Clean and clear

It’s everyone’s least favourite job, but cleaning the oven is another must-do. Those who have cookers with self-cleaning pyrolitic functions will be breathing a sigh of relief at this point, although you’ll still need to tackle the oven shelves. The rest of us might prefer to delegate to an oven-cleaning service, such as Ovenu (ovenu.com.au). Don’t forget to tackle your servingware, which may have been gathering dust since last Christmas. “Pull all of your serving items out of the cupboards a few days before you plan to entertain, so you can do a run through the dishwasher and wipe any dust from your salad bowls, ready to go,” suggests Emma. This is also a good time to ensure you have enough plates, glasses and flatware to see you through, and to restock if necessary.