This is Kathleen Raskin of Las Vegas, hoping you had a great Thanksgiving! I hope that my Kathey Jo’s Kitchen audience had a wonderful holiday. The anticipation of the holidays means you’re probably already in clean-up mode, especially if you hosted at your home this year. All the food you need to put into smaller containers, all the pots and pans to clean, the trash that needs to be taken out. There are probably methods that you’ve already incorporated into hosting successful parties over the years that have made clean-up a breeze. I’ve shared a few of my time-honored traditions below, and if there’s one that I’ve missed, share it in the comments below with your fellow Kathey Jo’s Kitchen readers.
Pre-Party
When you’re cooking, line the bottom of your oven with a large sheet of foil; discard when finished. Line your baking pans with foil, or parchment paper, depending on what you’re cooking. If you recycle – and I hope that you do! – label your trash cans. Your guests shouldn’t have to guess where to put waste, and where to put recycling. At the bottom of each bin, put a few extra trash bags, so when you take the trash out throughout the party, you don’t have to go hunting for new ones. Put paper towels, and cleaning cloths in easy-to-grab locations, so you can wipe up spills immediately.
Post-Party
Treat cleanup like you would a sit-down restaurant, and become the busboy. Purchase – or find – a large plastic bin, which you’ll fill with soapy water. Use it to hold dirty dishes. Use a rolling cart to hold the bin for you. If you have room on your cart, put the scraps into a separate container so you can dispose of them when you’re done. If you want your guests to take leftovers, put out plastic containers and to-go bags so they can help themselves. Include a Sharpie or Magic Marker so they can write their names on the bags. Set up a table near the front door, so they can take them as they go.
