Winter cleaning to get your New Year off to the right start!

Image courtesy of Hana Chramostova

What better way to kick off 2017 than with a guest post about getting your home back in shape after the holidays? I'm happy to welcome back guest blogger, Jeriann Watkins Ireland who has some great tips for you. You can follow her at www.dairyairhead.com. 

The holidays are over and you’re probably looking at your home, with new items from Christmas and everything out of place from having company, and wondering where to begin in getting everything back to normal. Here are a few tips in how to start your new year off right with an organized, clean home.

Find Homes for New Items

You likely have a few new possessions after the holidays. The first step to finding spots for these new items is to determine if they are replacing something. If they are, donate the old item and clean the space before placing the new item in its home. This works great for kitchen appliances and home accessories, which often get replaced before they’re actually beyond use.

Sanitize Everything

If you hosted guests this holiday season, especially kids, it’s likely you have food crumbs hiding in your kitchen and dirt from snow and leaves clinging to your floors. Now is a great time to wipe down the surfaces in your home, and vacuum every corner and piece of furniture. This will give you a chance to take stock of all your possessions, reorganize things that don’t really have an assigned place, and best of all, minimize! Chances are, when you’re cleaning out junk drawers, you’ll find many items you simply don’t need. Use this chance to clear your home of clutter and start 2017 fresh! While you’re cleaning, be sure to use double duty cleaners. One of the many uses for vinegar is mixing it with citrus rinds to create a bacteria-killing all-purpose cleaner. And once you’re done cleaning, if you’re still looking to freshen up your room, try these DIY natural room deodorizers.

Making your own cleaners is fun, healthy, and gives you momentum to actively improve your new year!

Prepare for Spring

Even though many parts of the country are covered in snow right now, it won’t be long until it’s time to get your garden ready. Start mapping out a plan for what you’re planting this year, and where you’ll be planting it. If you have yard weeds like goat heads, you’ll want to make up natural weed killers (vinegar works great for this, too!) And start spraying them as soon as you see the grass again! You can also start planning your pest-repellent strategy, particularly by making room for plants that repel insects and ones that attract hummingbirds and bees. The goal is to make your garden and yard a friend to nature.

So if your house is looking a bit cluttered after the holidays, don’t worry! With a few simple steps and a bit of strategy, you’ll have a shining, organized home base for you to plan and execute your entire, wonderful new year!