It’s November and that means that it’s time to put all the Halloween decorations away, take a breath and to ready ourselves for Christmas. It’s the perfect time to take care of 5 chores that you wouldn’t think to do on an every day basis, but they still make a difference in the cleanliness of your home.

 

Here are a few pointers for your “in-between-the-holidays-cleaning-list”:

 

1. Clean your dishwasher! Yes, you should take the time to do this from time to time. It’s easy! Start by making sure that it’s all the way empty. Remove any obvious gunk or grime by hand. We also suggest that you use a soapy sponge to scrub the racks and the inside of the dishwasher. When that’s done, take a small bowl of white vinegar, place it inside the dishwasher and turn it on. This will help  disinfect and deodorize your dishwasher.  All this can be done in less than 10 minutes.

 

2. Dust your blinds and clean your window sills.  Start by closing your blinds all the way. Use your trusty duster to wipe the blinds down on one side. Close them the other way and do the same. If you see stuck on dirt or grime, use a microfiber cloth to remove the dirt. If your blinds are really dirty, remove them from the window and soak them in hot soapy water for 15 minutes. Now, the dirt can be easily removed. Dry them and hang them back up. Last but not least, use your microfiber cloth to clean all dust and dirt from your window sills.

 

3. Give your baseboards some TLC. Take your duster and run it along your baseboards to remove all loose dust, dirt or hair that may have collected there. Now it’s time to pay attention to detail. Fill a small bucket with hot water and some degreaser and clean the baseboards with your microfiber cloth. This is not a fun task, but it’s worth your effort. Your clean floors will look that much better!

 

4. Wash all your pillow cases, throw blankets, and curtains. We don’t have to tell you how to get this done, but it will make all the difference in the way your house looks and smells.

 

5. Reduce, re-use, and recycle: You would be amazed to see how many things in your household are just taking up space, or are in the wrong place. Take some time to sort out the things you have not used for 6 months, the clothes you don’t wear or that don’t fit any more and the toys that your kids stopped playing with. There are many charitable organizations who will appreciate your donations and many families who will appreciate your unused things.

 

Happy Holidays,

 

Tanja & Rena