Christmas is a time when we rely heavily on our kitchens, not only as the room in which we store and cook all that delicious festive food, but also as the space in which we host guests, serve drinks and, in many cases, sit down to eat the final feast too.
What all this means is that it is more important than ever to ensure that the kitchen is a place that makes life a little easier for us at this busy time of year. It is also crucial, before guests descend, to get our kitchen ideas looking perfect, as well as ensuring the room won't feel cramped once everyone arrives.
We asked some experts in the art of organisation, home design and cooking what they move out of their kitchens at Christmas, as well as the small changes they make to keep everything ticking over nicely during the hosting season.
1. Bulky cookware and dishes
If there is one thing that is the enemy of a calm and collected kitchen, it has to be clutter – so remove any large and cumbersome items that are serving no real purpose out of the room.
'For Christmas, one item I always suggest moving out of the kitchen is any large or mismatched cookware stored on open shelves or visible surfaces,' says Rossella Marzocchella, interior designer and expert at Decor & Decor. 'These items can make the kitchen feel cluttered and visually overwhelming, especially when you’re preparing to entertain. Stowing them away temporarily clears space for seasonal touches and gives the kitchen a more polished look that feels intentional and welcoming.'
Rather than take up your kitchen storage ideas with these items, if you have a utility room or garage, store away these pieces of cookware safely there while the kitchen space is needed for other things.
Keep your cookware safe while you stow it out of the way by using a pot rack such as this one which is perfect for sliding away into the corner of a garage or utility room.
2. Piles of paperwork
Just how do those stacks of mail no-one knows what to do with end up in the kitchen? We may never know, but mounds of paperwork are not a good look, particularly when you are aiming for a chic, sparkly decor scheme to impress guests.
'We so often see multiple little piles of paperwork scattered around kitchens. Recipes, manuals, the kids’ homework…all kinds of things,' says Laura Price, founder and creative director at The Home Organisation. 'Most of the time it’s stuff that has just been put down because the client doesn’t know what to do with it and usually it’s something that can just be thrown away.'
Take Laura's advice on home organisation tips for a family home and deal with paperwork as and when it comes in.
'Don’t let paperwork take hold – as soon as it comes into the house or the room, think about whether you actually need that thing, and make a decision about where it needs to go,' continues Laura. 'If it’s in the bin, just chuck it away, if it’s something that needs to be filed or actioned, deal with it promptly.
'This is especially crucial over the Christmas season, when the last thing you want is to be reminded of life's admin while trying to enjoy time with loved ones.'
Take care of mail and receipts as soon as you walk through the door with a smart filing cabinet that doubles up as shoe storage in the hallway. This one from Wayfair has a lovely rustic look and is easy to assemble.
3. Large electrical appliances
We all know how easy it is to pick up a sizeable collection of kitchen appliances, convinced that we'll use them all the time, only to find that they soon lose their novelty – we're thinking bread makers, ice-cream machines, waffle irons and so on.
Cluttering up work surfaces with all kinds of gadgets you rarely (if ever) use makes no sense whatsoever, particularly when you are going to need them for other things over the festive period.
'Only keep essentials on the counters so you have enough space for serving up food,' says Laura Price. 'Items like a kettle or toaster that you use regularly should have a place, but avoid letting bulky appliances you won’t use take up valuable counter space. Store those unneeded items in a cupboard, and if they don’t fit in the kitchen, find a spot elsewhere in your home.'
4. Clutter from drawers
Every house seems to have a junk drawer – that one spot where everything no-one knows quite what to do with gets stuffed. But during this busy time of year, every inch of storage space is highly valuable so having a good clear out of your drawers and looking into how to organise a junk drawer is a great idea.
'To get the kitchen fully ready for Christmas, I recommend setting up a ‘hosting drawer,’ says Rosellla Marzocchella. 'This could be a designated drawer, or organiser, where you keep all the essentials for entertaining – such as bottle openers, napkins, coasters and serving utensils.
'Having everything organised in one place not only makes it easier to find what you need but also helps keep worktops free from clutter when the kitchen gets busy with Christmas prep.'
A good stock of disposable napkins is a must-have when entertaining over Christmas and we love the design of this 20-pack of biodegradable napkins – plus they are a good size, measuring 33x33cm.
An easy-to-use and stylish corkscrew is invaluable at Christmas. This model deals with caps and corks – and the super sharp screw means broken corks will be a thing of the past.
Save your work surfaces from water marks with this fun and festive set of four wooden Christmas tree-shaped coasters. They even come with a handy stand for keeping them all together in one place.
5. Grime and dirt from unit fronts
And, lastly, you want your kitchen to look fresh and clean, no matter how much hustle and bustle is going on in there – and all the experts we spoke to agreed that getting rid of grime and any obvious scuffs and marks for Christmas was key to this. Take time to look into how to clean a kitchen cabinet properly and you will have your space sparkling in no time at all.
'A quick refresh of cabinetry is a small touch that can have a big impact,' says Rossella Marzocchella. 'Wiping down cabinet doors, polishing handles and even touching up scuffs can give your kitchen a cleaner, more refined look just in time for guests.
'I believe that these small adjustments help create a kitchen that’s both festive and functional, ready to accommodate family gatherings and Christmas hosting with ease.'
Get your kitchen cupboards gleaming and guest-ready in no time at all with this kitchen cupboard door cleaner – which also comes complete with a microfibre cloth. It is suitable for both gloss and matt units and not only does it get rid of all stains and greasy marks, but also helps prevent new ones from showing up.
FAQs
How do you stop the kitchen getting too hot at Christmas?
With all that cooking and food preparation going on, not to mention the number of people milling around, the kitchen can become stiflingly hot at Christmas and no-one wants to look red and flustered while hosting.
When it comes to how to keep the kitchen cool, opening windows will obviously help, but so too will trying to get as much food preparation done in advance. You could also consider using a fan or portable air conditioning unit.
What are you decluttering ahead of the festive season?
