4 ways to take better care of your kitchen in the new year

You’ve probably vowed to take better care of yourself in the new year, so you should probably take better care of your home too. After all, it is one of your most valuable investments. A good place to start is a room that you likely use multiple times each day – the kitchen. You probably keep your kitchen clean and tidy, but there’s more you could be doing to maintain the area. Here are four steps you can take to optimize care for your kitchen in the new year.

1. Streamline storage
If your fridge and freezer are packed to the rim with leftovers, it could be restricting airflow in the appliance. This can lead to decreased efficiency, so why not streamline your food storage this year? Huffington Post recommended investing in a set of half-pint, pint and quart containers that all have the same lid size. This will allow you to neatly stack your leftovers without cramming anything.

2. Don’t skip the deep clean
There are certain cleaning tasks that don’t need to be done every week, like washing the microwave or scrubbing down the stove. However, because these tasks aren’t part of your regular routine, they may get put off for months on end. This year, vow to complete these essential deep cleaning chores at least once a month. Food particles will often build up on your stovetop. Not only is this a safety hazard, it can also cause problems with the burners. Though not as crucial, you may also want to put cleaning the cupboards, dusting under your appliances and cleansing the oven on your list.

3. Keep up on maintenance
Another important project to help keep your kitchen in tip-top shape is to complete necessary maintenance. Your refrigerator, dishwasher and garbage disposal should all get a regular once-over to ensure they’re in good shape. Make a point to change any water filters as often as recommended by the manufacturers. You should also stay on top of water heater maintenance to ensure the appliances are getting the water they need.

4. Invest in a home warranty
If you truly want to keep your kitchen in the best possible condition, you may want to consider investing in a TotalProtect® Home Warranty if you haven't already. Even when you take proper care of your appliances and systems, they may end up having mechanical problems. When this happens, you could save a lot of money and frustration by having a home warranty in place. TotalProtect offers different coverage plans that can include your refrigerator, built-in microwave, dishwasher, stove and more. If one of these items breaks, your warranty can help cover the cost of repair or replacement. No more dealing with malfunctioning appliances because you can’t afford the repairs! This investment should definitely make an appearance on your home protection resolution list.

The information in this article is intended to provide guidance on the proper maintenance and care of systems and appliances in the home. Not all of the topics mentioned are covered by our home warranty or maintenance plans. Please review your home warranty contract carefully to understand your coverage.