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Welcome to Week 2 of the Home Reset Challenge! We’re continuing to follow along with my book, The Home Reset, which is packed with resources and practical advice to help you reset your home. This week, we’re moving into the heart of the home—the kitchen and dining areas. These spaces are where meals are shared, memories are made, and life happens. Let’s make them as functional, beautiful, and easy to maintain as possible!
This Week’s Habit: Join the Clean Sink Club
This Week’s System Focus: The Dish Washing Station
This Week’s Declutter Challenge: Under the Kitchen Sink
Bonus Declutter Challenge: Full Fridge Reset (Get your free Fridge Reset Printable here!)
The Clean Sink Club
Everything is better with a fun name right? In this case, "everything" means doing all the dishes before bed. This is one of the simplest habits you can adopt to keep your kitchen feeling fresh and to start your mornings off in a peaceful environment. For "fun" I call it the Clean Sink Club, and as founding member I will take the responisbility for ordering our matching jackets (pink lady style of course).
A clean sink instantly makes your kitchen feel put together, even if there are a few dishes left drying on the counter. Plus, waking up to a sparkling sink sets a positive tone for the day ahead. If this habit feels overwhelming, start small—just make sure all dishes are rinsed and loaded into the dishwasher before bed.
One thing I am really working on this year is changing my frame of mind from motivation to discipline. I am very rarely motivated at night to reset the kitchen before bed. If i'm honest, I have used that as an excuse to not care for myself or my home. The hard truth is discipline has nothing to do with motivation, and if I want to have a tidy home most of the time (and make healthy decisions for myself and family), I need to choose discipline over motivation. The cool part is the reward for discipline over time is exponentially greater than only doign things when I feel motivated to.
I also want to note that as someone who struggles with chronic illness, I FULLY understand that you can be the most disciplined, motivated person in the world and it makes no difference in physically being able to make your body work when it just won't. That is NOT what I am speaking to.
The Dish Washing Station
To make the Clean Sink Club habit easier, set up a dish washing station. This eliminates the resistance to washing dishes because everything you need is right at your fingertips. Here’s what I recommend keeping in your dish washing station:
Dish soap
Sponge and scrub brush
Bottle brush (perfect for water bottles and baby bottles!)
Drying mat or rack
Dish gloves (if you like to wear them)
I also love adding a small Lazy Susan under the sink to keep cleaning supplies organized and accessible. You can shop my favorite under-sink storage bins and Lazy Susans here.
Declutter Challenge: Under the Kitchen Sink
Let’s tackle the black hole that is often the space under the kitchen sink! This area can quickly become a clutter magnet for cleaning supplies, plastic bags, and who-knows-what-else. Here’s your step-by-step declutter plan:
Empty Everything Out: Take everything out so you can start with a blank slate.
Sort and Purge: Toss expired or unused products. If you have duplicates, keep only what you’ll actually use.
Clean the Space: Wipe down the inside of the cabinet, including the pipes and corners.
Organize: Use bins, Lazy Susans, and baskets to group like items together—sponges in one bin, trash bags in another.
I’ve rounded up my favorite storage solutions for under the sink, which you can shop here [link to Amazon list].
Bonus Declutter Challenge: Full Fridge Reset
It’s time for a fridge refresh! Clear out expired foods, wipe down shelves, and reorganize with bins and labels to make grabbing ingredients easy. Need more guidance? Download my free Fridge Reset Printable to help you organize step-by-step.
Need more ideas for keeping your kitchen tidy and stress-free? We’re following along with my book, The Home Reset, and the Kitchen and Dining Room chapter is packed with resources, habits, and systems to make maintaining your kitchen easy. If you don’t have a copy yet, grab yours today!
Let’s make this week about creating a kitchen and dining space that feels calm, organized, and ready for anything. I’ll be sharing more tips, tricks, and my favorite pantry organization finds on social media all week long—be sure to follow me @karissaathome on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest!
The photos in this post are sneak peeks of the book, taken by the incredibly talented Oxana Brik.