• Declutter your home by organizing holiday gifts, sorting through your kitchen, and storing away decorations.
• Deep clean various areas of your home, such as vacuuming carpets and wiping down surfaces.
• Perform necessary maintenance tasks to avoid future messes, like checking for leaks and testing smoke & carbon monoxide detectors.
• Refresh your home with simple touches like opening windows and lighting scented candles.
With the holidays come decorations, gifts, and a lot of mess. After all of the festivities have passed, restoring order to your home can seem like an overwhelming task. Many people dread the cleanup process and put it off for as long as possible. This leads to an even bigger mess to tackle. However, it is possible to make the process easier and less stressful. Here are some tips to help you get back on track and get your home neat and tidy in no time!
1. Declutter Your Home
The best way to start post-holiday cleaning is by decluttering your home. Before you even think about wiping down shelves or vacuuming carpets, ensure that any items that don’t belong in your home are out of the way.
Organize Holiday Gifts
Sort through all the new items you received over the holidays and make sure they find a place in your home before moving on to anything else. This will make it easier for you to see exactly what needs to be done when it comes time to clean up. You may find that some items don’t fit your home’s decor, while others may need to be returned or exchanged.
Go Through Your Kitchen
If you had a lot of food at your holiday parties, your kitchen has likely become a bit of a mess. Take the time to go through your pantry, refrigerator, and cupboards to eliminate any expired or spoiled food. This will help ensure that everything looks neat and organized the next time you open your cabinets.
Store Away Decorations
After you’ve put away all of the gifts and food, it’s time to tackle your decorations. This step can be tedious and satisfying as you watch your home slowly return to its original state. Start by putting away the bigger items, such as trees and lights, and then move on to the smaller ones, like ornaments and wreaths.
2. Deep Clean Various Areas in Your Home
The holidays bring more than just presents; they also bring dust and dirt into our homes. Holiday decorations can attract dust if not properly stored or covered before being put away for safekeeping.
Vacuum Your Carpets
As you deep clean your home, don’t forget about the carpets. Vacuuming your carpets will help eliminate any dirt and dust that has been tracked in from outside. If your carpets have not been cleaned for years now, consider hiring carpet cleaners who can use special cleaning products to make them look new.
Wipe Down Surfaces
From your countertops to your furniture, surfaces in your home can become filled with dirt and grime over the holidays. Wipe down all surfaces in your home to ensure that they are clean and dust-free. Use a mild cleaning solution and a microfiber cloth to prevent scratching surfaces.
3. Keep Up With Maintenance to Avoid Messes
Repairs and maintenance tasks are often put on the back burner during the holiday season. It’s essential to take time to tackle any repair and maintenance projects that need to be done to keep your home in good condition.
Check for Leaks
Leaks are one of the most common issues homeowners face. Check all of the faucets, pipes, and drains in your home to ensure no leaks. If you notice any water damage, get it repaired as soon as possible to avoid costly repairs in the future.
Check Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Another maintenance task homeowners should never neglect is checking their homes’ smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Test each one to make sure that they are working correctly. This is a simple but important task that could save your life in the case of an emergency.
4. Refresh Your Home
Finally, freshen up your living space with a few simple tricks! Open windows whenever possible (weather permitting) and light scented candles or incense sticks for a pleasant aroma throughout your home. These small changes can go a long way toward making your living space feel bright and refreshed after months of holiday cheer!
The holidays can be both fun and chaotic at times. However, there’s no reason why tidying up afterward should be stressful too! By following these simple steps, you can restore order in no time so that you can enjoy a peaceful environment until the next holiday season rolls around again.
