Are you playing hostess this year? In the weeks leading up to the holidays, you clean every surface and dust every corner to make your family and friends feel comfortable in your home.
Dinners are eaten, glasses are clinked and presents are opened in a whirlwind few days of Christmas cheer. When guests leave, however, you might feel overwhelmed with the mess and piles of gifts.
To start 2015 off with a clean slate, try these tried-and-true tips for cleaning and de-cluttering your home after the holidays.
Trim Your Possessions
If you received just as much as you gave this holiday season, it might be time to take stock of your possessions. Clean out your closet, and sell or donate your old sweaters and accessories. This will help you make room for the new items you found under the tree.
Did Mom get you those stainless steel pots and pans you had your eye on? There’s no reason to hold onto your old set. If you’re strapped for time, many donation sites have free pick-ups of clothing and household items.
Put Away Decorations
One of the easiest ways to clean your home after the holidays is to put away your seasonal decorations. While it’s a tad depressing to say goodbye to your ornaments for another year, you’ll be thankful you got your tree out on the curb before the needles start to fall.
And don’t forget to multitask. While you’re taking the garland off the stairs, dust between the spindles. When you take the wreath above the fireplace down, sweep up any ashes Santa might have left behind.
Get Clever With Containers
Now is also a good time to look through your home’s storage solutions. Think about what isn’t working and where you find consistent messy piles. If your closet is overflowing with crumpled scarves, consider purchasing an inexpensive scarf hanger.
Are there books on every flat surface in your living room? Display them in a bookcase. You can also invest in baskets, bins and hooks to de-clutter your home’s pantry, cabinets and drawers.
Store Some More
When cleaning your home after the holidays, you might find yourself with a number of items to put in storage. If you’re running out of space in all the usual places, consider some unconventional storage solutions. You can easily store large totes in your garage eaves and on exposed beams with the addition of a few two-by-fours. Rolling, shallow totes are also perfect for under beds to store holiday wrapping paper and decorations.
Think outside the box and you’ll have no problem freshening up your home once all the guests have left, and de-cluttering your space for the new year.
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