Method

I am excited to be working with Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia for the next several weeks highlighting one of my favorite brands Method. First up I want to let you know about the Get Clean Sweepstakes! Be sure to check that out.

I use Method cleaning supplies all the time in our home -- I am a pretty much a super fan, and with some major Spring Cleaning beginning around our home, this is right up my alley! What I especially like about Method products is they are non-toxic, and natural, but still work very effectively and come in pretty designed and eco-minimal packages. Are you a fan too?

As I share my thoughts about Method products I will also share some of my Spring Cleaning tips and first up I am going to explore the kitchen. Method recently sent me the above yummy smelling Clementine Dish Soap that is incredible – the smells is utterly addictive and it may sound crazy but it really makes me want to do the dishes. I love the sweet citrus smell! All of their products I've tried smell amazing which makes Spring Cleaning much more enjoyable.

Speaking of dishes, when it comes to dishes I am really going through a purging phase right now. I am working on pairing down what we don’t need or use. I’ve conquered the cupboard above and I’m off to set the rest in order. I’ve been using the Method multi-purpose spray as I go to wipe down the cabinets, which pretty much makes everything smell like heaven.

Tip 1 : Figure out what your needs are and eliminate what you don’t use or like. When organizing match like items together with ample space around them for easy access and organization.

A while back we got rid of all of our unsharp knives after we saved for months to upgrade to a few really great knives. It has made all of the difference and chopping, slicing and dicing much more enjoyable. 

Tip 2 : Discard unsafe knives (dull ones are dangerous!) and broken appliances, and save to upgrade to kitchen tools that you will use and last for a lifetime. Keep knives sharp by having them professionally sharpened once a year, and don’t put them in the dishwasher or leave them in the sink!

There is a tiny hidden wall in our kitchen where I put up cork squares and pin up rotating food ideas or articles that inspire me. The visuals help steer our choices in a better direction. As you can see from the current board above, right now we are really focusing on eating healthier in our family, although I do miss seeing photos of delicious desserts! 

Tip 3 : Be inspired while in your kitchen – Have a place where you can see visual reminders of what types of things you want to want to eat. It can be on a wall, on the back of a cupboard, whatever works best in your space.

 

While going through our cabinets I have came across my little problem of loving books too much – especially well-designed and pretty photographed cookbooks so it is hard not to keep adding to them. I’m in the process of going through all of the pretty ones that aren’t dogeared to see what recipes I really want to cook. Furthermore, it is even getting more tricky to focus with all of the pretty cooking apps for the iPad they are coming out with… have you seen Everday Food?! Gorgeous! (I will have to do a post on that.)

Tip 4 : Utilize what you already have before adding more. Set your limits and define the space it will take up, when you purchase something, pass on another.

My final tip is my black book of recipes. I’ve tried many things … computer programs, recipe cards, custom recipe books, apps and more. What I keep coming back to and what works best for me is to the print off, clip and type recipes, and put them into a binder with plastic pages. I have tabs categorizing sections like entrees, salads, soups and more and it is a snap to quickly find what favorites I want to make. When I meal plan for the week I just go through and take out the recipes I’m going to use, write down the ingredients I need and put them in the front of the binder for easy access during the week. The plastic pages have also saved me from many spills.

Tip 5: Organize and collect your favorite and well-used recipes in one place so they are easy to access when cooking in the kitchen.

So there you have it… my five Spring Cleaning tips for the kitchen! What are some of your tips? I would love to hear about them in the comments! Favorite recipes, cookbooks shout those out too. Also what are your favorite cleaning supplies in the kitchen -- do you seek after the good smells like me?

*As a heads up, Method sent me the dish soap for review and I really love it. This post is sponsored by Martha Stewart and Method, but these opinions are my own -- you should see my Method Cleaning Arsenal before they even approached me.


Photos by Rachel Jones – Black Eiffel.