Preventing Messes Before They Happen!

The best way to conquer messes is to prevent them BEFORE they happen. Little people in the kitchen often have a hard time reaching cups and glasses, and can break them in the process of trying. Why not keep a Dixie Cup dispenser within reach of your little person or persons so that they can get their own glass of water whenever they want without breaking anything or asking Mom to do it?

Also, when baking, it is a good idea to place your mixing bowl full of flour and/or sugar right in the sink while stirring. That way, any messes can simply be washed right down the sink and won’t end up on the floor.

Two great investments are a splatter screen that you can use when frying or microwaving foods, and a spoon rest. Both keep your stove, countertops, and walls from bearing tell-tale signs of what has been for dinner for the last month!

When baking pies or messy casseroles, it is a good idea to place a cookie sheet under the pie plate or casserole dish before putting it in the oven. It is always easier to clean a cookie sheet than it is an oven! Good old aluminum foil makes a great liner for cookie sheets – and can simply be thrown away, making things even easier.

Always transfer unused portions of canned goods to covered plastic containers – this way they will not spill if accidentally knocked over by little hands searching for the Ketchup.

Setting kitchen rules also prevents many kid-related messes. No horseplay in the kitchen should be a set rule – and it will prevent many fallen cakes, loaves of bread, knocked over butter dishes, etc. Another rule should be to wipe ones hands before opening the refrigerator and/or freezer – this prevents the miles of sticky fingerprints that happen in homes with kids! And the family dog should ALWAYS be kept out of the kitchen when meals are being prepared.