HOW CAN WE MAKE OUR HOUSE CLEAN AND BEAUTIFUL FOR NEW YEAR?
It is that time of the year again. Time to take stock of the year gone by and to plan for the coming year. This time around, it will be a painful process looking back at the year gone by. We all have suffered in some way or other and collectively faced one of the worst worldwide crises in recent history.
It may seem not very reasonable to make resolutions and plans for the New Year when the most significant lesson we learned from the year gone by is that nothing is certain. But the past year has also made us realize how important our home is and how vital it is that the space we call our house acts as a safe haven for our family and us.
So, while the uncertainty looms large and we take carefully measured steps into a brand new year, let us not make a fantastic and unrealistic list of things we plan to do. Instead, let us take a silent pledge to look after the one thing that stood by us and took care of us while the world around us came to a grinding halt.
So as 2020 comes to an end, let us make a resolution to give more love and care to our home. Let us prepare for the coming year, by sprucing up our living space and enhancing the atmosphere of the home that shelters and protects us.
Why is a Clean House Important?
It is not easy living a fulfilling life in today's day and age. You have to juggle with a million different things in a single day, and yet most of the time you still have a pending list of chores when you go to sleep in the night. Cleanliness, neatness, aesthetics and beauty of the home you live in often takes a back seat, as there is always something more important to be done.
Sometimes you even wonder why so much fuss is made about a clean and well done up house when it has no direct correlation to the happiness of the people living in it. Though that may be true to some extent, we do feel that there is some connection between how you feel in relation to how your house looks.
● It Eases Your Life
A dirty and disorganized house is challenging to function in. Even if you are not bothered by it, it will disrupt your attention in some way or other. It is a well- known fact that organized and clean spaces increase focus and productivity. Whether it is a sparkling kitchen counter or a neatly organized bedroom, nothing makes working easier than cleanliness.
● Makes it Easy to Find Stuff
Ever tried searching for your favorite clothing from a pile of dumped laundry? Or your keys in a messy drawer? If you have, then you know what we are talking about. It is never easy to find stuff in a mess. Keeping things tidy comes in handy when you are looking for something in a hurry.
● Sparks your Creativity
There is a reason why a messy room is called chaotic. Tidiness brings a sense of calm and serenity to a room. Your house should be able to provide you with this peace, and it must be clean and organized to do that. When the space around you is serene, it enhances your creativity and lets you explore more varied pursuits.
● A Thing of Beauty
Nobody wants to walk into a messy or dirty house. It is a sheer pleasure to enter a home that is clean and organized. A clean home is also easy on the eyes. It gives you more scope to add decorations and make the house welcoming to yourself and anyone else coming over.
● Induces Good Sleep
Studies have shown a direct link between a clean environment and sound sleep. You are more likely to get peaceful sleep if your bedroom is organized. A messy room with random stuff lying around is not relaxing. It can also be a too tedious thing to clear your bed at bedtime if you are in the habit of throwing things on it during the day.
These virtues of a clean home have strengthened our resolve that having a clean home should be at the top of everyone's to-do list.
Where Should the Cleaning Happen?
Ideally every nook and corner of your house. But we don't live in an ideal world. And cleaning the entire house is not a chore, it is a project which needs to be carried out throughout the year in phases.
But right now, we are on the brink of a brand New Year so let us look at the things you can do to make your home ready to welcome 2021.
Out With The Old, In With The New
Cleaning the house before New Year is an age-old tradition practiced with some variations across the country. Leaving aside the superstitions, it just makes logical sense to have a clean house before New Year. There is something therapeutic about the whole family coming together to make the house spic and span.
But we also understand the days leading up to 1st January are always busy, and you may not always have the time or the help required to do a deep clean in the entire house. But we can help you out with a few hacks that will help you tide over and have a sparkling house to celebrate New Year in.
1. Clean what is visibly dirty
This is a given; nothing should look dirty. Especially not in the areas which are visible to visitors.
This includes exteriors of your home, backyard, front porch and public areas of your home like the living room, dining hall and kitchen.
You have to remove any visible signs of dust and grime from these areas. These will be the places where you will be putting up most of your decorations, so it makes extra sense to have it clean.
2. Throw away the trash
The old clothes you have kept aside for charity, the broken chair you have meant to throw away and a million other small things are lying around the house that needs to go. Get rid of everything that you have been planning to throw out but never got around to doing. This will automatically take care of half the cleaning and also clear up some extra space.
3. Organize the storage areas
Once you have thrown out what is not needed, organize what is remaining. It will include areas like the attic, basement and garage. Neatly arrange the stuff you have in storage by categories. That way, they will be easy to find when you need them. Organizing the storage areas will also clarify space for any items you want to move into storage temporarily.
4. Deep clean the bathrooms
Nothing sets the cleanliness standards of a house like a clean and fragrant bathroom. There can be no cutting corners here from scrubbing to bleaching and everything else. Your restroom has to look and smell great.
5. Living and dining rooms
The living room will have maximum traffic if you have visitors. So, cleaning up the living room area should be the topmost priority. Make sure the upholstery items like cushion covers and curtains are washed or dry cleaned. Your couch and rug also need to be cleaned. A lot of dust can accumulate in display units, so clean them. Another must be cleaning the windows.
The same goes for the dining area. You have to give extra attention to the table and chairs. Also, make sure that all the tableware and cutlery you plan to use during the New Year celebrations are washed and stacked in an easily accessible way.
6. Kitchen
The kitchen is the hub of all activities. Even if you don't plan cooking at home, you will be serving from here. Deep cleaning of all appliances as well as all cabinets is a must. The sink area needs to be sparkling, and so does your countertop..
How to Arrange the Living Room?
This room is where all the celebrations will take place. So, you need to pay attention to small details and ensure the comfort levels of the guests.
Rearrange the furniture to create cozy seating areas for 2-4 people. It will allow people to form small groups for intimate conversations. Dining chairs can be beneficial in providing extra seating in these cases. To determine furniture placement, visually divide the room into fourths (more if space is larger), then place each grouping into a quadrant.
There is an unwritten rule of entertaining. If everyone has a place to sit, no one will mingle. Don't panic if you don't have the same amount of seating as the number of guests invited. People will move around and stand in groups to talk.
You want your arrangement to have a logical flow from the entryway to the back of the party, so allow enough room between your furniture groupings for people to move around comfortably. Your party area should be easy to navigate.
Avoid wallflowers at your function by pulling larger furniture pieces away from the walls. This permits guests to pass behind or casually perch on the backs of sofas and stuffed chairs while simultaneously making the room feel larger.
Scatter around small tables, so your guests have a place to put their plates and glasses. Place a stack of tissues at various places. Ensure your vases or other showpieces don't take up the entire space on the center or corner tables. Leave a little area empty.
Instead of setting up the bar in the dining room or kitchen, you can set it up in the foyer, so your guests are greeted with a drink as soon as they enter.
How to Rearrange the Dining Room?
There are two ways to entertain your guest; you either have a sit-down dinner or a buffet.
If you have a buffet, pull the table away from the wall. Place the table in the center so the guests can have access to the food from both sides.
If having a sit-down dinner, set the table well in advance and make sure that your centerpiece is not taller than 12 inches. After all, you want your guest to be able to look at each other across the table.
Don't set the bar next to the dining table. This rule applies to both buffet and sit-down dinners. Keep the bar area separate to avoid congestion.
Set out an empty tray in an underused corner of the room or leave the surface of a sideboard open as a place for used dishware to be discarded. Be sure to periodically clear it so that it doesn't become a ready-to-tumble tower of glass.
Make sure that the passage between the dining area and the kitchen is clear. You will need to make quite a few trips back and forth carrying food. So, make sure there are no chairs or tables placed in that area.
Do You Need a House Cleaning Service?
Does all this talk about cleaning make your head reel? Well, we can understand how daunting these tasks sound and can overwhelm anyone.
Cleaning services can become your Christmas Miracle in this case and take care of your cleaning troubles. Yes, they are expensive, but nothing is more valuable than your time and happiness.
They are worth the price you pay, as you end up saving valuable time that you can spend with your loved ones doing things you enjoy. Hiring professionals to do the job will also result in a professionally cleaned home, which means you don't have to worry about deep cleaning for quite some time.
No matter how necessary, cleaning is a tiring and thankless job, especially if you have to do it in your home. Many of us end up being exhausted just before a party, as we have spent days getting the house ready. What is the point of throwing an awesome party in a perfect home if you are too tired to enjoy it? Getting a cleaning service to do the work will ensure that you are in a happy frame of mind to entertain your guests.
So, whether you decide to take it up yourself or hire someone to do it, all that matters at the end of the day is that you have a house that you are proud of and ready to flaunt in the New Year.
J. West wishes you all a New Year filled with health and happiness. May this year fulfill all your dreams and may you successfully follow all your New Year Resolutions.