Although you probably won’t be entertaining this Thanksgiving, now is still a great time to tidy up your home so you can enjoy your holiday fully. Instead of struggling to cook Thanksgiving dinner in a disorganized kitchen or eat at a messy table, you’ll be able to focus on enjoying time with your family. Here are some tips to help you get your home in order so you’re ready for the holiday.
Kitchen and Dining Room
If clutter is making your kitchen and dining room harder to use, here are some tips to help you get them cleaned up before Thanksgiving.
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Clean out the junk drawer
Everyone has a catch-all drawer in their kitchen that’s full of pens, cords, old batteries, and other random clutter. Sort through your junk drawer and throw away anything that you don’t need. If you haven’t used something in the past six months, it’s probably time to get rid of it.
Get rid of expired food
If your fridge is full of expired food, you won’t have room for delicious Thanksgiving leftovers! Go through the fridge and pantry and toss any items that are past their prime. Don’t forget to disinfect the handles of your pantry, refrigerator, and other appliances because they’re hot spots for bacteria.
Declutter the dining room table
If you’ve been using your dining room table as a makeshift office or classroom, it probably has papers and office supplies all over it. To get your dining room ready for Thanksgiving, see if there’s any clutter you can throw out, such as old newspapers or school assignments. If not, get a filing cabinet to organize the paperwork and school supplies, or relocate them to your children’s rooms temporarily so you can enjoy Thanksgiving dinner at the table.
Clear off the countertops
It’s hard to prepare a big Thanksgiving dinner in a kitchen that has lots of clutter on the countertops. Decide which appliances and decor items you really need on your counter and which ones you can get rid of or put away. Once you’re done decluttering, remember to clean your counters with a disinfectant that kills the coronavirus, such as Lysol wipes or a mixture of isopropyl alcohol and water.
Go through your tableware
If you feel like your cabinets are overflowing with dishes and mugs, then it’s probably a good idea to part with some of your dishware. Generally, families only need enough dishes and cutlery for one full day of eating plus a few spares for when visitors come over. Go through your tableware and get rid of chipped or cracked dishes and any extra place settings you can do without.
Living Room and Bedrooms
Decluttering your living room and bedroom will allow you to enjoy your time at home more. Here are some tips to help you tidy up.
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Put away toys
If your children’s toys are overtaking the living room, consider putting half of them away in the closet and rotating them seasonally. Changing out their toys every few months will keep your kids from getting bored during playtime and help reduce clutter.
Paring down your children’s toy collection will also make it easier to keep everything clean, which is especially important during the pandemic. It’s recommended that you disinfect plastic toys once per week by soaking them in a mixture of ⅓ cup bleach and a gallon of water for five minutes. Then rinse them off and let them dry completely before giving them back to your kids.
Declutter decorative pillows
A few well-placed decorative pillows and throws can add personality to your home and make it feel cozier. But if you have too many, they can become a nuisance when you try to turn down your bed or get comfortable on the couch.
Consider getting rid of any pillows and throws that are worn out or no longer match your decor. Try to find places to store your remaining pillows when you aren’t using them so they don’t end up on the floor, such as wicker baskets placed beside the couch or bed.
Organize magazines, books, and movies
If all the bookshelves and media cabinets in your home are overstuffed, it may be time to downsize your book and movie collection. Recycle out-of-date magazines and rehome books that you haven’t read in years to keep them from cluttering up your living room. You can also save on space by digitizing your movies instead of keeping the physical copies.
Add extra storage
Sometimes living spaces can get messy because there isn’t enough storage. You can increase the amount of storage space in your home by coming up with creative solutions like putting wicker baskets under the coffee table or shallow bins under the beds.
Downsize your knick-knack collection
Putting too many collectibles on your shelves and side tables can make your home feel cluttered. Consider parting with some of your knick-knacks or storing a few in the closet so they don’t overwhelm your space.
While you were cleaning your home, you may have noticed some issues that need to be fixed, like a leaky pipe or a broken window seal. To get these repairs addressed quickly so they don’t become bigger problems down the line, give the professionals at Brunson Construction a call.
