The holidays are well behind us, and you’re probably focusing on all those New Year’s resolutions you made. Is one of those resolutions to reorganize your house? Or maybe you still have some decorations to put into storage, kids’ toys to put away, and/or piles of stuff to get in order. Whatever the case may be, the first few months of the year are great for reclaiming your home. You’re often stuck inside anyway due to adverse weather, so why not use that time to reorganize. Then you’ll have everything in order when spring cleaning time rolls around!
So if you didn’t take care of storage and organization before the holidays and are stuck with a mountain of clutter, don’t despair. There’s still time to get your home back on track for the year ahead. Here are some ideas that will help you in reclaiming your home.
5 Tips for Reclaiming Your Home
1. Get Things Organized and Stored Away
The new year is the perfect time to invest in storage supplies — bins, cupboards, shelves … whatever fits your needs and personal taste — so you can organize all your decorations, tools, supplies, dishes, you name it. If there’s anything you won’t be using any time soon, get it packed up and out of the way. Color code and put labels on boxes so you know what’s what. Keep track of where you store everything in a journal, planner, smartphone, whatever works for you. When you’re ready for the next event or party, you’ll know exactly where to go for what you need.
And if you’ve got items that are broken, throw them away! Don’t be a hoarder. Got stuff that’s still in good shape but you just don’t use anymore? Give them to friends or family, sell them online, or donate them. If you can’t or don’t use it, move on and get rid of it!
2. Declutter Everything Else
Now that the decorations and seasonal items are stored away, what about all the other stuff? All those new toys your kids got. The new kitchen supplies you got. All those new clothes. Whatever it may be, you need to find a place for it in your home (and piled up in a closet isn’t the answer).
You know what they say, out with the old, in with the new! Have the kids round up the toys they don’t play with anymore, grab those outfits that don’t fit or ever get worn, pack up those appliances or electronics you don’t use anymore or that you upgraded — again, if you don’t use it anymore, donate it, sell it, or give it away. And if you simply can’t part with it, find a way to pare it down. Take your kids art projects and organize them into a scrapbook. Or, take pictures of them and save them to your smartphone or computer (this also works great with all those holiday cards that are just too cute to throw away).
3. Deep Clean
A deep cleaning session after a season of fun, food, and festivities is something you don’t want to miss. It will get you off to a new beginning in the new year. We recommend you hire professional deep cleaning services as they have the right tools and techniques to deep clean your house. But you can do it yourself. Either way, go beyond simple vacuuming and dusting and get tidy:
- Deep clean your kitchen and focus on the fridge, cabinets, and stove.
- Deep clean your main living area and check for stains. Pay extra attention to carpets, rugs, and curtains.
- Deep clean your bathroom; that’s probably one of the areas that received a lot of use!
- Deep clean bedrooms, dens, and anywhere else.
4. Organize Excess Food
It’s normal to have excess food in your home after a party or event. And while the holiday leftovers are probably long gone, these tips will help you make the most of any food in your house without letting it go waste:
- Freeze leftover food items and use them for your future meals. For instance, slice or dice leftover turkey or chicken to use for casseroles, soups, pizzas, etc.
- Put together a weekly meal plan so you know exactly what you have and when you’re going to use it.
- Always store leftover food in reusable, food-grade containers.
- Date and label everything.
5. Repaint!
If there are areas or walls in your home that got dinged and scuffed in the holiday shuffle, a touch-up job is a great idea. Remember, when reclaiming your home, a new coat of paint can do so much more than just cover up. Want to take it a step further? Repaint your cabinets or interior doors, or redo an old piece of furniture. A fresh look can make your newly cleaned and organized look that much better!
Ready to start reclaiming your home? Get more storage, organization, and painting tips in our blog!
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