Organize your home before the New Year!
2021 is almost here! I remember growing up that my family would set-up a weekend in December just to clean and organize our home for the coming year. I swear, I thought that was ridiculous. But now that I own my home, it’s a 365-degree change of beliefs. It’s crucial to prepare not only yourself but also your home for the New Year.
For home owners – and, let’s be honest, for everyone else – the last few months have been nothing short of being stressed. Most of us, in fact, are not even sure how to describe this period. And I received a lot of feedback (especially in my line of work) that because most of us have been staying home, we get to have time to clean and organize our homes. Some even started remodeling and upgrading their houses.
So, where do we start? How do you organize your home?
Here, I’m breaking down the cleaning schedule in 5 days, and dedicating each day to a specific part of the house.
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My mom taught me to start from the top to bottom when cleaning. And have a complete cleaning kit. So, I would recommend to get the following:
- Your trusty vacuum cleaner – This will be, if not yet, you BFF for cleaning your whole house. Whether you have a cordless vacuum, upright vacuum, or heavy-duty, make sure it can cater to all your floor types like if you have carpet in the living room and wood floors in the kitchen. Vacuum cleaner is a must-have to organize your home. Opt for something that can be utilized in the whole house. This will make your cleaning life easier!
2. Mop – Clean floors are not enough these days. We want to make sure our floors are sanitized too. For wood floors, laminate, and tiles, it’s essential to mop your floors not only to keep it clean but also to reduce allergens and help floors look their best.
3. Dusters – There are tons of options for dusters because dusting is a chore that should be done regularly like daily or every other day. And it’ll be extra easy and fast if you have the right dusters. If you have blinds or ceiling fans, or entertainment center, they can all be cleaned easily if you have the appropriate duster. Here are the best duster options:
4. Microfiber cloth – A microfiber cloth has become one of the handiest and simplest things to keep around the home. While most of us use these cloths to clean up smudges and dust from device screens or eyeglasses, a good microfiber cloth can be used in place of a towel or napkin for a variety of cleaning reasons. Click on the best microfiber cloth options to organize your home:
5. Cleaning Sprays – Oh gosh, if I enumerate all these, we will need a whole year to do so. With hundreds of thousands choices in the market now, I’ll just have the general category in which you should have at least one (it can be a multi-purpose, of course).
Table of Contents
Day 1: Organize Your Home -Living Room and Foyer
I love celebrating small wins. And I know that having a clean, organize living room is a big win for me! I decided to start the 5-day Cleaning Challenge with the Living room. Why? It’s where the whole family hang out. It’s the first place your guests will see. And if you see it clean and organized, it just makes your day! And fuel you to clean the rest of the house.
Start from the ceilings. If you can vacuum each corner, the better. Then, dust all the appliances. Re-arrange the furniture, if needed. Vacuum the rugs or carpets and couches. Wipe down all the tables and entertainment center. Arrange throw pillows, remotes, vases, media consoles, and displays. Dust the blinds, change the curtains, and wipe all the windows clean.
If you have little ones, find a toy bin or box to collect all the toys. It’ll teach early responsibility to clean up after themselves, too. 🙂
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Tip to Organize Your Home: If it doesn’t belong there, don’t leave it there. And use multi-functional bins or cubes to store and organize your home.
Day 2: Organize Your Home – Dining Room, Kitchen and Pantry
This, for me, will be the hardest and most time-consuming. But will be most rewarding!
Kitchen is the busiest part of the home. And it’s where most celebrations start to happen like cooking for birthdays, preparing family dinners, weekend brunch with the family, and bonding time with kiddos by baking cookies or decorating cupcakes.
I am no chef, by any means. Not a baker, either. But I love love a clean, organized kitchen. I had an all-white kitchen, and these are the tricks that worked for me.
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Stock up on Magic Eraser, because this has been my holy grail! And I always use this multi-surface cleaner because it cleans, disinfects, no bleach or chlorine smell, and okay to on food contact surfaces. Hello counters and fridge and microwave and stove and tables!
First, in your dining room, wipe down all the table and chairs. Vacuum chairs, rugs, and floor. Mop and sanitize the floors. Re-arrange the chairs or table, if needed. Wipe the buffet and server tables.
Second, head to the pantry. Bring trash bags or boxes. Label one for trash (throw away) and one for donation. Go through all the items in your pantry. All the expired or spoiled goods, throw it away. Donate the food that you think you will not consume or eat but not expired. And then arrange all the remaining items in your pantry. Label the bins or food containers. These are my favorite labels and favorite containers.
And lastly, clean the kitchen. Easier said than done, I know. Again, with the bags for trash and donation. Sort the cabinets and extra food drawers. I love organizing my kitchen drawers with inserts for both dining and cooking utensils. Here are the top choices for organizing the drawers. Clean the stoves, counters, and backsplash (often overlooked). Avoid clutter on your counters and sink.
Pots and pans are sometime overlooked. Here are some tools to keep them organized. And don’t forget your bakeware too!
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Day 3: Organize Your Home – Bathrooms
I put in a full day just for bathrooms. Why? It’s a tedious one! And I don’t mind giving my bathroom a deep clean and have a relaxing, warm bath after 😉
Again, start from top to bottom. Wipe and clean the walls, windows, mirrors before you touch the showers, tub, toilets, and floors. Change the shower curtain (if applicable). I learned a trick from a friend to use magic eraser and anti-bacterial dish detergent to clean my white tub. And it’s mind-blowing! No nasty odors and keeps my tub looking new.
And to organize my bath, I use shelves or wall cabinets. As for my vanity, I keep everything inside the cabinets and drawers. And don’t forget to put in a lot of toilet paper, hand towels, hand soap, and bathroom spray especially for your guest bath.
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Day 4: Organize Your Home – Bedroom and Closet
Bedroom and closet, for me, is not that hard compared to the first 3 days, unless you have a humongous closet (which I don’t haha!)
Change the curtains, wash the sheets, blankets (pillows, if okay) then vacuum the whole bed including the headboard, pillows, and carpets. Also, make sure to open the windows and let the fresh air in. If there’s sunlight, the better. Wipe down the night tables, lamps, picture frames, or any display. Organize your cords. And vacuum the whole bedroom.
For the closet, I use organizational bins and hang all my clothes. The secret to a neat and organized closet is to make sure everything is where they’re supposed to be. Go through your clothes and if you have clothes that you haven’t worn in a year, ask yourself if you will still reach out for it and wear it. If not, it’s a great option to donate or sell. Here are the best-selling closet organization tools:
Day 5: Organize Your Home – Yard and Garage
Now, we’re done with the main insides of the house. Day 5 is all about yard and garage. For those who use garage just for the cars, this will be so easy. But for some, like me and my friends, who make it as extra storage areas, this will be fun! For the yard, it’s more for cleaning and keeping it presentable.
In our old garage, we had this installed for extra storage.
Finally!! The 5-Day Cleaning Challenge is done! Which is your favorite day? And which part of your house is the hardest to clean? Did you organize your home?
Bonus Day: Don’t forget your porch, and stairs!
For the front porch, these planters and pots would look very aesthetically pleasing!
Other ideas for your porch and/or front yard:
After all is clean and organized, it’s time to have some fun! Call your family members, gather in your living room or dining, or bedroom, or yard, wherever you like at your home. And spend quality time together. We have Printables for Families to enjoy and have fun together!
