Forget waiting for spring. The new year, with all its promises of new beginnings, is the perfect time to add a little style to your home.
We looked around and found some helpful tips to help you get your home fit for the coming months.
Make the most of the weather
In other words, enjoy the cold. Everyone in Louisiana knows how unbearable it is to dig in the attic most of the year, but going there in the winter isn't so bad.
Renée Ory, of Lafayette-based planning and design firm Amazing Spaces, said the cooler January temperatures provide a head start for the cleanup.
A before photo: Penthouses can easily look like this, especially considering how hot it is in Louisiana most of the year.
"Now is a good time to clean places that get very hot in the summer, like the attic and garage," he said.
to be consequent
While most say it's best to clean one room at a time, others advise picking a specific task, such as cleaning. B. dusting, and to do this in every room. Either way, one thing is clear: having a system is important. If not, you'll likely back down, making the process overwhelming.
Choosing a start and end point in each room helps, and don't forget to clean from top to bottom.
After: Renee Ory directed this attic cleaning. With a little effort, this is what an attic looks like.
Go through seasonal decorations
Sure, piling up Christmas decorations is fun, but are you using them all? As Ory points out, cleaning up at the beginning of the year means removing the Christmas decorations. So take the opportunity to look at decorations that haven't been used in a while.
"Use this time to throw away anything you haven't used in the past two years," Ory said. "You could donate it to a charity, for example. This will help you prepare for next year's decorating season."
Ory said giving decorations to a charity is a diminutive in collecting.
clear the clutter
Anyone who was a teenager or was close to one has witnessed these types of scenes.
Cleaning is something that is best removed over a long period of time.
However, if you want to try it for your yearly cleaning, there are a few things to keep in mind. Attack the storage areas first to make room. Don't try to hold onto something with a "don't worry, I'll sell it later" approach because let's face it, that's probably not going to happen.
When you're wondering whether to keep something or throw it away, remember Marie Kondo's wise words: Does it make you happy?
...but believe it or not, a teenager's closet can look like this too (but maybe not for long).
Clean shelves, cabinets and appliances.
Take a look around and give your kitchen appliances (oven, stove, microwave, dishwasher) a thorough cleaning inside and out. Pay special attention to the toaster, as enough crumbs can move around on the bottom easily to start a small fire.
Also take a look at the shelves and don't forget the medicine and spice cabinets. While you're at it, check the expiration dates and throw away anything that went wrong. After all, spices and medicines can hide in the back of the cupboard for years.
Clean refrigerator
Refrigerators can get dirty pretty quickly. It's best to go through them shelf by shelf, starting at the top.
Clean the shelves with a durable cloth and if heavily soiled, gently remove and wash with soapy water.
During the holiday season, they can easily become overloaded with unused and spoiled food, so take the opportunity to toss out old food while you're at it.
Wipe the bottom of the jars down too, if you have to, because you don't want them to undo all your hard work once you put them back.
Lafayette-based organization and design expert Renée Ory knows tidying up.
don't get tired
This one is important. Cleaning can be not only exhausting but also overwhelming, especially when it seems like there is a lot to do.
The trick is to start small. Paddi Barnes of cleaning organization FlyLady suggests dividing the house into zones and working on each zone one at a time.
"You don't want to feel overwhelmed," says Barnes. "When you're overwhelmed, you sit on the floor and cry. You have to make fun of it."
"If you make it a chore, it's not going to happen. But if it's a five-minute mission, you can get five minutes done. You can do two minutes. Take baby steps."
Remember, a little at a time goes a long way. All you have to do is try.
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