Our kitchen is the heart of our home. We use it constantly, and that means it gets messy constantly! My daily kitchen cleaning routine helps me stay on top of the mess while getting some light physical activity along the way.
I’ve discovered that keeping my kitchen clean doesn’t have to be an overwhelming chore. I just need a plan.
When the Kitchen Gets Away From Me
We do a lot of cooking at our house. Between preparing meals, trying new recipes, and cleaning up afterward, our kitchen gets quite a workout.
And sometimes the mess gets away from me.
A few dishes in the sink become a pile. The countertops need wiping. The trash needs gathering. Before long, what should be a simple cleanup starts looking like a major project.
That’s when I decided to try something different.
My Daily Kitchen Cleaning Checklist
I made a list of everything I need to do to get my kitchen back in order.
Then I put that list in Google Calendar and set it to repeat every day.
Now I don’t have to look around the kitchen and wonder where to begin. I just follow my list, one task at a time.
Here’s my daily routine:
- Crack and refill the ice trays.
- Feed the pets.
- Put away the hand washed dishes.
- Unload the dishwasher if needed.
- Put the dishes in the dishwasher.
- Hand-wash any dishes that need it.
- Gather the kitchen trash and empty it if it’s full.
- Wipe down the kitchen surfaces.
- Clean the eating table.
- Set up the coffee for tomorrow morning.
That’s it!
By the time I’ve checked everything off, my kitchen is clean and ready for another day.
Of course, with all the cooking we do, it won’t necessarily stay that way for long!
Some Days Take 30 Minutes. Others Take Half a Day.
Here’s something I’ve learned about household chores. They don’t have to be done all at once.
Some days I have plenty of energy. I can work through my entire kitchen checklist in about 30 minutes.
Other days are different.
I may be tired. I may have other things to do. Or I may just not feel like tackling the whole kitchen at once.
On those days, I take my time.
I might load the dishwasher, then go do something else. Later, I’ll wipe down the counters. Eventually, I’ll finish the rest.
Sometimes the entire process stretches across half a day.
And that’s perfectly fine with me.
The important thing is that I keep coming back to my list until everything is checked off.
A Clean Kitchen Comes With a Bonus
When I started this routine, my main goal was to keep the kitchen clean.
But then I realized something.
Every time I work through my checklist, I’m also getting some physical activity.
I’m standing, walking, bending, reaching, and moving around the kitchen.
None of it feels like a workout. I’m just doing things that need to be done.
But all that movement adds up.
I’ve written before about how I prefer productive activity over exercising just for the sake of exercise.
Cleaning my kitchen fits that philosophy perfectly.
And while light housework doesn’t replace every kind of exercise, it certainly contributes to my daily activity.
If you’re curious about how many calories you might burn doing household chores, try our Everyday Activity Burn Calculator. It can help you estimate the energy you use doing ordinary activities around the house.
Google Calendar Keeps Me on Track
One of the best things about this routine is that I don’t have to remember everything.
Google Calendar does that for me.
My checklist repeats every day, so I always know what needs to be done.
And there’s something satisfying about checking off each task.
Instead of looking at a messy kitchen and thinking about everything I have to do, I can concentrate on one small job at a time.
It’s a simple system, but it works for me.
You don’t even need Google Calendar to try it. A checklist on the refrigerator or a piece of paper would work just as well.
Small Habits Make a Difference
One thing I’m learning on my Calorie Crusaders journey is that healthy habits don’t always require dramatic changes.
Sometimes they’re ordinary things we do every day.
Keeping the kitchen clean isn’t going to make the pounds magically disappear. But it helps me spend a little more time moving and a little less time sitting.
It also gives me a sense of accomplishment.
At the end of the day, I have a clean kitchen, a completed checklist, and some light activity under my belt.
And I haven’t had to carve out extra time for a workout to get that movement.
My Kitchen Is Clean. Now Where’s My Lounge Dress?
I still enjoy sitting in my favorite chair and wearing my comfortable lounge dress.
I’m not giving either one up!
But I’ve discovered that I don’t have to spend my entire day in that chair.
There are plenty of useful things I can do around the house that keep me moving.
My daily kitchen cleaning routine is just one of them.
And when the kitchen is clean, the pets are fed, and tomorrow morning’s coffee is ready, I can settle into that chair knowing I’ve accomplished something.
Besides, I’ve earned a little time in my lounge dress!
Happy Crusading!
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