It seems that each year the warm weather moves out in what seems like an instant. You’ve spent months primarily using barbecue utensils and preparing foods that are suitable for the high temperatures. Don’t let yourself enter the cooler months without reorganizing to prepare your kitchen for the change of seasons.
Refresh Your Recipes
Everyone has a few favorite dishes that they love to prepare when the weather turns cool. Months have gone by since you made a hearty pot of chili or one of your favorite casseroles. Refresh your memory of some old family favorites so that you can stock up on ingredients and spices to welcome the winter.
Stock the Pantry
When the mornings are cold, you typically think to start the day with warm cereal, oatmeal, coffee, cocoa, and other comforting favorites. Make room for all of the winter staples by getting rid of anything you do not plan to use until next year. Always have enough supplies that you can put together a meal without running to the grocery store if the weather gets bad.
Change Decor
The kitchen should always feel cozy, no matter what the temperature may be outdoors. Replace window plants that don’t thrive in the cold with wintery herbs to freshen up a pot of soup. Buy a new rug runner, dish towels, oven mitts, and other decorative items that feature warm colors. Also, it doesn’t hurt to add new storage solution to keep squash, potatoes, yams, and other fresh foods out of the way.
Inventory the Fridge and Freezer
Salad dressing, barbecue sauce, old fruits and vegetables, popsicles, and any frozen leftovers that no one is going to touch can be thrown out. Condiments that you intend to use should be organized together so that they are easy to find and out of the way. While you are at it, freshen up any storage drawers with a mild detergent and warm water before restocking for the winter.
Rearrange Countertops and Cabinets
Your crock pot and casserole dishes have probably accumulated quite a bit of dust over the past few months. Clean them up and get ready to get back into the habit of making roasts and stews. All of the dishes and utensils you used for those outdoor barbecues can go into storage so that you have easier access to bowls, mugs, large pots, and anything else you plan to use frequently.
