Cheers to a Clean and Fresh Start to 2014!

People say spring cleaning right? Well I say New Year’s cleaning! I will be the first to admit that I am a germaphobe, therefore I enjoying cleaning probably a little more than the average person. Nonetheless, I think that starting the New Year off by doing a little reorganization and cleaning is just what we need to make 2014 the best year yet!

My apartment is probably the epitome of disorganization caused by the holiday season. Not only do I have suitcases and clothes sprawled every which way as a result of my week vacation home in my room, but I have a very dead Christmas tree in my family room, which we decided to leave up probably a week too long because it looked so cute. If you can imagine, I feel pretty anxious with all the mess and cannot wait to get to the cleaning and redecorating. Get an inside look at what I will be doing tomorrow to start off the year!

Cleanup

Christmas Tree

As of right now, I am most concerned with our Christmas tree because it is so brittle, so I am hoping that we will be able to complete the take down process tonight before our New Years Eve festivities begin since I started the extensive process already. If you didn’t use a tree trash bag like us, then I recommend cutting as many of the branches off that you can prior to taking the tree out. If you have branch clippers, grab them because this will save you hours! I cut our branches off with scissors, and I am left today with a very sore thumb. My last piece of advice for this part of the clean up is to use a broom and pan for all of the needles. Your standard vacuum isn’t really equipped to handle needles, and I don’t want you having to spend money on a brand new one in January.

Apartment

The holidays came through like a storm and did not leave much time for cleaning, so everything has been done with minimal effort for the past month, but now anymore! I am very excited to start using all the great tips I have been collecting on green cleaning! It gets expensive buying cleaning products, and honestly I don’t really like the way they work.

Shower

The technique that I am extremely excited to start implementing in the New Year is keeping a refillable sponge, filled with ½ vinegar, ½ water in the shower, so that my roommates and I can clean the shower whenever is convenient for us. It will also be easier to clean because since the shower is running with hot water, any buildup in your shower is loosened, giving you an better clean!

Kitchen

For the kitchen, I will again be attacking the dirt and smells with vinegar. Luckily we did do a very good cleaning before we left, so everything is still pretty clean but could still use a nice refresher. The garbage disposal is a constant battle for us, so my new trick is freezing vinegar, lemon slices, and water in ice cubes and using them to freshen up the disposal. If you worried about clogging, then try just using lemon juice! Not only will your sink smell better, but the ice will also help sharpen up the blades!

Family Room

Like mine, your family room is probably the most frequented room in the house. It is where you eat, hang out, watch TV, and unwind. Up until now, I have just been vacuuming and wiping down the surfaces to keep the dirt and dust under control, but I have recently been reintroduced to Murphy’s Soap, and cannot wait to tackle our floors tomorrow!  It is gentle and does an amazing job cleaning! You can get Amazon deals and. Wal-Mart coupons.

Organization

I could write a whole separate blog on how I could reorganize my life, so for the sake of this article, I will just focus on a little part: my room. A cross-country move and a recent trip home for Christmas have left my room in shambles. I think five months is long enough to not have a solid storage method in place.

My closet is tiny, so I found some great tips to get things off the floor and onto hangers so that I don’t lose sight of them. For starters, I am going to hang all of my scarves and purses on Command Hooks lining the inside of my closet. This way I have easy access!

My other problem area is the top of my dresser! From jewelry to candles to note cards, I am lucky that I can find what I am looking for. After 5 months without it, I finally have my beautiful mirror back that will store all my jewelry in one place! Although it is a tad expensive up front, I promise you that as soon as it comes in the mail, you will become as obsessed with it as I am! Mine is from QVC, and it comes in many different colors to match any décor! Once mine gets to Santa Monica, I will finally be able to finish decorating my room and putting everything in its correct place!

The New Year always means new beginning, so I cannot wait to freshen my apartment up and go into 2014 reenergized and focused! What are you looking forward to doing on New Years Day? Will you be New Years Cleaning as well? Share below!