With the busy holiday season now behind us, there is no better time than the present to clear away the clutter and get organized! For me, starting anew means putting away the party platters (if only for the time being!) and getting prepared for the next wave of festivities to come. Here are just some of the ways I like to get a fresh start in the new year!

Refresh the Refrigerator

After all the storing, cooking and reheating of the holidays, my refrigerator is in need of some serious R and R. And if you’re anything like me, you might have a fridge that is filled with leftovers – or perhaps you’ve been out of town for the holidays and are concerned about the state of affairs inside! Either way, cleaning out your refrigerator sets the perfect tone for getting excited all over again about the celebrations to come in the new year.

With my Thermador 36” Built-In Fresh Food and Freezer Columns, the organization process is seamless. The Delicate Produce Bins provide ample storage space for my ingredients, and my selection of fruits and vegetables and fresh herbs are securely compartmentalized so I have more usable space inside the refrigeration unit. I even like to add in a few trays to corral items and organize everything into rows. Talk about starting the year off on the right foot!

Deep Clean the Dishwasher

With the endless cooking and entertaining of the past few months, your dishwasher has likely become one of your closest companions. So as a reward for all the hard work, treat it to some deep cleaning. From cleaning the filter, to giving it a good wipe down, it’s the least you can do after all the time you’ve saved not hand-washing the countless party plates! And with my Thermador Star-Sapphire™ Dishwasher, it doesn’t even have to be an arduous task. With the fastest hot water cycle in the industry at 20 minutes, my dishwasher is ready to go for the next round in no time. Trust me, after a little TLC, your reliable co-host will thank you for festivities to come!

Wipe Down and Organize the Surfaces, Drawers and Kitchen Tools

One other thing I like to do when the year begins is deep clean my countertops and stovetops and re-organize my kitchen drawers. The drawers closest to the counter often catch the most crumbs, so taking everything out to clean them is a great way to assess your kitchen tools. When taking a look at your selection, give an honest thought as to when you truly last used them. Chances are there are quite a few things that can move elsewhere (or that you can get rid of altogether!) so you can free up that much needed drawer space. Once you get started, your drawers are sure to be less cluttered and your tools more of a joy to use!

Now that I’ve shared some of my top tips for starting fresh in the new year, what are some of the things you like to do to start anew? Share your thoughts with us in the comments or on our social platforms: www.facebook.com/thermador, @ThermadorHome and @Thermador!