This Is the First Thing You Should Clean in 2025
As time moves forward, 2025 is almost here. If you’ve made the decision to keep your home in top condition, congratulations on taking this important step. Even if that’s not the case, there are some cleaning tasks that should be completed as the new year begins. Some are annual, some are addictive, and some are beneficial during the winter months. Here’s your checklist of everything you need to clean up by early 2025.
Start by organizing your fall and holiday items.
The first thing on your list should be seasonal attack. Start your New Year’s cleaning by getting rid of all the fall essentials and cluttered holiday items. Obviously, this means storing or getting rid of the Christmas tree, packing up Santa figurines or menorahs, and returning your home to the way it was before the holiday. But you can go deeper. Replacing items seasonally is an important part of keeping your home tidy. Put lighter jackets in the back of your closet (or store them with other clothes in the off-season using under-bed storage containers or something similar), replace rain boots with snow boots, place heavier laundry on the bed, and place a rake on warehouse while you lower the shovel.
When it comes to keeping your home organized, there are a few key rules to remember: like items should be kept together, and everything you own should have a designated place. By gathering out-of-season items together and getting them out of the way, you’ll free up access to what you really need no matter the time of year. By doing this as the first step of your New Year’s cleaning, you’ll be well prepared for the rest of the winter. As you go through this stage, don’t be afraid to really get organized. Use whatever decluttering method works best for you to truly appreciate everything you declutter. While fall is still fresh in your mind, think critically and objectively about what you’ve used, what you haven’t used, and what could actually be thrown away or donated so it doesn’t take up unnecessary storage space.
Clean your radiator if you haven’t already.
I forgive you if you haven’t cleaned your radiator yet this year. It’s been unseasonably warm in many parts of the country, but it’s almost January and the luck is about to run out. Luckily, this isn’t that difficult , although it may seem daunting due to the many crevices on the device. You will need a hair dryer or compressed air. First, manually remove any large clumps of dirt or dust that you see, then point the nozzle of a hair dryer or blower into the radiator slots at an upward angle to force the air to push the dust up and out. Avoid standing face to face with the car as this may cause the dirt to penetrate deeper, which is not what we want. After this, clean up any debris that has come out and wipe the outer surface of the radiator with soapy water.
If you haven’t done fans and vents yet, now is the time. For all air purifiers and fans, remove the filter and clean it thoroughly according to the manufacturer’s instructions. After unplugging the machine, wipe down the exterior with soapy water and allow it to dry completely before plugging it back in or, in the case of box fans, storing them for the winter. While you’re at it, use the same techniques as when cleaning your radiator to clean all built-in vents, including those on baseboards and ceilings, such as in the bathroom. This isn’t constant cleaning, so prioritize it during your New Year’s sprint.
Tackle your annual cleaning tasks
Some cleaning tasks are maintenance oriented. After all, you’ll have to vacuum, sweep, and wipe down things regularly. Other work, however, only needs to be carried out periodically. Of course, you can wait until spring cleaning or start it now and start the new year with a clean slate. A few examples for your consideration:
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Thoroughly clean all appliances by removing them from the wall and vacuuming behind them before deep cleaning the inside.
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Deep clean your carpets and upholstery by hiring a professional to do the job or renting a powerful machine.
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As mentioned, clean your vents and ducts, but call a professional for an inspection if you haven’t had one done within the last three years.
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Clean your mattress, wash your mattress cover, and wash your pillows, not just your bedding.
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Clean the inside of all windows, such as between the panes, shutters and tracks (but wait until spring cleaning if it’s too cold where you live to justify opening them).
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Wash the shower curtain, liner, and bath mat.
This is also the time to tackle the things you should do a little more often than annually, but that never come up during your regular weekly cleaning routine. I’m talking about wiping down baseboards and walls, dusting blinds, and disinfecting high-touch surfaces like light switches and remote controls.
Prepare for a cleaner year
Finally, while you’re at it all, take note of what’s really messy so you can give it more attention in the new year. It’s never too late to start a new cleaning routine, and I recommend creating a detailed cleaning schedule that moves you through different rooms throughout the month and only cleans in scheduled 15-minute chunks once a day.
Set an intention to create and stick to a schedule as one of your New Year’s resolutions, and then make sure to follow through on it . It’s much easier to clean in small increments without overwhelming yourself than to devote entire days or weeks to renovating a space that has gotten out of control.