Make my kitchen work for me:
The One-Hour Kitchen Reset (Part 4)
I hope you’ve been enjoying this Make My Kitchen Work For Me Series. And maybe learning a few things along the way. Now that you’ve read, Clearing your Counters, Kitchen Zones and Mise en Place in your home you know the fundamentals. All you have done will make this next pro tip easier to accomplish – plus setting a timer is truly so helpful.
You don’t need an entire weekend—or a picture-perfect plan—to reset your kitchen. What you need is one focused hour and a willingness to aim for progress, not perfection.
A kitchen reset isn’t about deep cleaning every cabinet – if you feeling the need, deep clean! It’s about restoring function. When your kitchen feels lighter and more organized, cooking feels easier—and that’s the real goal.
First up: Clearing Your Countertops.
Clearing your Countertops
It works with real life, real schedules + real kitchen.
Why a Kitchen Reset?
When your kitchen feels overwhelming, it’s usually not because it’s “messy.” It’s because things are out of alignment—counters are overloaded, drawers don’t make sense anymore, and clutter slowly creeps back in.
A short, consistent kitchen organization routine:
- Clears visual noise
- Restores flow between zones
- Makes daily cooking less exhausting
- Builds momentum without burnout
"One hour is enough to reset both your space and your mindset."
Set a timer. Put on music. Get to work!
When the hour’s up, stop—even if it’s not perfect. Progress beats burnout.
0–15 min: Clear the Counters
Your counters set the tone.
Put away what doesn’t belong
Toss trash, recycling, and papers
Leave out only daily-use items
Chef Tip: Clear counters = easier prep. This alone can make your kitchen feel dramatically better.
15–30 min: Reset One Drawer or Cabinet
Pick one. Just one.
Good choices: utensil drawer, prep tools, spice cabinet, or the infamous junk drawer.
Empty it, wipe it down, and put back only what supports how you actually cook.
Progress check:
If one space is better, the reset is working.
30–45 min: Pantry or Fridge Sweep
Not a full overhaul—just a refresh.
Toss expired items
Group like items
Pull everyday foods forward
Chef Tip:
If you can see it, you’ll use it (and stop buying duplicates).
45–60 min: Reset the Flow
Set yourself up for next time.
Return tools to their zones
Stack bowls and prep tools neatly
Empty the sink or dishwasher if you can
One hour. Less chaos. A kitchen that works with you.
What's next?
You’ve done the hard work, now it’s time to sit back and enjoy it – or get cooking. Check back for the following posts in the Make My Kitchen Work for Me series. Setting up a Gluten Free pantry and Gluten Free Meal Building (full of recipe links to make it even easier for you).
You can always circle back to Clearing your Counters, Kitchen Zones and Mise en Place in your home.
Make this a habit, not a project.
A quick functional reset
A realistic way to regain control
Kitchen sanity, on demand
What it’s not:
A deep clean
A total overhaul
A quest for perfection
The goal isn’t a flawless kitchen—it’s a usable one. A one-hour reset once a week (or even once a month) keeps overwhelm from piling up and keeps your kitchen aligned with how you actually live and cook.
And trust me—I’ve cooked in plenty of magazine-worthy kitchens that look beautiful and work terribly.
A kitchen that works doesn’t need to be perfect. It just needs to support you.
You might also like
Hi, I'm Kat.
Welcome to my Kitchen Counter. I’m excited to share with you a new series called “Make my kitchen work for you” along with a collection of blog posts about a variety of topics – building a gluten free pantry, staples to always have on hand and gift guides for the Chef in your life. Take a look around. I’d love to hear from you – do you like these posts?
