I love cooking - it’s my biggest hobby. However, when the kitchen is messy - even if there is just a load of dishes in the sink waiting for attention - it affects my creativity. Not only that, but I don’t even want to cook. It’s struggle to even make scrambled eggs.

So what’s the solution? Clean. Sounds like an easy thing. And it is - I just need to take the time to do it. No kitchen mess I have takes any more than thirty minutes to take care of. Here’s how I deal with it:

•  Set the timer for 15 minutes. My microwave has a timer which comes in handy for this.  I love the timer trick because it forces me to work faster. If I think the kitchen will take thirty minutes to clean, I’ll try to get as much done as I can in those first 15 minutes. Usually, it takes me less time than my prediction.

• Empty the dishwasher or dish strainer. For me, most of the problems in the kitchen are usually related to dishes that are either in the sink or littering the counters. So in order to be able to clean the kitchen, the dishwasher and dish strainer both need to be empty so I can do something with the dishes.

• Go to one corner and work clockwise. After the dishes are put away, I usually just start from one corner of the room and work clockwise. That focuses my efforts and makes me more productive and efficient with the time I do have.

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