Why Cleaning As You Go Matters
I’ve never really been a chaotic cook. It was something that got instilled in me early on, both at home and at school. My mum always cleaned as she went, and by the time I got to high school home etc, that same approach was reinforced. We were taught that a tidy kitchen makes for a calmer cook, and given my OCD, it stuck. And given my kitchen here in Adelaide is teeny tiny, so mess just isn’t an option, and over the years I’ve learned that cleaning as I go makes cooking so much more enjoyable.
Now, it’s not about being perfect or trying to impress anyone. It’s more about keeping things easy and breezy so you don’t end up with a war zone to deal with at the end. A clear bench and a clean sink really do make all the difference. And if you’re like me and cooking is how you show love, then a tidy space just helps that love flow a little more freely. It’s about feeling good while you cook, not stressed and surrounded by dishes.
Create a Setup That Works for You
Your Prep Station is Everything
Think of your prep station like a little workbench. Before you even touch a chopping board, clear a decent space where everything can happen without chaos. Grab a large bowl or a compost bin to toss scraps into straight away so you’re not constantly trekking to the bin. Keep a clean tea towel or a roll of paper towel nearby, and for the love of all things buttery and beautiful, make sure your sink is empty. There’s nothing worse than trying to wash a knife in a sink already full of soaking pans. By starting with a clear and tidy bench, you’re already halfway to keeping it that way.
Use a Bowl for Rubbish and Scraps
This is a trick I swear by. Every time I cook, I pull out a big bowl that becomes my catch-all. Onion skins, garlic peels, herb stems, packaging – it all goes in there. Not only does it save you time, but it keeps your workspace clean and lets you actually see what you’re doing. When I’m done, I can empty it in one go and feel very clever about it all.
Wipe Down Frequently
Spills are sneaky. They happen when you’re not looking, and they dry into crusty stains while your back is turned. So whenever you finish chopping or mixing, take a quick moment to wipe the surface. Remember, we’re not focusing on perfection, just about keeping things workable. I keep a cloth close to hand like a chef’s sidekick. A quick swipe here and there saves you from scrubbing dried tomato paste at 9pm.
Maximise Time While Food Cooks
Use Waiting Time Wisely
Whether you’re waiting for pasta water to boil or chicken thighs to crisp up, there’s always downtime in cooking. That’s your golden window to tackle the mess. Stack the dishwasher, rinse a few bowls, or put away unused ingredients. Those two or three minutes make all the difference by the end.
Rinse as You Go
I can’t stand it when people leave everything until the end, because a sink full of dirty pans can ruin a good mood fast. When I use a whisk or a spoon and I know I won’t need it again, I rinse it immediately. A quick rinse now is a whole lot easier than chiselling dried béchamel off a whisk after dinner.
Stack Smartly
If you don’t have a dishwasher (like me), you can still make life easier by stacking dirty items smartly. Plates together, bowls together, cutlery in a cup. It sounds simple, but when you come to wash up later, it saves a surprising amount of effort. It’s all about making future-you very thankful.
Make Clean-Up Feel Less Like a Chore
Good Music and a Cup of Tea
I’m not above bribing myself. A good playlist and a glass of wine can turn the clean-up into a wind-down. I’ll pop on a boppy playlist or play one of my favourite cooking shows in the background. It shifts the energy and makes the whole thing less of a hassle.
Keep Products You Actually Like Using
I know it sounds a bit silly, but if you have dish soap that smells good and cloths that aren’t scratchy, cleaning just feels nicer. I love organic multi-purpose sprays and microfibre cloths that don’t leave fibres behind. Little comforts matter, especially when you’re elbow deep in suds, with a cat twisting around your ankles for attention.
Reward Yourself
I always try to finish the evening with a clean kitchen, a candle lit on the bench, and something sweet or soothing. Like wine. Maybe just the satisfaction of knowing everything is ready for the morning. That moment of calm at the end reminds me why the effort was worth it.
Keep It Real and Forgive the Chaos
Not Every Night is a Tidy Night
There are still nights I leave everything in the sink and shuffle off to the couch with a glass of wine. That’s okay too. No one has it all together all the time. It’s about having a rhythm that usually works, so when life gets messy, it doesn’t derail everything.
Embrace the Lazy Tools
I’m a huge fan of anything that cuts down on dishes. Silicone mats instead of baking paper, using measuring jugs to mix batters, cooking everything in one pot. These little hacks feel like cheating in the best possible way. They mean fewer things to clean and more time to enjoy your food.
Progress Over Perfection
Even if you only do one or two of these things, it’s still a win. The goal isn’t a spotless kitchen – it’s a manageable kitchen. One where you don’t sigh when you walk into it. One where you can find your spatula without a treasure map. And one where cooking feels fun, not frustrating.
So if you’re a lazy cook like me, welcome to the club! You don’t need to change who you are, or be OCD – just add a few clever habits to your routine, and you’ll find that keeping your kitchen clean doesn’t have to be such a big deal. Just a little wipe here, a rinse there, and suddenly, cooking feels a whole lot better. That’s really what it’s all about.
