Follow these simple house cleaning tips to get your home clean and tidy after the holiday chaos! There’s nothing better than a fresh, clean home to start off the new year!
Everyone always wants a fresh start in the new year and our homes are no exception! While cleaning is never at the top of my “favorite things to do” list, I do love getting the house cleaned and organized again after the holidays. I know many of you are joining me on my January decluttering challenge to work on getting your homes decluttered and organized {it’s not too late to start!}, and today I want to talk about the cleaning part.
Post Holiday House Cleaning Tips
Cleaning up after the holidays can be a bit of a daunting task – especially if you’re burned out from all of the holiday chaos! To help you out, I’ve put together some of my favorite post-holiday house cleaning tips for you. There’s nothing better than a clean, fresh home to start off the new year so let’s get cleaning!
NOTE: This post is created in partnership with Grove Collaborative. While I have not received any payment for this post, it does contain affiliate links and I do receive a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. As always all opinions are 100% my own and I authentically use and purchase these products myself.
Do a garbage run.
Before you start cleaning grab a garbage bag {or two or three!} and a recycling bag. Go through your house from top to bottom and collect any remaining garbage or recyclables.
Gather up items that belong elsewhere.
Get a laundry bin or other large basket and go around the house collecting items that belong in different rooms. Put them all in the basket and then get each family member to grab what’s theirs and put it all away in the proper location.
Have a donation box.
As you’re working your way through your home, think about what items you really use and love and what items you don’t really need. Getting rid of excess items will not only make cleaning easier, but it will also give you more breathing space and free up your space and time for those things that you really love. If you keep a donation box readily available {or even just a specific space to put items that you wish to donate}, you’ll be more likely to let those items go.
Gather your cleaning supplies.
Using the right cleaning supplies can definitely make your cleaning tasks quicker, easier, and – yes! – even more enjoyable! I’ve been using Grove Collaborative to purchase the majority of our cleaning supplies for the past couple of years now and I LOVE them! If you’re not familiar yet with Grove, they’re basically an online retailer dedicated to carrying the best natural products for home and body. You can find all of your favorite green cleaning brands as well as an awesome line of exclusive Grove products at discounted rates. If you’re interested in learning more, be sure to check out the end of the post for an amazing FREE GIFT OFFER!
Before getting started on a space, try to gather up any cleaning supplies that you may need. This allows you to stay more focused on your task and avoid having to spend time searching supplies. A cleaning caddy is a great way to keep your supplies organized and easily transportable from room to room. Here’s what I like to keep in our basic cleaning caddy:
- microfiber cleaning cloths. {TIP: Try using different colored cloths for different rooms so you know where to put them after doing laundry.}
- Norwex polishing cloth This is the best thing I’ve found for windows, mirrors, and any shiny surfaces.
- spray bottle of water
- spray bottle of multi-purpose spray. These multi-purpose cleaning concentrates are one of my favorite things from Grove. They smell amazing and use SO much less packaging! You can also purchase it in a kit to save even more money. And to make it even prettier, I even created these free printable cleaning labels for you.
- cleaning toothbrush {for cleaning in crevices}
Depending on your floor surface, you’ll also need a vacuum, floor steamer, or mop and floor cleaner.
Have a cleaning plan.
Having a set cleaning plan makes it much easier to stay on task and avoid distractions. Try to always work from the top to the bottom when cleaning a room and from one side to the other to avoid getting dirt and dust in places you’ve already cleaned. I generally follow these steps:
- vacuum any cobwebs in ceiling/corners
- dry dust from top to bottom
- clean any spots on walls/wipe down furniture as needed {working from top to bottom}
- clean baseboards
- vacuum {and wash hardwood floors as needed}
Work on one space or room at a time.
When I’m doing a deep cleaning, I always like to work on one room at a time. I find that this helps me to stay on task better and it gives me a lot more satisfaction {and motivation to keep going!} when I see a space completely done. There’s nothing worse than feeling like you’ve cleaned all day without a finished space to show for it.
Put away holiday items as you go.
I know many people like to put away all of their Christmas items on one day, but I usually take my time with this and just do it as I clean each space. As you put away the holiday decorations, completely clear off the space to give it a good cleaning before putting any non-seasonal items back. To make holiday decorating easier next year, sort all of your holiday decor into similar items before storing {i.e. all pillows/pillow covers together, all ornaments in one container, all trees in one spot, etc.}
Don’t put too much pressure on yourself.
There’s no rule that says that the holiday clean-up has to be done by a specific date. Give yourself some time to enjoy that post-holiday lull if you need it and keep those decorations up for a bit if you choose! Once you’re ready to get going, set up a realistic schedule that works for you. Some like to do it all in a day or two while others {myself included!} take a little bit longer. 🙂
I hope that’s helpful for you. Like most household tasks, the hardest part is just getting started! Before you go, be sure to check out the amazing free gift offer below from Grove Collaborative. I’ve been working with them for a couple of years now and this is the BEST DEAL that they’ve offered yet!
About Grove Collaborative
If you’re not familiar with Grove Collaborative, they’re an online retailer dedicated to carrying the best natural products for home and body. Each month, you choose what products you would like to have shipped directly to your home {or you can choose NOT to have anything shipped if you’re stocked up!}. They have lots of your favorite brands {as well as an exclusive line of their own} at discounted rates. There is NO minimum order, so you can totally skip months if there’s nothing that you need. Just buy what you want, when you want.
I’ve been using Grove for a couple of years now and I LOVE it! I probably purchase about 75% of all of our cleaning products from them as well as a variety of beauty and personal care items. I’ve discovered a lot of new products that I wouldn’t have found otherwise and actually get excited about ordering cleaning items! They’re always adding new items, so there’s always something different to try out {as well as your tried and true favorites!}. Check out Grove Collaborative HERE for all of the best green cleaning and beauty products. And if you order soon, you can get the free gift offer below! Let me know if you have any questions!
FREE GROVE COLLABORATIVE GIFT OFFER
Are you ready to hear about the awesome free gift offer? With your FIRST order of $20 or more from Grove Collaborative, you’ll get all of the items below for FREE! You even get to choose your scents. Pick from lavender, honeysuckle, lemon verbena, geranium and basil, or mix and match to create your own custom combination! This offer runs through the month of January or while supplies last. {NOTE: Grove Collaborative does not yet ship to Canada. I live really close to the US border so I have a US shipping company that I use for anything that doesn’t ship up here.}
- Free Mrs. Meyer’s hand soap
- Free Mrs. Meyer’s multi-surface spray
- Free Mrs. Meyer’s dish soap
- Grove Collaborative cleaning caddy. It now comes in white or grey – so cute!
- Grove walnut scrubber sponges {set of 2}
- Free shipping & 60 day VIP trial. This allows you to save even more with free shipping, free gifts, price matching, exclusive sales and personal service. {Note: You aren’t required to stay for the 60 days and can still cancel at any time.}
To receive your free gift, all you need to do is sign up with Grove and purchase at least $20 of any products that you would like. You can cancel at ANY TIME {although I’m sure you’ll love it as much as I do and won’t want to!} and aren’t obligated to purchase any further items. Be sure to set your shipment preferences when you sign up so you don’t forget to do it later. You can choose the frequency of your shipment or opt for no auto shipments. It’s all up to you!
AND, if you order $39 in products, you’ll ALSO receive a FREE sink side ceramic tray. I have one beside our kitchen and laundry room sinks and also use one by our bathtub to hold our shampoo and conditioner. They just make everything cuter!
RECEIVE YOUR FREE CLEANING CADDY AND MRS. MEYERS PRODUCTS
If you’re ready to get started, here’s the simple step by step process. Again, if you have ANY questions about the process or the products themselves, just let me know. I’ve tried A LOT of them! I’ll also be doing another post on Friday about all of my favorite products that I use {and what new products I’m ordering this time!}
- Sign up for Grove Collaborative HERE. You will receive the cleaning caddy, Grove walnut scrubbers and Mrs. Meyers products listed above for free when you sign up!
- To receive this offer, your order needs to be a minimum of $20. You can pick any products that you would like – not just from the recommended items. Choose the combination of products that you want and pick the scents you love. AND, if you order over $39, you will also get a free Grove sink side tray! receive your first box within a few days. {NOTE: This offer is only for NEW customers. If you’re already a customer, you can still get a free package of the Grove walnut scrubbers with your order by clicking on this link.}
- You made it! Click Finish & Pay and place your order.
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