Do you ever feel like sleepwalking through the first weeks of January? You’re still recovering from the hectic days of prepping your home to host friends or spending time visiting family out of state or abroad to celebrate the holidays. But at the same time, a brand new year has already started, and without warning, real life is calling out to you. You have to report back to work, prep the kids’ lunches in the morning, do school pickup, take your dog on a daily walk, and start dinner every night — all while the sticky mess of the holidays is still staring at you judgingly.
If you’ve already cleaned and packed your Christmas tree and the rest of your sparkly decorations for storage, good job! That’s a huge first step. If not, no worries; we’ve all been there once or twice, and we’re not here to judge but to help. This step-by-step home reset guide shares helpful post-holiday cleaning tips on reclaiming and refreshing your space for the year ahead.
1. Declutter
- Take down, clean, and store all festive decorations, including trees, ornaments, and lights, in designated storage boxes. If you don’t have one yet, we highly recommend using durable, see-through plastic containers labeled diligently so you know their contents without having to open them.
- Remember to collect, wash, and store other seasonal items you may have displayed and used during the holidays, such as Christmas-inspired bedding, placements, napkins, plates, or cutlery.
- Check for any excess stuff you may have, such as unwanted gifts, edible food items, or groceries that your household couldn’t possibly consume before their expiry date. Reach out to your local charity or community kitchen to inquire if it’s possible to donate them.
- If you have children, now is the perfect time for a toy purge. Discard any broken toys, and encourage your children to pick out some that they can let go of to donate to less fortunate kids.
2. Deep Clean Your Kitchen
The kitchen is often the hardest hit during the holidays. Restore your it to its former glory by doing the following:
- Deep clean major kitchen appliances, including your oven, fridge, dishwasher, and microwave.
- Remove everything from your countertops. Put away kitchen appliances you don’t use daily back in storage (for example, mixer, slow cooker, etc.) On the flip side, place your daily essentials, like the coffee maker and toaster, back to their original post on the counter.
- Wipe grime and grease from countertops and backsplash thoroughly with an all-purpose cleaner.
- Scrub the kitchen sink with a disinfecting cleaner and deep clean your garbage disposal.
- Sweep, vacuum, and mop the floors.
- Check and replenish your fridge and pantry with all the essentials you’re in low supply of.
3. Revive Your Guest Room
- Strip dirty linens from beds (sheets, pillowcases, blankets, comforters) and wash them in the laundry.
- Dust all surfaces and wipe down glass or mirrors.
- Vacuum and mop the entire room. Pay attention to corners and floor space under the furniture.
- Collect any personal belongings your guests may have left behind (books, magazines, toiletries).
- Neatly fold and put away any extra blankets, pillows, or linens.
- Straighten nightstands and dressers.
- Return any borrowed items (books, games, etc.) to their proper places.
- Open windows or use a fan to air out the room and eliminate any lingering odors.
4. Do a Quick Bathroom Refresh
- Give your bathrooms a thorough, deep cleaning.
- Clean the shower, bathtub, and toilet.
- Wash all towels and bathmats.
5. Schedule Home Maintenance
It’s also the start of the year and winter, so it makes sense to schedule maintenance as part of your home reset for January.
- Schedule a professional to inspect and clean your HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) system.
- If you have a working fireplace, make sure you clean your chimney, or better yet, get it professionally cleaned to prevent potential fire hazards.
- Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors around the house. Replace their batteries yearly.
- Call a professional plumber to check that your boiler and water heater are working and inspect your place for signs of leaks.
6. Bring in Fresh Flowers and Potted Plants
After weeks of being surrounded by beautiful holiday decorations, your home can feel a bit plain and boring suddenly without them. Don’t hesitate to introduce a subtle splash of color through vases filled with fresh floral arrangements or potted succulents and houseplants. They’re also a gorgeous and effective against fighting winter blues.
7. Reward Yourself with Self-Care
After all the hard work, reward yourself with a relaxing bath, a good book, or a box of chocolates with a cup of tea.
By following these tips, you can effectively reset your home after the holidays and enjoy a fresh start to the new year. Remember to take breaks, and don’t try to do everything at once. Most importantly, enjoy the process of bringing order back to your home and preparing for the year ahead.
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