and for sponsoring this post!  Ace has a sale on e-cloths from now until July 4th – head to your local Ace and you can get the e-cloth stainless steel or window cleaning cloth for $11.99 each.
(This post is sponsored by Ace Hardware. All thoughts and opinions are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of Ace Hardware.) Â
Erin, your tips are fantastic! I follow most of them and like you, when the kitchen is a mess, so am I! Thanks for always providing such great info and tips on products. I will definitely pick up some e-cloths, especially the window cleaning ones!!!
Thank you cute Jen! I know.. a clean kitchen is a must! Although it’s usually hard to keep it that way. You’ll love the e-cloths! :) xo
I need those e-cloths! I am a neat freak and all I do is constantly wash everything – my family rolls their eyes when I walk behind them with a washcloth or paper towel lol! Love your organizing tips too, Erin! I’ll be using them for tackling my house this summer!! Thanks for sharing!! Xo
Right!? Ha! This is why the two of us get along so well! :) Thanks so much cutie! xo
Erin, I’m probably the gross girl here but in 2.5 years, I have never taken most of my drawers apart and wiped them out. I feel so inspired to do an overhaul AND work on upkeep as I go. We have an ACE nearby so I will have to stop in- maybe some effective new towels will be the motivation I need!
Oh my word.. I so get it Kel! With all the things we have going on each day wiping out kitchen drawers isn’t usually at the top of the list. ;) These e-cloths definitely inspired my kitchen clean out and it feels so good to have it all done! Thanks cutie! :) xo
I’ve been using Norwex cloths for over a year now and I love them. I use them to wipe our kitchen counters, clean windows, clean our glass stove top , and to take off any grease anywhere in the kitchen. It sounds like e-cloths work the same way. I’ve had the same Norwex cloths for a year and they still work great taking off those grimy grease on our stove.
I also wipe our fridge as soon as I see a single crumb or small spills. It’s quick and makes the fridge look like I deep clean it constantly. hehehehe
That’s awesome Debbie! I think these cloths will be the same for us! Love your fridge trick. I try to do the same! :) xo
I am all for anything that works and doesn’t involve toxic chemicals. I’ll have to drop in my Ace and pick some up.
Me too Lauren! I think you’ll like them! Hope you’re enjoying your summer so far! xo
Erin., I use cloths like that from Costco. I get one wet and one dry and my windows sparkle. I use them for everything. I’m gonna try the e-cloths. I love finding new products.
I’m with you on a clean kitchen, Cleaning it immediately after using it not only saves me time but also my sanity. xo
Oh love fun Costco finds! I think you’ll like the e-cloths too Cathy! And it really is true.. hard to even focus when the kitchen is a mess! Love how similar we are. :) xo
Erin, those cleaning cloths sound right up my alley – I’ll definitely be trying them out! Can I get a day of you helping me organize along with those cleaning cloths? You might die if you looked inside my messy kitchen cabinets :)
I highly doubt I’d die Kris! I just might want to tidy them up a bit for you.. ha. ;) Thanks cutie! Can’t wait to see what you do with your kitchen! xo
Those cloths sound like a winner! Thanks for sharing about them. I just might have to mosey on over to Ace. Thank you for all the tips and the pep talk about keeping the kitchen clean and organized. Great to get the kids on board and to teach them about teamwork and cleaning skills. Of course, my very favorite pic is the last one. Gotta love happy kiddos in a pool and of course a huge pink flamingo floatie! :)
Thank you Jeanne! That last pic is a favorite of mine too. It just screams summertime. :) Enjoy your 4th sweet friend! xo
Will definitely be giving these try! Where are your utensil holders from? I love that they are individual and large!
Thanks Tiffany! Those were from Target! A few years back. :) xo
Okay, the cloths sound AMAZING!! Need them! I wonder how they work on stainless steel? My fridge gets so streaky when I clean it and drives me nuts!!! You always have the best cleaning and organizing tips and let’s just say your kitchen drawers are a dream! Home goals for sure! And how stinkin cute is Kole washing those windows! Love it!
Xoxo
Thanks so much Shauna! I actually didn’t put a stainless steel fridge in my new kitchen for that very reason! In my last house I was cleaning fingerprints every day. That’s how my french doors always look too.. but now with Kole’s new favorite chore I think we’ll be on top of it. ;) Love you cutie! Enjoy your 4th! xo
We love our local Ace too. They have an awesome decor and gift section too. Will check out the e-cloths. My windows need attention.
I agree Janet! I’ve bought a few fun things before from that gift section! :) Enjoy the 4th! xo
Great tips once again! I love including the kiddos. Such a great way to teach them responsibility and what goes into owning a home. Those e-cloths look great!
Enjoy the 4th my dear! xxoo
I agree Pam! Thanks cutie! You too! :) xo
How long do the cloths last? Wondering if I can just start with one or if I need to buy more! Thanks for your help! :-)
Hi Sarah! They last for about 300 washes and since you most likely won’t wash them every day I’m guessing for about a year? :) xo
Will definitely give the window clothes a try! I am wondering if you wash them in the washer with detergent afterwards or not? Just some general information on their care would be appreciated.
Hi Kim! Yes! Just toss them in the washer with the rest of your towels after you’ve used them a few times and they are good to go again! :)
I NEED to get those window cloths! I have tons of windows and I have to keep them clean for my sanity. I completely agree about the kitchen, my issue is especially the counters. I have two teenage daughters and right now the oldest has a new fascination with plants. (I am calling her the plant lady) She has plants all over the peninsula. Its so hard to leave them there!!!! I probably need to see someone about these issues I have right? LOL. Thanks for sharing and I will be getting those wipes, especially the window ones, this weekend.
Wendy! I am cracking up. Plant lady! Ha ha.. My kids bring home plants all the time and they drive me crazy too! I totally get it. You will love the window cloths! Put those two teenage daughters to work. ;) xo
Hi Erin
Was just pouring over your stunning kitchen again for the millionth time lol and was wondering where u keep your kettle and toaster do u have a set spot or just get them out when you use them loving your organised kitchen
I have a set spot for them! Coming some time soon on the blog. :) Thanks cutie! xo
I also keep medicine in the kitchen great idea of that tiered shelf. Love love your flamingo pillow.
Thank you Bonnie! :) xo
I love he neat and organized everything are in your cabinets and drawers. I have organized our cabinets, but I have two guys in our home, so go figure.
Thank you Ivory! It’s hard to keep things clean with the guys around for sure. I re-do Kenny’s drawers every few months. ;) xo
Love your tips! What stone did you use in your kitchen for the white and black counters?
Thank you Paige! Quartz! :)
Hi Erin,
I am struggling with which countertops to pick for our build and am torn between white/gray or darker black/charcoal. I noticed you have both in your kitchen and I am wondering if you could tell me if the dark counters show more fingerprints, streaks, etc. That’s what is holding me back on decision making. Which are easier to keep clean? Thanks!
Hi Amy! The white is definitely easier to keep clean! The dark grey/black counters show water spots, etc. more. I don’t think they are hard to keep clean (you just have to dry them after you wipe them off), but the white are SO easy to keep clean. Hope that helps! xo