4 steps to declutter your kitchen for good, from Orla Neligan

As the heart of our homes, our kitchens are an integral part of daily life. They are where we lovingly prepare family dinners, whip up after-school snacks, gather together for birthday cake – the list goes on.

And with the kitchen’s importance and versatility, comes a slew of messes that need constant tidying, from crumby countertops and cupboards to floors laden with leftovers’ leftovers.

With three meals a day and plenty of morsels made in between, it’s easy for our kitchen’s mess to get out of hand. But don’t get overwhelmed, says interiors writer and tidying guru Orla Neligan.

Instead, dedicate an afternoon to your kitchen and get things organised, so that, going forward, your daily debris is easy to clean and stress-free. Here is Orla’s foolproof strategy for tidying up your kitchen.

1. Firstly, take all the contents out of the pantry, every dented can and half-eaten bag of pasta, and throw away food that’s either stale or that you know will never be eaten (be ruthless!). Sort into food themes (e.g. baking items together, pasta together, etc.).

2. There’s likely to be plenty of ‘food debris’ so make sure all the loose dried food is vacuumed up including the shelving along the backs of the doors. Then give the shelves a good clean using hot water and household cleaner.

3. Invest in some good containers and jars that can be labelled and some baskets for items that are used frequently and require easy access such as onions. If you’re feeling extra ambitious, you could cut shelf liners to fit the shelves which will make cleaning a lot easier in the future.

4. Decant all food items into jars, containers and baskets and place them back into the pantry, keeping those items that you require daily or frequently at eye level such as kids’ snacks.

Handy Tip: Stack containers rather than place them behind each other so you’ll know exactly what you’ve got and are more likely to cook with it! Using clear jars makes it easier to see what you have to cook with it also.

Dyson Omni-Glide™

Dyson’s slimmest and most manoeuvrable vacuum, the Dyson Omni-Glide™ has a smooth, flexible handle that can lay completely flat. This is ideal for capturing crumbs from hard-to-reach places like underneath the kitchen cabinets, dining tables and chairs.

The cordless vacuum is designed with ease in mind, with an omnidirectional Fluffy™ cleaner head that glides effortlessly in all directions and two motorised Fluffy™ rollers to pick up everything from large debris to fine particles. 

Plus, it transforms into a handheld vacuum in just one click, so you can quickly clean up messy cupboards and countertops – a lightweight, versatile solution for speedy home cleaning. 

To shop Dyson’s full range of vacuum cleaners, visit dyson.ie. 

If you’d like to read more on our Dyson decluttering series, visit image.ie/dyson-innovators.