The holidays are a time for increased activities in the home. It seems much harder to keep your home clean during the holiday season, too – but with these 5 tips you’ll enjoy an organized and cleaner home so you can focus on the things that really matter – like spending time with family and friends.
Vacuum Under the Tree
If you have a fresh cut tree in your home, you know the challenge of pine needles. Even if you keep your tree properly watered, pine needles will start to fall from the branches. Once on the floor, they stick to your socks or shoes and will travel throughout your home – leaving little pine needles pretty much everywhere over time! Give the space under and around your tree a quick daily vacuum to keep the pine needles under control.
Clean the Kitchen After Baking
Before you start baking Christmas cookies or any other holiday treats, empty the dishwasher. That way, it will be ready for you to add your dirty dishes as you use them so you can prevent the dirty dish pile-up in the sink that results after baking.
Keep Up with the Contents of Your Refrigerator
As you head into the holidays you’re likely to have more food stored in the refrigerator than usual. Take some time to clean out anything you don’t need before you start loading it up with holiday food preparation. If you will be hosting a big family dinner, consider getting disposable storage containers beforehand. As you clean up from the dinner, give guests leftovers to take home.
Put Things Away as You Use Them
This is a time of year for crafting and decorating. It’s also a time of year when clutter tends to take over our homes. If you take craft supplies out to make something with the kids, put it away as soon as your crafting session is over. When you lug all of the holiday decorations out, put the boxes away until it’s time to pack everything up. Stacking boxes around your home makes it look cluttered, unorganized, and generally messier than it needs to look. If you have decorations that no longer look nice or work properly, toss them! It will help keep your holiday decorations organized.
Avoid the Winter Boot Mess
If you live in an area with snow and sleet, or even just excessive rain, you know what a mess the winter boots can make! Add to that challenge an increase in guests during the holiday season and you could be stepping in puddles inside your home in your socks! That’s the worst! Ask everyone to take their boots off before they come indoors. Then, if it’s cold, place the boots into plastic grocery bags (one per person) so you can bring the boots indoors and place them, bag and all, on your boot or welcome mat. The plastic bag will collect the snow and ice as it melts and keep your house dry.
Here at Window Nation, we wish you a clean and joyous holiday season! Click below to learn more about our replacement windows.