Hi Everyone! Jess Davis here. A couple of weeks ago I posted an IG story about a broom and dustpan set that I’d purchased from World Market that I had actually been eyeing said item for a couple of years. While it feels a little silly to spend 40 bucks on a broom and dustpan, it makes me incredibly happy and since they’ve been on the wishlist for a while I figured I’d splurge. I mean, these look so nice I don’t even feel bad leaving them out in my kitchen. I definitely have a bit of an obsession with classic cleaning implements that are both functional and beautiful. Give me a wooden dish brush or enameled bucket any day! Although add some scrolly farmhouse text that says “Detergent” and I might vomit. Keep it simple and the branding and labeling minimal. Some items are repeats from my kitchen roundup I did around the holidays but these are really focused more on cleaning. So here we go!
First off. I love a good amber glass apothecary jar. These have a bit of an Aesop vibe. And the plastic pump means that they are durable and easy to keep clean (note almost all soap dispensers with metal pumps end up corroding over time). I use these for hand soap and dish soap. I also love these little dish towels from World Market. Perfect for wiping down counters. And a wooden brush looks classic and clean when hung on a peg or hook. Don’t forget the little things like sponges! A yellow or blue sponge just sticks out and says “cheap cleaning implement” when set next to your sink. Use a natural fiber sponge, please! And while you’re at it a ceramic sponge holder is a great way to go (as opposed to one of those ugly wire things suctioned to your sink). Etsy has so many options! And if you must have a dish rack (I personally prefer a dish draining pad that matches my counter color) this one by Food 52 is nice and compact and classic.
Moving right along. How cute are these dish towels from Anthro? I haven’t purchased them yet but they have great reviews and seem to work well for scrubbing dishes as well as wiping surfaces. And who doesn’t love all the fun patterns and colors. There’s my classic bamboo scrub brushes. Look for something with a simple shape and not a lot of gimicky branding. Here’s the World market broom and dustpan (I got it in white but it also comes in mint which is super fun and retro). And I might just have to get this enamel bucket because I love it so much. It doubles as a cute Christmas tree vessel over the holidays! Personally I keep a spray bottle of multi-purpose surface cleaner out in my kitchen and I like the idea of having an apothecary jar version to match my dish soap. I keep all of these items (soap, spray, sponge in holder, dish brush) corralled in an enamel tray on my counter which works nicely. It collects a bit of water but is easy to dump out versus the whole counter getting wet. And finally, what about one of these draining sponge holders? I’m considering getting one. Although really I would love a beautiful ceramic tray for all of my implements that had a little drain hole as well. Any of my ceramics friends want to make one for me?
Well, I can’t believe I had soooo much to say about cleaning implements but hopefully this was helpful and maybe will make for some utilitarian stocking stuffer ideas considering the holidays are right around the corner (ack!).