There are many theories about how Spring Cleaning became a widespread ritual. One idea is the ‘fresh start effect’—that we feel motivated to take on new endeavors around birthdays, holidays, and other seasonal and temporal milestones. Some origins link spring cleaning to specific cultural practices: preparation ahead of Nowruz, the Persian New Year that occurs on the spring equinox, or ahead of Passover, the Jewish spring holiday that marks the ancient Israelites being emancipated from slavery in Egypt. The latter is what inspired my personal kitchen spring cleaning this year.
Traditional Passover cleaning differs from regular kitchen spring cleaning. During Passover, many Jewish people completely rid their homes of chametz, which are foods with leavening agents. This includes things like bread and many types of grains.
My family does not strictly follow the Passover preparation guidelines. When I grab our boxes of matzo meal, I simply tuck our yeast packets into the back of the cabinet. I avoid bread, cookies, and cakes for a few days. But our freezer still has ground pork in it, and we don’t keep a kosher diet.
Nevertheless, Passover inspired me to do some more universal kitchen spring cleaning. While preparing to host a small Seder, I took extra time to evaluate what I need—and don’t need—in my kitchen.
Getting rid of expired and spoiled foods
This has been a perfect time to clean out my fridge and cabinets, especially removing old items hidden in crevices. A mostly eaten bag of fried onions that I can’t remember when I opened it? Half a package of goat cheese that’s growing mold? Spices from 2015? They all had to go. I try to minimize my food waste, but sometimes items are very much past their prime. These expired foods occupied valuable space and made it hard for me to see my fresher items.
Keep in mind that many items stay good after the dates on their packaging. The term ‘best before’ usually refers to enjoying food while it is at its highest quality. ‘Use by’ usually means food is highly perishable and should be consumed no later than the date on the package.
For example, fermented foods like soy sauce are usually labeled ‘best before’ because they have a long shelf life However, they may not taste as good when left open for a while. Spices generally don’t spoil, but they can lose their potency over time. Whereas you should be mindful when meat is labeled with a ‘use by’ date, since it may be unsafe to eat when expired.
Removing unnecessary and duplicate kitchen tools
I didn’t go through the process of kashering my dishes, utensils, and appliances. But I did take the opportunity to cull through my kitchen items and remove things that I don’t use or need.
Having duplicates isn’t inherently bad—I have a lot of chopsticks and use them almost daily. I have multiple water bottles because people in my household use them regularly. I have a regular coffee pot and a Nespresso because they serve different purposes.
What I’m talking about are my four nearly identical spatulas. The mug with the handle that I don’t like, so I never use it. The serving dish that I liked five years ago, but I upgraded to a nicer one that I use more often now. Many of these items are in good condition and can be donated. I’m not using them anymore, but someone else may love them.
Sorting like with like
Kitchen spring cleaning isn’t just about removing unneeded things—it is also about managing what you want to keep.
In my work as a professional editor, I often advise people to organize their writing by grouping common ideas. For example, to start each paragraph with a topic sentence that is the umbrella idea, and then put supporting information below. This same principle can be applied to organizing physical items.
Part of how I ended up with duplicates is that I didn’t have everything in one easy to find place. For example, I couldn’t find baking soda, so I bought more. Then weeks later I remembered that I had a box tucked away on a top shelf. I’m now trying to keep everything grouped together in a logical way, rather than just shoving things into any open cabinet space.
Putting everything in its place
I told myself that this Passover would be simple because I ordered a takeout meal. However, on the first day of Passover, I ended up baking a chicken and using the carcass to make stock, roasting lamb shanks, and making an improvised pear charoset while my guests were on the way! But you know what was easy? Finding my Seder plate and candle sticks? Do you know why? Because they live in a little corner under my dining cabinet all year round until they are needed. Then I wash them and put them away until next year in the same spot.
Sorting similar items together goes hand-in-hand with having a designated spot for them. My hope is that by continuing to prune and organize my collection, I can turn my kitchen spring cleaning into a year-round way to maximize use of the heart of my home.