Community & Business
29 December, 2023
Fresh start for the new year
THE start of any new year is a great time to think about your life and how the next 12 months will pan out, but it’s also the ideal time to refresh your living space and tackle some of those jobs around the house while you’re on holidays.
There’s something about an organised and clean space that makes you feel renewed.
So where to start? Time to declutter the interior of your home first:
♣ Start with the kitchen, throwing out all those food items that are past their use-by dates.
♣ Go through the kids rooms, removing old toys that no longer work or are just worn out. Sort the kid’s wardrobes and donate clothes that don’t fit them anymore.
♣ Go through our paperwork and those drawers you throw things in to look at later. Getting rid of all that paper can be a very cleansing experience and you’ll know where everything is for once!
♣ Go through your closets and wardrobes and separate clothes and linens you no longer want and donate them.
♣ Get into those bathroom cupboards and drawers which generally hold makeup you don’t want anymore and skincare items that are out of date.
♣ Sort through old books and magazines and donate the ones you don’t want anymore.
Get some basic maintenance jobs done:
♣ Get all those little jobs like filling nail holes in your walls done.
♣ Do a quick repaint if needed.
♣ Check your fire extinguishers for expiry dates.
♣ Check your smoke detectors and replace batteries if required.
♣ Clean out your gutters to prepare for more rain in the early months of the year.
♣ Fix areas around your windows and doors to avoids any leaks.
♣ Sort out the garage or shed and really get serious about throwing things away, giving things away and tidying up so you can find what you’re looking for.
Let’s get it clean:
♣ Clean your washing machine, clothes dryer and dishwasher – these often tend to get ignored.
♣ Clean the filters of your air con to make it work more efficiently and vacuum the dust and hair out of your bathroom exhaust fan.
♣ Wipe down all the ceiling fans – you never see how dirty they are until they stop.
♣ Get rid of that that dust on your blinds.
♣ Wipe all your skirting boards, another area that often gets overlooked, and wipe down walls, particularly in your living areas where children and pets can leave their mark.
♣ Give the lounge suite a good vacuum, making sure you remove the cushions where lots of stuff tends to end up. You might even find some money!
♣ Get rid of all those cobwebs.
♣ Clean behind the stove and the fridge – it’s amazing what gathers under these over a period of time.
So, now you have the plan, it’s time to get the whole family involved and start 2024 with a clean slate – and a clean home.
