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Original poster

Is everyone's kitchen as hectic as mine? (Photo)

563 replies

harlacem0507 · 13/02/2025 13:38

A little bit outing but I wanted to know if people can relate to this hectic kitchen of mine! It gets cleaned and tidied every day but most things I can't seem to store anywhere as have very little storage in my house, but honestly, does this kitchen seem 'normal' or very unorganized, messy, chaotic etc? Because I'm not sure if I'm being overly critical to myself for having a kitchen like this or I do in fact need to seriously organise it better! (The white blob is my son!) For context I have a husband and 3 children aged 13, 7 and 15 months and work part time.

Is everyone's kitchen as hectic as mine? (Photo)
OP posts:
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11
Purplecatshopaholic · 13/02/2025 13:53

I’m stressed out looking at that! And a bike in the kitchen! Each to their own, but I couldn’t deal with that, lol.

KittenPause · 13/02/2025 13:54

It's fine

Newstartplease24 · 13/02/2025 13:54

Cereal not feral. I really can’t type on a phone . You say you can’t be bothered since the baby - the problem is it’s not all on you. Everyone needs to pick up their crap AS THEY GO, youre not the servant. If you’re on mat leave, this is not just your home but your workplace. So people should respect it

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Home improvement
KittenPause · 13/02/2025 13:55

It'll only take a few minutes to clear up the obvious stuff like cans, margarine, baking tray etc

PoppyBaxter · 13/02/2025 13:56

Sorry to be unkind, but it would make me ill to live like this, with stuff piled everywhere and random objects in my way constantly.

Original poster
harlacem0507 · 13/02/2025 13:56

Tidier times! 😔

Is everyone's kitchen as hectic as mine? (Photo)
OP posts:
angelcake20 · 13/02/2025 13:57

I thought mine was terrible but I'm feeling better now. Difficult with a baby I know, but definitely clear up as you go along.

Minimili · 13/02/2025 13:57

I don’t think my kitchen has ever looked like that.

I usually put empty cans and bottles straight in a recycling bag in the kitchen as soon as they are finished then when it’s full take it outside.
I would hate to have that much clutter everywhere, how do you use that table?

To echo a pp why is there a bike in the kitchen?

I don’t have a big kitchen or much storage but I make sure everything has a place and clean as I go.

You need the rest of your family to work with you and not leave stuff just lying around, once the washing is dry do you put it away? Is there anywhere else to dry it? I wouldn’t want my clothes to smell of cooking.

DaringTurtle · 13/02/2025 13:58

That would drive me bonkers! Tidy house tidy mind. I’m not a clean freak but that would keep me awake at night. Looks like there’s loads of room to create some better storage options?

Ddakji · 13/02/2025 13:58

I couldn’t cope with that, sorry!

ringmybe11 · 13/02/2025 14:00

I've got 1 toddler DS and it's so much harder to keep the house clean and tidy than when it was just 2 of us. What helps us is that we have a weekly cleaner which encourages us to keep on top of tidiness but forces us to do a full tidy up once a week before she comes. Whether or not you have/could get a cleaner could you nominate a day per week to do a full tidy - everyone should be involved. You'd probably find that the house stayed generally tidier as a result. The amount of stuff in your kitchen would stress me out, but I can see how it's hard to tackle without a bit of a plan.

MagnoliaGirlie · 13/02/2025 14:01

I can relate! 😅 Any chance you could add some storage that have multiple uses or don't use floor space? For example, a bench that has storage inside along the wall instead of dining chairs; wall cubes (with baskets, Ikea) for kids stuff, can the bike live somewhere else (we have ours on hooks, high up on the wall in the corridor)... (I have 2 kids, 1 is under 1 and I get overwhelmed easily!)

Nameynameynamename · 13/02/2025 14:02

A mad 30 minute speed clean after the baby has gone to bed would make a huge difference in a short amount of time, and then you can wake up tomorrow morning to a lovely clear kitchen

I think we need another photo of the cat....

LivingLaVidaBabyShower · 13/02/2025 14:02

DollopOfFun · 13/02/2025 13:53

That looks like an 'Identify the Potential Hazards' picture quiz from one of my employers Health & Safety refresher courses 😀

This.

I’d feel slightly unwell if that was my kitchen and I have a 1 and 2 yr old BUT I know I am quite controlling and maybe need to unclench slightly 😬

imo it’s just you need storage / to get stuff back in the cupboards everything looks clean enough!

Iamallowedtodisagreewithyou · 13/02/2025 14:02

No my kitchen or any part of my house is not hectic like this. My home is my sanctuary, it's lovely, clean, warm, cosy and tidy. It's my safe place.

You need to get off mumsnet and clean your kitchen.

Caspianberg · 13/02/2025 14:03

No.
I have a small kitchen diner so it can’t be used if cluttered

Can you turn the table? It looks like there’s space to have short end against wall and then all 4 chairs can be used

Anything that doesn’t need to be, don’t have in kitchen. No bike. No toys ( we have a craft drawer as it’s where Ds draws and paints), but I don’t allow any toys in kitchen at all unless being used at table as it’s strip hazard in small busy space

Try and clear as many things as possible off the worktop. Is there space for example to add some wall shelves in table area for nice things on display and that frees up cupboard space for cat food or whatever.

blackrabbitwhiterabbit · 13/02/2025 14:03

No. That looks stressful.

Bbq1 · 13/02/2025 14:03

I agree with pp's about your work surfaces, empty plastic bottle toppled over, butter sitting there with the lid off, Ella's pouch dumped on dirty dishes etc etc. They are things easily cleaned/disposed of as you go.

Onabench · 13/02/2025 14:03

No but we clean and tidy as we go. I don't think it awful though, I can see how some of the clutter looks worse than it is, if you have storage issues. Just try and keep the benches clearer and that will help. If I make a sandwich for example, butter etc will be back in the fridge, knives used in the sink or dishwasher before I'd start to eat. Pick up things that always seem to get left lying around and find it a permanent home. Get on at any kids to put stuff away, I am strict on that! If you inconvenience me by leaving stuff in silly places, I will inconvenience you by ask you to put it away, immediately (mid playstation game or not 😂)

EmmaEmEmz · 13/02/2025 14:04

I'm not a tidy person by any stretch of the imagination and have a kitchen that two people can just about fit in, so almost zero storage space and no dishwasher. I've also got four children (6-14),own a business and home educate, but no, I couldn't cope with that.

Our (already limited) worktop space and the two shelves we put up to increase storage space look cluttered because we don't have anywhere to put bottles of pop, cereal, things like the slow cooker when not in use...but it's tidy and neat clutter. Washing up gets put in the sink or right next to the sink ready to do next time someone is washing up, but things that are used, like the butter etc are put straight away after use and rubbish and recycling is immediately put into the appropriate place.

That just looks...a mess.

PickledElectricity · 13/02/2025 14:04

harlacem0507 · 13/02/2025 13:49

Thank u for all the honest answers, I knew it deep down but I think I wanted to be shamed into sorting it out. It can look very very tidy and lovely and it's a decent sized kitchen there's more of it around the corner but since having my baby I honestly can't be bothered but I hate living like this!

Your dp needs to step up too. It shouldn't just be your job to do everything.

We have a system in place where one person cooks and the other todies/cleans after dinner every single night. You really need to commit to keep on top of it because children are incredible at bringing chaos. And then when you're in a routine it takes 20 minutes to clean and tidy every night instead of 2 hours to blitz a place that looks like that.

To be honest with you my kitchen often looked like that before we committed to this system. None of my friends or family knew that that's how we lived because we'd panic clean before anyone came over.

I'd also get a tumble dryer, it's been an absolute game changer after having DC. Or if no space, a combi washer dryer. They get a lot of flack online but we had a basic one in my previous flat and it worked fine.

Crojo · 13/02/2025 14:05

It's not bad, the floor looks clean and the toys, washing and general family paraphernalia is completely normal.
I think there's a lot of clutter on the table (mine is a clutter magnet too) and work surfaces. Quick things like putting the butter back in the fridge, rubbish in the bin and empty bottles in the recycling would make a big difference.

Upstartled · 13/02/2025 14:05

Sorry op, I like to have some space to make meals and eat food in my kitchen.

Doggymummar · 13/02/2025 14:05

It looks like a very lived in kitchen, the heart of the home. Ours is for cooking and washing only and we hardly set foot in there. The conservatory on the other hand is the hub of our home and is a shit tip.

TadpolesInPool · 13/02/2025 14:05

Quick wins:
Bike somewhere else at all times

Toys (pushchair) - never in the kitchen as they're a hasard. If they have to come in for whatever reaosn, whoever brought it in takes it out when they leave.

Washing - I wouldn't dry in my kitchen, is there nowhere else for it to go? Id even prefer it drying in my bedroom but put away before going to bed

Agree with PP - put away, not down. If you don't have enough storage then you have too much stuff. If anyone in my house uses something (margarine, drink, etc) it is always immediately put away.

Like PP I wash up and clean as I go. So when a cake is in the oven, everything gets tidied and cleaned during that time.

Also, when I'm dishing up dinner DH will often come and wash up a saucepan or two as they are freed up. So after dinner we rarely have much more to wash than plates, cutlery, glasses and maybe a saucepan. Its amazing the difference it makes.