15 Totally Easy Ways Our Food Editors Refresh Their Kitchens In January

Sometimes the smallest changes can make life feel shiny and new—at least when it comes to your kitchen, anyway. If you’re feeling disorganized, are tired of cooking, or just need some fresh inspiration, these extremely simple suggestions from our food editors will help.

We're not going to tell you to clean your kitchen from top to bottom (although we certainly won't stop you). Sometimes organizing one drawer, or replacing some pantry items, or buying a few new kitchen towels is a more doable task than a major deep clean, and it will still give you a boost.

The key is to start small. Whether you try one of these tips, or a few, you’ll start the year feeling like you've accomplished something—even if you did hardly any work at all.

Perk Up Your Pantry

Restock Baking Essentials

Senior Digital Food Editor Kimberly Holland starts the year by replacing her baking soda, baking powder, and flour. “Because I decant them, I never really know their expiration date, so I just replace them every January.” 

Get The Good Salt (And Pepper)

Salt and black pepper goes into almost every dish, so it’s a good idea to restock, if needed. “I make sure I have flaky Kosher salt, like Diamond Crystal—none of that iodized stuff,” says Deputy Editor Lisa Cericola. “And I make sure my pepper mill has fresh peppercorns in it.”

Give Spices The Sniff Test

Look through your dried herbs and spices and toss anything you haven’t used within the last year or two. “If it’s not obvious, I just give it the sniff test,” Cericola says. 

Purge The Freezer

“Goodbye, chicken carcass graveyard!” says Senior Food Editor Josh Miller. Cleaning out the refrigerator is a smart idea, but don’t forget the freezer, which can become a dumping ground for all kinds of frostbitten odds and ends.

Find Small Ways To Organize

Start With A Simple Project

“I always want to totally redo everything this time of year, but it can be super overwhelming, so I like to find one small project to tackle at a time,” says Senior Lifestyle Editor Ivy Odom. “For instance, I have a drawer of measuring cups that always gets stuck because it's inefficiently organized. Fixing that one small problem will make me feel so much better overall about my whole space. Then, I can move onto another drawer or cabinet.” 

Take Stock Of Cookbooks

“As much as I want to keep them all, I just don't have the space,” says Assistant Food Editor Alana Al-Hatlani. “A lot of libraries will take cookbooks if they're in good condition, and there are a lot of 'Little Free Libraries' in neighborhoods where you can leave both books and magazines. You can also donate them to secondhand stores.” 

Set Up A Mise En Place

“One of the best things I bought last year was a small wooden tray for my kitchen counter,” says Cericola. “It’s just the right size to hold the ingredients I reach for the most: olive oil, salt, pepper, vinegars, honey, and cooking spray. My counter looks more organized, my cabinets have more space, and everything is right where I need it.”

Get A Handle On Your Gear

Lose The Tools You Don’t Use

Like everyone, food editors tend to accumulate a lot of kitchen gadgets and appliances—and many go unused. Miller recommends doing an annual equipment purge. “If something wasn’t used in the last year, it goes into the trash or is moved to the attic into storage.”

Give Wooden Utensils Some TLC

Everyone has a wooden spoon or two, and chances are, they need a good cleaning. Don’t boil them in water—rub them with mineral oil, or sprinkle the spoons with coarse salt, rub the salt with half of a lemon, then rinse. The same goes for wooden cutting boards too.

Toss Those Old Towels

“I look through my kitchen towels and replace old, dirty ones. Mine probably go through a lot more wear and tear than the average person’s, but January is a good time to look,” says Odom.

Use Up Paper Goods

If you ever host parties, you probably have a basket or drawer filled with leftover paper products hiding somewhere in your kitchen. “I go through my drawer of paper plates and napkins that I've used for entertaining, and either toss them or make myself use them,” says Holland. And a teddy bear-shaped paper plate from a baby shower might make weeknight dinners a little more fun, right?

Treat Yourself

Brighten Your Countertop With Citrus

“When citrus comes into season, I pick up a variety of oranges, limes, and lemons and fill up a bowl on my countertop. It looks pretty and also inspires me to incorporate more of the fruit into recipes,” says Cericola.

Add A Plant

A small, low-maintenance potted plant or container of herbs can add a welcome bit of life to your kitchen, especially during the darker winter months. Or, if taking care of a plant seems like too much effort, treat yourself to a cut bouquet of flowers.

Restock Your Tea Supply

“I’m a big tea drinker, especially in the winter. But it’s easy to get stuck in a rut with the same brands. So I try out one or two new types of tea, which is sometimes enough to perk up my morning routine,” says Cericola. The same goes for coffee—try a new bean or blend.

Splurge (A Little) On Something Fun

Find something for your kitchen that makes you smile—it could be a pretty oven mitt, a digital frame to see loved ones, a colorful rug, or even a cute cookie jar. The key is to make sure that the thing is on display at all times so that it can spark a moment of joy, even if there are dirty dishes in the sink, or your pantry is overstuffed.