Tackling the Dishes Monster - Easy Tips to do the Dishes

None of us really love spending our time doing the dishes. It seems another one of those pointless tasks that we have to do day in, day out, over and over again. :) Okay, so maybe that's TRUE, but your place will look a lot better if you just deal with the dishes and prevent the clutter of dirty dishes & pots and pans all over the place.

5 Tips to Make Dishwashing Easier:

1. Get a dishwasher - no seriously, it makes life a lot easier and family life far more peaceful. You can assign dishwasher loading and unloading to different members of the family. I like putting the dishwasher on (when it's full of course) at night, so that when I wake up in the morning the dishes are ready to unload, and the new dirty dishes can go right into the dishwasher again.
2. Deal with it NOW - Whenever anyone in the family uses a cup or plate, get them in the habit of immediately putting it into the dishwasher. Clutter can't happen if you cope with the dirty dishes as they happen.
3. Get Rid of Burnt on food - on pots and pans, that is. A great tip is to use a little liquid or powdered dishwasher detergent sprinkled on the burnt on food. Add just enough water to make a thick paste, and let the mix sit on the burnt on food for about 10 minutes. You should be able to wipe it right away! (This prevents all those nasty pots and pans sitting and soaking for ages...and making the place look cluttered.)
4. Not EVERYTHING can be put in the dishwasher - Finer, posh china dishes or cookware like cast iron simply cannot be put in the dishwasher. So with items like this, be sure to wash them up as soon as you're finished using them. And then make sure to re-season your cast iron skillet so that it stays nice.
5. Delegate, Delegate & Delegate - If you have a family or roommates, then delegate tasks evenly between everyone! Maybe one week your teenage daughter can do the dishes, and the next week it's your turn, while she does the cooking. Generally, a good rule of thumb is that whoever COOKED doesn't have to deal with dishes. :) It's only fair that the culinary geniuses among us get some credit...and some relief!