Since it’s nearly the end of this year, it’s the perfect time to declutter your home and give it a good clean. When entering a new year clutter free, you can start afresh and feel more productive. It is a proven fact that decluttering can provide many benefits, such as creating more clarity and focus. Getting rid of stuff you don’t need results in less physical and emotional stress. Therefore a clutter free life also allows you to be more creative and concentrate for a whole lot longer; it will boost your mood and allow you to meet your goals and objectives. Does this sound too good to be true? You might be surprised. Here is a quick step by step guide to decluttering and deep cleaning your home.
Tackle your bedroom first
First remove all dirty bedding and linen and give it a wash. Before you start cleaning anything, it’s a good idea to vacuum your carpets if you have any in your bedroom. Tip! Avoid vacuuming last as all the dust will settle on your clean surfaces. Now grab a warm cloth and a good surface cleaner to tackle all the surfaces in your bedroom such as window sills, side tables and dressing tables. Now we need to address the most time consuming and often difficult task many people hate to do: clearing out old clothes and shoes. Be realistic. If you have not worn an item of clothing or a pair of shoes in the last two months – it’s time to toss them! Don’t feel overwhelmed; tackle one section at a time. Clear out your trousers, shirts, shoes, etc. in sections.
Attack the bathroom
While your bedding is still in the wash, you can move on to a different section of the house. Next, let’s clean the bathrooms. First, remove all your toilet mats as well as any dustbins or ornaments and place them out of the way. Now you need to do all the dirty work. This includes cleaning the shower, toilet, bath and basin. Use a strong detergent and disinfectant. Tip! Use a separate cloth to clean the toilet as you don’t want any germs to spread to the rest of the bathroom. Place your toilet cleaner in your toilet while cleaning so that it can be as effective as possible. Clean the toilet dustbin as well as any additional ornaments. You will also need to place your toilet mats in the wash. Check your toilet cupboards and cabinets; throw out any old and expired toiletries that are no longer of any use.
It’s time for the kitchen
Where to start? First, you need to tackle your big appliances. Start with the oven by placing oven cleaner everywhere possible. Leave it to work while you start to clean other appliances…and don’t forget to clean your stove as well while you are at it. Clean your fridge inside and out. While you cleaning the inside of your fridge, have a look at items that may be off or expired and throw them out. Tip! If your fridge has a funny smell you want to get rid of, place a little cup or bowl of bicarbonate of soda or a cut up lemon in your fridge to remove the bad odours. Now you need to clean all your other small appliances such as your dishwasher, microwave, coffee machines, etc. Lastly, clean the dishes, sinks and counter tops.
The lounge is next
First remove any decorative pillows. If the pillow covers have a zip, remove the covers and give them a wash. If not, simply give the pillows a good bash outside to remove any dust. Wipe down your couches if they are leather or PU leather, if they are made of material… get your vacuum cleaner out. Remove every detachable part of your couch to give it a seriously good clean. Now grab a cloth and clean all surfaces such as your coffee table, wall unit, television, ornaments, etc. If you buy magazines and collect them, now is the time for a magazine declutter. Any magazines that are older than a month should be thrown away unless they have some significant meaning or purpose. Don’t forget to clean all your windows and floors.
Office or study (if you have it)
This is probably the worst room to clean, at least in my opinion. Where to start? Go through all your paperwork and files, remove and throw away any documents you no long need. Recycle the paper if you can; helping the environment while you clean is always a bonus. Go through each and every drawer, remove any items you have not used and don’t plan on using. Now you need to tackle your stationery. Ensure they all still work. Test all your pens and pencils to see if they are useable, otherwise – toss!
A good clean and declutter can instantly make you feel better. It will make you feel like you have a better handle on your life and definitely make you calm. If you are planning on donating the items you want to toss, that’s brilliant! Giving to charity will also make you feel great about yourself; they say one man’s trash is another man’s treasure! Learning to let go and de-cluttering your life is more liberating than you might think, it’s like a weight lifted off your shoulders which is a perfect way to enter into a new year!
