I hope that you are enjoying the long weekend holiday by focusing a little more on home, family and you time.

As you know, I've been whipping my kitchen into shape to prepare for back to school baking and fall hot meals when the weather starts getting colder - mornings already are around here most days. 

It's been going well, my 10 year old daughter has been baking up a storm and has ordained that 'we should ALWAYS have cookies in the cookie jar'.

I admit, I still haven't dealt with my cookbooks, but I'm planning to kick back in a chair and cull back some recipes and create a best of folder. More on that later.

For now, I had to tell you the single best thing I've done so far and you can do it in 5 minutes to 1/2 hour depending on what you've got happening for cupboard clutter.

CLEAR THE COUNTER - REALLY…

I often have cleared my counter… deep cleaned under the bread machine, the blender and any other appliances that I MUST HAVE on the counter since I use them so often (which really translates to 'should use them often' - and even when I do - how hard is it to walk to the cupboard and grab it?) 

But I never really cleared it - removed the clutter that was in my face every single day - without my even noticing it with more than a thought to get rid of it 'someday'. 

Part of the problem was cupboard space, I had nowhere to put them - so I thought - that wouldn't involve a lot of pushing and shoving and maybe a bit of off colour language . Since I'm not a big wrestling fan, I avoided it.

If that's the case at your house, that may be the first thing you may have to tackle.

If you have a free space already, you are miles ahead of the game.

Give anything you have sitting on your counter that doesn't get daily use or more a quick wipe and retire it to it's own place of honour in the cupboard.

If you need to clear a space, clear 1/2 hour in your schedule and get to clearing!

A FEW TIPS

• Be brutal - get rid of anything and everything that you can. Ask yourself if you really want to keep looking at it for the next year or 2, do you want to keep moving it, dusting it and thinking you should be using it. If not, get rid of it.  I just got rid of two hand me down coffee makers that I have never used. I've had them for years! Now my bread machine and blender sit where they did, with handy access and they are off of my counter. What a load off!
• Don't be afraid to throw it out. Sometimes we don't like to waste things but don't forget, they are still a waste if they are sitting in your cupboard unused for time immemorial. I caught myself keeping coffee packets because they were still good. 2 where decaf - I don't even drink that! And I had just got rid of the coffee makers. Go figure.
• How many do you really need? If you have more than you will use, even if you like them, give them away, someone else could really use them and love them too. Enjoy the clear space that you will free up.
• Give away even the stuff you like. This time around I took it a step farther and got rid of some stuff I've been holding onto, not because I use it but because it is still good, and I like it. Guess what? I like the clear space better and I feel great giving away something that is sure to be a treasure to someone else.

AFTER YOU HAVE CLEARED YOURSELF A SPACE

Give it a vaccuum and/or a good wipe and start loading stuff from your counter.

This is the easy part. Give your appliances from your counter top a good wipe too and put them somewhere that is easy to get if you do use them often, put them at the back if not.

And your finished!

One more thing. You will want to give your counter top a nice wipe.

Now all that is left is to enjoy the wide open space and the extra working area that you now have on your counter top.

Another great thing is that other people are more inclined to keep it clean because it just seems weird to be putting junk on it now.

If you have the time today for homey things, take the time to do this one thing.

Then reap the benefits for a very long time to come.

If you think you can benefit from giving your home the once over in 20 minutes a day, watch for our Back to School Blitz - coming up.