Pre-Holiday Home Organization: Clean, Clutter-Free, and Ready to Celebrate

The holiday season is just around the corner, and there's no better time to get your home in tip-top shape for the festivities. In this blog post, we'll explore effective home organization and cleaning tips that will help you welcome the holidays with open arms. Plus, I'll share some of my favorite products to make the process a breeze.

Cooking Up Order in Your Kitchen

• Declutter and Reorganize: Start by clearing out your pantry, cabinets, and fridge. Donate unneeded items and throw out expired/rotten items to make room for holiday ingredients. I try to do this once a quarter (ideally more often, but it rarely happens more than that).

• Use Handy Organization Solutions: I love this knife drawer organizer, ziploc bag organizer, and tea bag organizer to keep knives, ziploc bags, and teas neatly organized.

• Deep Clean: Give your kitchen a deep clean, paying extra attention to the oven, stovetop, and refrigerator. My favorite kitchen cleaning products are from Norwex and Grove Collaborative.

Simplifying Laundry for Stress-Free Holidays

• Sort and Declutter: Clear the laundry room of any clutter. Donate or discard items you no longer need.

• Invest in Laundry Solutions: These collapsable laundry baskets and this lint bin that is magnetic and attaches to the side of my dryer have been game-changers for keeping my laundry room organized and efficient.

• Clean Appliances: Don't forget to clean your washer. I use Grove Collaborative’s Washing Machine Cleaner to keep it in top condition.

Get Ready for Guests with Sparkling Floors

• Choose the Right Cleaning Tools: I am a big Roomba fan. It handles our area rugs and moving from wood floors to cork to tile effortlessly. Just don’t leave a door open - ours went out and started vacuuming our deck! For mopping, I like the Bona system. It is easy to use, and gets the job done!

• Create a Cleaning Schedule: Develop a routine for regular floor maintenance, especially in high-traffic areas. I’d like to say that I mop once a week, but lately it’s been every other week. With no little kids in the home, and the Roomba going every day, I find it’s not necessary to mop as often.

Stocked, Styled, and Stress-Free Pantry

• Empty and Sort: Remove all items from your pantry shelves. Check expiration dates and toss old items. This should probably be a monthly to do, but I probably only get to it quarterly.

• Use Storage Containers: Oxo Pop Top Containers are fantastic for keeping dry goods organized and fresh. Having these in my pantry help keep it organized and are the main reason I don’t feel the need to clean out and organize as often.

• Label Everything: Don't forget to label your containers for easy identification.

• Bonus tip for holiday bakers: While you are cleaning out and organizing your pantry, make note of what holiday baking supplies you have so when you are at the store and molasses is on sale, you know that you already have a almost full jar and don’t purchase another one (not that I have ever done that 😉).

With these home organization and cleaning tips, you'll have a clean and clutter-free kitchen and laundry room just in time for the holidays. Take some time and put these cleaning and organizing projects on your calendar for the end of September and early October. You’ll be so grateful when November and December roll around and you have been tackling these things consistently. Whether you're hosting guests or simply want to enjoy a stress-free season, a well-organized home sets the stage for memorable moments.

Now, let's get started on your holiday preparations, and don't forget to check back for more tips and affiliate product recommendations as you continue reading Betsy's Balanced Living. Happy organizing and cleaning!

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