In the last days of the year, many families start by "cleaning the floor" to make the kitchen more airy. An effective way is to divide the kitchen into three clear areas: cooking, washing - preliminary processing and storage. Less-used items can be neatly placed on a high shelf or taken out of the kitchen to release the table surface. Spices and dried food should be checked for expiration date, and dishes that have been opened for a long time should be filtered. As long as the surface of the kitchen is cleaner and a little emptyer, the space immediately becomes brighter and "breathable".
After cleaning neatly, the cleaning stage should focus on points that easily stick to oil and create odors: odor absorbers, kitchen surface, kitchen wall area, cabinet handles, bricks and trash cans. The refrigerator is also a place to prioritize: remove expired food, wipe trays and shelves, arrange them in groups to be easy to find when cooking continuously. A beautiful Tet kitchen is first of all a kitchen that operates smoothly, is less messy and easy to clean after each meal.
When the "base" is stable, decoration should only play the role of creating accents. During Tet, red and yellow tones are often chosen because they evoke a feeling of brilliance and luck.
However, instead of covering it with decorations, many families choose to refresh it with small details: a tablecloth or handkerchief of the same color, a jar of fresh flowers placed next to the dining table, a few jars of glass spices with neat labels, or a tray of jam placed neatly on the shelf. Tet does not necessarily have to be "bright" to be beautiful; sometimes just a small corner being cared for is enough to make the kitchen have a spring atmosphere.
Flowers and green trees are a "safe" choice for the kitchen because they both create Tet colors and help the space become fresher. A vase of chrysanthemums, gladiolus, small peach blossoms, or a mini kumquat pot placed in a ventilated corner is enough. If the kitchen is small, you can replace it with a few flower branches arranged in a low jar to avoid obstacles in viewing and operation. For those who like minimalism, just adding green space with herbs, scallions, or fruit baskets can create a feeling of "fullness" for Tet.
Besides aesthetics, arranging the kitchen on Tet should prioritize safety and convenience. The cooking area should be ventilated, limit placing it close to the sink to avoid water from bursting into the heat area, and at the same time reduce the situation of electric wires and sockets lying in damp places. Decorations such as hanging wires, mini parallel sentences, flashing lights, if used, should also be placed far from the cooking stove and high heat area; avoid hanging loosely right on the surface of the stove, which is easily catching fire or sticking to oil.
To keep the kitchen "beautiful and durable" throughout the Tet days, the key is smart arrangement. It is advisable to prepare transparent containers for dry items, stratify according to the frequency of use: dishes are often placed at eye level, rare dishes are stored high. The refrigerator can be divided into compartments by food group: fresh dishes are used first, processed dishes are kept separately, vegetables are in a suitable compartment to maintain crispness. When everything has a "address", the kitchen naturally becomes neater and cleaner for longer.
Refurnishing the kitchen to welcome Tet is ultimately not a shopping race, but a way to rearrange the space to make each meal lighter. A clean, warm kitchen with just enough highlights will make the days of reunion more complete - true to the spirit of Tet: full, but not messy; brilliant, but still sophisticated.
