I’m really enjoying scratching items off my to-do list! True confession: do you add items to your list that you’ve already finished and then cross them off? No? Me neither.

Last week I cleaned out the pantry and the fridge, which I’d been putting off for months. It didn’t take as long as I’d expected to remove all the food and clean the shelves and drawers in the pantry and fridge. And the end result looks (and, in the case of the fridge, smells) so much better.

This week I sealed the countertops in the kitchen, which is a pretty easy task. It’s a pain to move everything off the counters and let the sealant cure for several days, but the DIY aspect isn’t difficult at all.

After I cleared the counters, I cleaned them with Aqua Mix Heavy-Duty Tile & Grout Cleaner (diluted in a spray bottle per the instructions). Be sure to use gloves and eye protection. When the counters were dry, I used a foam paintbrush to “paint” the sealant onto the countertops. I turned on all the lights so I could see if I missed any spots. Then I let it sit for about 5 minutes and gently wiped it off with a white cotton rag using circular motions.

Afterward, you’ll need to dispose of the paintbrush and the rag, and if you’ve gotten any sealant on your hands you’ll need to clean them with mineral spirits. And that’s it!

Then you wait . . . . I waited for three full days just to make sure the sealant had cured. After all, I do this only once a year, so I should take the extra time to do it right! I avoided using the kitchen sink and didn’t put anything on the counters while they were curing.

I’m happy with the end result. It doesn’t look any different than before I sealed the counters, but now this beautiful stone is protected for another year. Now I’m in the process of painting the cabinets! I’ll share final pics when it’s all done.

Have you crossed anything off your list? Let me know in the comments!