The holidays can be a wonderful time of year, filled with family, friends, and festive activities. However, all the cooking, decorating, and entertaining can take a toll on your home. Once the festivities are over, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and get to work on the post-holiday cleaning. Here is a post-holiday cleaning guide to help you get your home back to its pre-holiday state.
- Declutter: Before you start cleaning, it’s essential to declutter your home. Go through each room and sort items into piles: keep, donate, sell, and throw away. You can donate gently used items to charity or sell them online. Getting rid of unwanted items will make cleaning more manageable and create more space in your home.
- Deep clean your kitchen: The kitchen is the heart of the home, and during the holidays, it can become a hot mess. Start by removing all the decorations, tablecloths, and dishes from your countertops and table. Then, clean your oven, stovetop, and microwave thoroughly. Don’t forget to wipe down your cabinets, drawers, and pantry shelves. Finally, mop the floor and wipe down all surfaces with a disinfectant cleaner.
- Tackle the living room: The living room is where most people gather during the holidays, so it can get messy quickly. Start by dusting all surfaces, including bookshelves, picture frames, and decorations. Next, vacuum the carpets and furniture, including the couch, chairs, and ottomans. Finally, clean your coffee table and end tables, including any decorative items.
- Clean the bathrooms: The bathrooms are another area that requires special attention during the holidays. Start by cleaning the toilet, sink, and bathtub/shower. Wipe down all surfaces with a disinfectant cleaner and replace any towels or rugs that have become soiled. Finally, sweep and mop the floor.
- Organize your closet: The holidays often mean lots of gift-giving, which can lead to a cluttered closet. Go through your closet and remove any items you no longer need or wear. Consider donating any clothes that are still in good condition. Once you have decluttered your closet, organize your clothes by category, such as by color or type of clothing.
- Wash linens and bedding: Guests staying over during the holidays means lots of dirty sheets and towels. Gather all the linens and bedding and wash them in hot water with a strong detergent. Don’t forget to wash your throw blankets and decorative pillow covers.
- Dust and vacuum: Dust and vacuum your home thoroughly, including all the nooks and crannies. Don’t forget to dust the baseboards, blinds, and curtains. Consider using a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter to reduce allergens in your home.
- Clean the floors: Finally, clean all the floors in your home. Sweep or vacuum hard floors, then mop or steam clean them. If you have carpet, use a carpet cleaner or hire a professional carpet cleaning service.
In conclusion, post-holiday cleaning can be a daunting task, but with a little planning and effort, you can get your home back to its pre-holiday state. Remember to declutter, deep clean your kitchen, tackle the living room, clean the bathrooms, organize your closet, wash linens and bedding, dust and vacuum, and clean the floors. By following these tips, you can enjoy a fresh, clean start to the new year.