start the year right

Start the year right by doing a little cleaning, ridding your self of last year’s junk and adding little touches to update every corner of your home.

Living Room
1. Get rid of musty smells by spraying an air deodorizer on your couch and other hotspots like the dog’s bed and dirty shoes.
2. Buy few new throw pillows in bright colors and toss them on your couch and beds.
3. Go over TVs, DVD players, and other electronics with a specialized cleaning solution.
4. Give chandeliers and glassware a quick shine with your own two hands! Put on a pair of cotton gloves; use a damp one to dust and polish, and the other to dry. Try this for glass-covered photos and paintings; it will prevent water from seeping into the frames.
5. Give furniture a once over with a soft cloth and no wax furniture polish. Dust nooks and crannies with a soft brush like a pastry brush.
6. Turn off the lights and when the bulbs are cool, wipe them with a damp cloth to remove dirt. They will seem brighter when you turn them back on.

Kitchen and Dining
1. Go through your pantry, tossing anything that’s past its expiration date. Wipe down each item with a damp rag or microfiber cloth before you put it back.
2. Buy new place mats for your kitchen and dining room tables. Shop discounts stores for fun, seasonal designs or just go for a mix or bright colored solids.

Floor, walls and windows
1. Sweep dull hardwood floors, then make them gleam with a coat of wax paste.
2. Clean windows with a squeegee dipped in window cleaner then, dry them with a microfiber cloth to eliminate streaks.
3. Dust blinds with a duster that has an extension handle then use it to clear cobwebs from every corner. Tackle pesky spiders early on, before they become permanent tenants in your home.