Tips for tidying the home for a fresh start to the New Year

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Once again, it’s that time of the year when we gear up to bid farewell to the year that will soon be history and welcome the new one with zest and of course, many resolutions. To keep up with the spirit of festivity and to make a fresh beginning, it’s also time to start freshening up the home. You don’t have to spend a fortune to upgrade the home to welcome the New Year. According to our experts, all you need is a few simple tips that help to make some cosmetic fixes, free the space and tidy up the home. 

1. Let’s get the party started by decluttering the home

If you didn’t have time for the annual Diwali cleaning, the best thing to do is to get your home clean and ready for the New Year party. Take a closer look at each room. Old blankets and sweaters that you no longer use, gift wrapping papers from Diwali gifts that you folded and kept to reuse, items you will not use, decorative boxes emptied of sweets that you thought might come to use in future, broken strands of lights and ornament decoration, old magazines and newspapers… take stock, and you will surely find lots of things unnecessarily cluttering your home. Be ruthless when it comes to throwing things out, and if things are in working condition, make sure you donate them to the homeless. What is of no use to you can bring a smile to someone else’s face.

2. Spruce up the kitchen for a fresh start

Tidy up the kitchen by clearing the cabinets. Throw out items that are past their expiry date and restock the pantry for a new beginning. Get rid of cheap plastic containers saved from takeaway meals, check for broken and worn out cookware, utensils, non-stick pans, stained cups or any other kitchen items or gadgets no longer in use. If you are not using it now, perhaps you will not use it ever. Replace the old dishtowels, mops, and cleaning cloths.  

3. Time to take stock of your wardrobe by tidying up the cupboards

It’s time to replace summer clothes with winter wear. However, before you do so, start by reorganising and cleaning the entire wardrobe. Arrange the shelves after sorting through old shoes, worn-out clothes, clothes that the children have outgrown, accessories and more. There will be loads of stuff in the cupboards to discard. Donate or exchange it or recycle it if you won’t use it ever again. 

4. Freshen up the bathroom

Even the bathroom needs cleaning to stay fresh and fragrant. Check the collection of cosmetics and toiletries and throw old products. The festive season brings sales and discounts. So, go shopping and get a fresh stock of bath and beauty products. Replace old towels and shower curtains, descale the shower door and scrub the bathroom tiles, clean the toilet seat and windows to prepare the bathroom for the New Year.

5. Deep cleaning the house

Vacuum the home to get rid of dust and dirt. If the curtains and sofa covers were dry-cleaned before Diwali, you can vacuum them or spot clean to remove any stains. Do the same for the carpet, sofas, curtains, cushions and cushion covers. Clean the windows, spread fresh bedcovers and prune indoor plants. That’s it—your home will be ready to welcome the New Year. 

If you are running short of time, follow these 8 useful tips to get your home cleaned in an hour.

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