New Year Cleaning Tips
Many of us make New Year’s resolutions each year to serve as incentives. These incentives can be applied to help us keep on top of house cleaning, particularly after the Christmas season and celebrations have left our homes in urgent need of a tidy up, in some cases, a decluttering and deep cleaning.
January is the perfect time to get those cleaning jobs done and to welcome in 2024 with a big clean! After all, a clean home is good for the soul, self-esteem, and our general wellbeing. Moreover, the first clean after the decorations come down can be very satisfying!
EVALUATE YOUR CLEANING NEEDS AND REQUIREMENTS
Preparation is key to most things we do in life, and cleaning is no exception to this rule! The best way to identify your cleaning needs and requirements in your house is to physically go around it with a notepad and pen and write down your observations. You will also be able to identify what areas need a really good clean and what areas only require a standard to light touch clean.
COMPILE A ‘TO DO’ LIST
After you have evaluated your cleaning needs and requirements, you’ll have a better understanding of the task ahead. Once compiled, your ‘To Do’ list will help you work systematically through your home, from room to room, helping you concentrate and focus only on one task at a time.
DATE IN YOUR CALENDAR
Making a date on your calendar may seem a bit over-prescribed, but we can assure you that the January blues may mean that you might put the task of cleaning off until a later date. To avoid this, put a definite date on your calendar as this will act as a positive and proactive measure to stave off any thoughts of procrastination and help by getting the task started.
PREPARING FOR THE CLEANING TASK
It can be frustrating to run out of cleaning products or to find that your vacuum cleaner, steamer, iron, or even your washing machine has broken down. It is always good practice to start cleaning work with the right equipment, products and supplies at hand to get the job done properly. We advise that you keep your cleaning equipment, products and supplies- vacuum cleaners, dusters, cloths, sponges, mops, brushes etc- clean and in pristine condition. If they are not, then you’ll run the risk of undermining all your cleaning efforts by simply moving dust and dirt from one area to another and re-depositing it elsewhere!
DECLUTTERING YOUR HOME
The fewer things you have around your home, the less there is to clean. It’s that simple! Before you start any New Year cleaning, it’s a good idea to get rid of any clutter you may have lying around. Make a plan and go through your home, room by room, clearing away all items you don’t want into piles. Keep the items you want. Donate the items you don’t want, but are in good condition. Throw away items you don’t want anymore or assign them to the charity box. Store away items you wish to keep.
TACKLING THE LAUNDRY
Following the festive season, we shouldn’t be surprised to find that come the New Year the laundry room is bursting at the seams with laundry and ironing to do! It’s never a good idea to leave such tasks any longer than is absolutely necessary as it will certainly lead to problems if it gets out of hand.
Make a plan around laundry and ironing tasks. This is likely to include setting a time to sort your laundry load into piles in preparation for varying laundry wash cycles. Once you start this task follow it up with drying the laundry items in a tumble dryer, fold, and then either put what can be put away immediately or place the rest into the ironing basket ready for you to iron, giving yourself a firm timescale to undertake this task. Repeat this process until all tasks are complete.
ACQUIRING DAILY CLEANING HABITS
Following a New Year’s clean and declutter it’s always a good idea to follow this up with good practice cleaning habits to prevent excessive build-up in your home from occurring. This will require a measure of self-discipline on your part to keep up a daily schedule, but you’ll also find it will be well worth the effort. Below we have listed examples of how to introduce and carry out cleaning habits into your daily routine:
i) DECLUTTER AS YOU GO.
Learn to avoid the common mistake of leaving things lying around the home. Act as quickly as possible by putting things away. This way you will safeguard against clutter build up and it becoming a problem for you later.
ii) CLEAN AND WASH UP WHEN COOKING
Try wiping down your cooker, microwave, kitchen top counters etc. when cooking in the kitchen. This will save you time and energy later, leaving you time to relax and enjoy yourself.
iii) WIPE UP SPILLS AND SPLUTTERS
When cooking the chances are that mishaps will occur during this process. Act as soon as possible to wipe up any spills and splutters as they occur as a preventative measure to avoid them setting and/or staining on the cooker, kitchen tops and counters, and, of course, the floor.
iv) MAKE UP YOUR BEDS
When rising and getting out of bed in the morning, we are in perhaps our least motivated state of the day. However, it’s in the interest of good cleaning practice habits to make up the beds in your home. This signifies the day has begun on a positive note and this will ultimately raise your mood and encourage you to keep to your daily cleaning schedule.
v) SPOT CLEAN BATHROOM
Keeping on top of the cleaning in the toilet and bathroom areas daily is an important daily habit to develop and hone. Simply, grab a bottle of anti-bacterial spray and a paper towel, or an anti-bacterial wipe, and then clean around the toilet bowl and seat. Finish by squirting some bleach around the toilet rim. Clean the shower or bath with a bathroom product, making sure there is no water left around these areas to keep dampness and mould at bay. Finally, mop or steam the floor. This task can be achieved in 5-10 mins.
IT’S TIME FOR YOUR NEW YEAR CLEANING TO BEGIN
Hopefully, with the tips provided in this Blog, you will now be sufficiently motivated and ready to start your New Year cleaning.
Start as you mean to go on remembering to use your cleaning plan to help and support you to move through your home in a methodical way to ensure nothing is left uncleaned.
Keep in mind that a house clean at the beginning of a brand new year will not only improve the overall appearance of your home, but it will also give you a feeling of pride, of being in control, and bring about a sense of renewal that will surely provide the motivation and positivity to last throughout the year!
If you need any help with your cleaning after the festive season has ended, just contact us here at Pressed not Stressed. We will be happy to provide you with our professional cleaning, laundry, and ironing services to get your New Year off with a bang and beyond! We operate in Chester-le-Street and the surrounding areas in County Durham.
