For me (and my family!), the kitchen is the heart and soul of our home. It's a place for good food, even better conversation, and a whole lot of life lessons!

That’s why it’s so important to create a space that feels like a calm, inspiring sanctuary. It’s not about size, cost, or having luxurious stainless steel appliances. It’s about the energy, the vibe, the way you feel inside your kitchen.

Because I also want you to feel inspired, creative, comfortable, and relaxed when you’re cooking (and eating!), I created a checklist of things you can do to declutter your kitchen, freshen up the energy, and design a welcoming environment. Once you complete it, you’ll actually want to spend more time there, and prepping meals will feel like a joyful experience rather than a dreary chore.

Remove Clutter

[  ] Open your kitchen drawers, cupboards, or wherever you store your knives, whisks, spatulas, and other tools and appliances. Pull everything out. Look at each item. Is it beautiful? Is it useful? Do you really need it? Anything that feels unnecessary, get it out of your kitchen. Sell it, donate it, or give it to someone who might love it.

[  ] Open your fridge, freezer, cupboards, all the places where you store food. Pull everything out. Take a look at each item. Is anything super old? Expired? Spoiled? Growing mold? Completely stale? Toss it.

[  ] Go through your cookbooks. Do you have any “weight loss cookbooks” or “diet cookbooks” with icky titles (things like: Blast Away Belly Fat in 5 Days with The Grapefruit Diet)? Any cookbooks that remind you of an unhappy time in your life? Or, any books that represent a stressful or disordered way of eating? You don’t need that negativity in your kitchen! Clear these out of your house.

Note: if the decluttering process feels really overwhelming, start small. You don’t necessarily have to declutter your entire kitchen today. You can start with one very small area—like one drawer—finish that, and then move on when you’re ready. After decluttering one small area, you might notice your energy levels rising, and you may feel excited to keep going!

Refresh the Space

[  ] Spritz your kitchen with homemade aromatherapy mist—just mix water plus a few drops of your favorite essential oil in a spray bottle. Scents like citrus and peppermint are refreshing and energizing, while lavender and vanilla are grounding and calming. Spritz counters and tables and wipe them down. Spritz the inside of your fridge. Spritz all around. Fresh scent. Fresh start!

[  ] Sweep your kitchen floor or vacuum. Get rid of dust bunnies. In ancient Eastern traditions, it’s believed that sweeping clears away stuck energy and brings new energy—Chi, or life force—into the space.

[  ] Roll up the blinds. Open the windows. Turn on the ceiling fan. Let fresh air and natural light come into your kitchen. No more stuffy, stagnant energy!

[  ] Carefully sharpen your knives so they’re ready for action. Not sure how to do this? Get a professional to help you out. In many cities, you can go to a kitchen supply store, and they'll sharpen your first knife for free, and each knife after that is just a few bucks. You can also get knives sharped (by mail) with services like KnifeAid.com. Mail dull knives in a secure, protected box. Get sharp ones mailed back to you. Like magic!

Create More Ease

[  ] Think about the top 3, 4, or 5 kitchen items that you use often—or that you intend to use often. Are these items in an easily-accessible place? If not, move them to create more ease for yourself. (For instance, if you intend to use your blender daily, make sure it’s not stored way up high on a shelf that you can barely even see! Move it down to the counter.)

[  ] Think about one thing that feels “annoying” or “inconvenient” about your kitchen. What is it? Maybe there’s a rug in the center of your kitchen that you always trip over. Or maybe the faucet always drips a little bit. Whatever it is—handle it! Get rid of the rug. Call your plumber. Whatever you need to do. Don’t settle for a mediocre, inconvenient space. You deserve beauty and ease.

Add Love

[  ] Put a few treasures in your kitchen that remind you of the people close to your heart. Think: a photo of your family. A copy of Great-Grandma’s recipe book. A painting from your child. Anything that sparks joyful emotions for you.

[  ] Put something in your kitchen that’s “just for you.” If you love listening to music while you chop veggies for dinner, treat yourself to a nice bluetooth speaker. If fresh flowers make you happy, put a cheerful vase on the counter. Adorn your kitchen with things that brighten your day.

What Else?

Trust your intuition. What are some other upgrades or additions that could make your kitchen feel like a sanctuary? Make your own personal checklist.