7 Expert Tips for Cleaning Up After the Holidays – Everything You Need to Know
Unwrapping presents during Christmas was a blast. Watching the ball drop and letting confetti fly everywhere on New Year’s Day was fun, too. In addition to these well-known holidays, other events have come and gone. Hanukkah is over, and Kwanzaa has reached its conclusion. By the end of January, the Lunar New Year will be behind us, too. The holidays are going away, but the messes we made celebrating them remain. Just like how we all cleaned up for the fall, it’s time to do some holiday cleaning, too!
Johnson Junk Removal is here to help figure out how to go about cleaning up after the holidays. With our helpful holiday cleaning tips, you’ll have the knowledge you need to move forward into another year with a clean slate. In this case, the clean slate will be your newly decluttered property!
1) Clean Out the Fridge
We don’t always manage to finish off every part of our holiday feasts. The leftovers wind up in plastic containers, then get pushed to the back of your refrigerator. While you may have eaten those leftovers for a while, chances are, they grew old fast.
By this point, that food won’t stay good for long. Maybe now is a good time to clean out the fridge! Find those leftovers and toss them out. Rearrange the food you want to keep and take some time to wipe down the shelves, as well.
2) Tidy the Kitchen
In a similar vein, your kitchen might be in a sad state because of all the holiday cooking you did. Even if the space seems clean at a glance, take a closer look. Dribbles of turkey juices might have slid down the side of the stove. Pieces of stuffing could be hiding beneath the fridge. You may even find something exploded inside the microwave.
Fortunately, these are all problems that can be solved with a little elbow grease. Grab a washcloth, degrease, and soap, and wipe that filth away. Bust out the broom and dustpan to clean up the floor. Once you’re done with that, we recommend mopping, as well.
3) Store Old Decorations
During the holidays, you likely had decorations strung up all over your house. However, with the holidays falling behind us, something needs to be done with all those knickknacks. After all, we can’t celebrate the holidays all year long.
Store those electrical lights, inflatable decorations, and wreaths in boxes or bins, then put them in an appropriate storage space, such as the basement. Or, if you don’t plan on using them again, take them to a nearby donation site instead.
4) Check the Bathrooms
After having guests over, it’s important to make sure your bathrooms are clean. Grab a toilet brush, some paper towels, and all the cleaning fluids you need for this job. After you’ve scrubbed the toilet, the sink, and the mirror, you may decide to wipe down the shower and tiles, as well.
5) Check Your Smoke Detectors
It’s cold outside this time of year, which is probably a huge understatement. Because of this, you’re probably heating your house up one way or another, whether it’s wood fireplaces, gas heaters, or a central heating system. While these are great ways to stay warm, we need to stay vigilant and recognize the threat of house fires and carbon monoxide leaks.
To stay on top of your personal safety, crack out the ladder and check the batteries in your smoke detectors. And, if you don’t have carbon monoxide detectors as well, look into them. That way, you can enjoy a warm home without having to worry.
6) Clean Your Fabrics
Think about all the guests that were lounging around your home during the holidays. Your sofas and other furniture have been seeing a lot of use. Because of this, it might be time to clean up those fabrics.
Send those pillowcases through the washing machine and use an upholstery cleaner to remove any bad scents from your furniture. While you’re at it, you may want to wash your bed. After all, there’s nothing more comfortable than tucking into clean sheets during a chilly night.
7) Consider Junk Removal
With all those new gifts taking up space around the house, you may find yourself wishing you had more room. Do you need to clean out old junk from your attic, basement, or closet? Want to get rid of some old toys and clothes that no one uses anymore? How about heavy items such as furniture and appliances that need to go?
When you have your hands full with other holiday cleaning tasks, consider holiday home cleaning services from a professional junk removal company. These expert crews have the muscles needed to haul even the bulkiest junk items off your property. However, expect this to cost some amount of money. Free junk removal is hard to come by, but don’t worry because professional junk removal businesses save you a lot of work for a reasonable price tag.