Fresh Year, Fresh Start: Making a Clean Start in 2023

Happy 2023 from the Merry Maids® team!

Each new year stirs up the desire to make some changes around your home. Whether you want to clean out your kitchen drawers, spruce up your master bath with a fresh coat of paint, or swap out the lightbulbs in your home for warmer light, a few small changes can have a huge impact on how you feel!

Having trouble coming up with your list of exactly what you want to tackle? Hey, we got you! Cheers to a cleaner, more organized 2023 with these New Year’s cleaning resolutions.

Start By Establishing A Cleaning Routine

Set yourself up for success and stick to your goals by creating a schedule that you’ll actually adhere to every week. Whether you make it yourself or buy one, a printed chore chart will help keep you motivated. A tangible checklist can help your tasks feel less overwhelming. Plus, it’s really satisfying to check off items as you complete them. Break your lists up into daily, weekly, and monthly cleaning tasks so your cleaning jobs never get out of hand!

Declutter

The new year is the perfect time to reinforce the “one in, one out” rule. Before the kids put away their toys and clothes, have them fill up a bag to donate to charity. Still taking down your holiday decor? Go through your decorations and get rid of the ones that don’t hold sentimental value or that have seen better days. Another easy way to declutter is to go through your drawers and discard outdated or unused items.

To declutter your bathroom vanity, toss out the hair products and cosmetics that are past their expiration date or that you rarely use. If you have a drawer filled with travel-size toiletries from hotel stays, you can donate them to a local shelter.

The same goes for the pantry: clean it out and get rid of anything that is expired, old or not needed. If it’s been there for a year or more, even if it isn’t technically expired, you probably aren’t going to use it and can toss it out.

Tackle Laundry Promptly

One of the quickest ways for messes to get out of control is to let dirty clothes pile up around the house. Whether hampers are overflowing or clean clothes are sitting in baskets waiting to be folded and put away, the longer you wait, the messier your home will look.

Set a timer for 15 minutes and see how much you can put away! To take it a step further, get into the habit of putting clothes, towels, and linens away as soon as they come out of the dryer. Also, if you have older children in your household, this is a good chore to delegate to them. It’s a relatively easy task to accomplish and will give them a sense of responsibility.

Designate A Few Minutes Each Night To Tidy Up Your Bedroom

You will be amazed how much you can get done in just five minutes before heading to bed. Hang up your clothes, put shoes in the closet, wipe down your bathroom vanity and mirror, pick up any trash or stray items lying around the room, and maybe even give the rugs a quick vacuum. When you make straightening up a part of your nightly routine, your bedroom should never get messy. This is also a great habit to teach children at a young age.

Don’t Let Kitchen Messes Get Out Of Control

Clean while you cook. That means as food is simmering on the stove, you can wash and put away cutting boards, bowls, and knives, and return extra ingredients to the fridge, pantry, or spice rack. Always do the dishes after every meal. That could mean simply loading into the dishwasher or washing by hand, but a sink full of dishes is the fastest way to make your kitchen look dirty. Spray down and wipe the countertops so they look and smell clean. If you have a dishwasher, run it at night before bed and unload clean dishes in the morning so dirty dishes won’t need to pile up in your sink.

By implementing these few simple habits in 2023, you will soon enjoy a cleaner, less cluttered living space in which to relax and unwind!