The Kitchen Cleaning Routine

Dear Sisters,
Oh, just about every day I have a really messy kitchen. This is the room we use the most often, so this is the room that gets messy really fast. Here is the way I clean it pretty quick. Everyone must leave! This is vital for my sanity as I cannot bear to clean something at the same time someone else is messing it up. Ha!
The first thing is to get the kitchen table totally cleared off and wiped down. Once this is done I feel so much better. A clean surface to look at while I work does wonders for me. The important thing is not to put anything back on it!
Once I have the table cleared off I set my dishes to soaking. I love to get lots of hot suds and put all my cups in first. These are easily washed and set to dry on the right side of the sink. Then I will put my plates in next. I like to leave these in a bit longer to soak, so this is the perfect time to start at the left side of my counter and work my way around.
I use two sponges or two cloths to clean as I go. It just goes so much faster that way. So I begin in my baking corner. First I use a dough scraper and scrape everything off the counter. Then I take my two sponges and wipe, wipe, wipe until it is all nice and clean. This area gets very "floury," so I will take the windex and shine up my canisters. Since I have the windex in my hand I do the front of my microwave and any other shiny surfaces at the same time. Now my cups are ready to put away and my plates are ready to wash. Once the plates are washed I put my baking bowls or other light items in to soak a bit.
My baking area is all nice and tidy now, so I move down to the next section and scrape the counter again with my dough scraper, putting things away as I go, and wiping down the middle section of the counter nice and clean. I am now at my sink again. I wipe and put away all the plates and begin to wash all of my cooking bowls. Time to drain and fill the sink with nice soapy bubbles for the soaking of the difficult items: silverware first (which has been soaking in a soapy bucket all this time) and pots and pans.
While my pans are soaking I tackle the stove. The stove often needs a little scraping with a small knife. Sometimes pancake batter splattered and has dried from the morning, so I scrape it all up. Then I squeeze soapy water all over the stove and let it sit a bit. Grabbing the vacuum I quickly vacuum the three throw rugs on my kitchen floor. After that I go back to wipe up the stove and the burner covers. The refrigerator gets a quick wiping down on the outside door and the front inside shelves with the same rag.
Back at the sink again! I'm ready to put away the silverware and scrub the pots and pans. Once I've done a couple of those I feel the need to get away from the sink. Smile. I start putting items that don't belong in the kitchen back where they go. Books, papers, shoes, dirty socks, lunch box, and other odd items. I repeat the phrase to myself, "Put it where it goes, it'll save time in the long run." I then pick up a broom (of course the praise music is on!) and start to sweep the entire kitchen floor. I go back to the pots and pans once that is done and finish up the unpleasant task of scrubbing and wiping them to finally to put the last of the dishes away.
The kitchen is really starting to shine now. But there is one more unpleasant task to complete: mopping the floor. I put the praise music on loud now! I grab the mop and begin to mop the floor with very hot pine-smelling water. As I scrub the last corner of the room, I walk out with a backward glance. It was a really messy kitchen, but now it looks ever so inviting. It must be tea time.
Love to you,
Laine