Welcome to the Big January Clean!
I was writing this out for myself and figured why not make it into a graphic that I can share with you all and you can clean along with me. I've designed it to be simple with easy little tasks to do every day so it doesn't feel overwhelming or unattainable, so everyone should be able to complete it by yourself or with some help.
I'll expand on each day with suggestions below, but do you let me know if you'll be doing it or tag me on Instagram @thelovecatsinc as I'd love to see your progress!
1st January - General Tidy
Just a general clean today, as you may still be recovering from the night before. Give everything a quick tidy.
2nd January - Clean Oven
A task everyone puts off, but get some Oven Pride or watch some YouTube videos on how to give it a good scrub and get on with it.
3rd January - Social Media Cleanse
It's a new decade! Unfollow of the people who don't make you feel good about yourself. You don't need to see things that make make you miserable on a daily basis. Remove, block, delete and move on!
4th January - Sort Books
If you're like me, you'll have dozens of books. Sort out what you want to keep, what to donate or what to give to friends.
5th January - Clean Fridge
Take everything out and give the shelves/trays a really good scrub. Get rid of any random jars of things you're not using or anything that's well past its best.
6th January - Sort Beauty Items
If you can't remember when you opened it, it's time to let it go. Anything you haven't used can be donated or gifted to friends if you have used it. Places like Origins do recycling for anything you're gonna bin.
7th January - Clean Bathroom
Clean those tiles like you've never cleaned them before. Sort through your towels, any toiletries and clean out your cabinets.
8th January - Clean Windows
Get yourself a microfibre cloth and give your windows and frames a scrub. It's amazing how much lighter your house will appear. If you can't get to the outside windows, see if you can find a local window cleaner to help.
9th January - Sort Kitchen Cupboards
Go through everything - tins, spices, oils/vinegar, basically any food in your kitchen. Anything past its use-by date, throw out. Anything you don't want, give to friends or a food bank. I highly recommend getting small baskets (Wilkos do 5 for about £1.50) to put everything together.
10th January - Tidy Desk / Clean Keyboard
Give your workspace a good clean along with your keyboard, you'll be surprised how gross it gets.
11th January - Sort Clothes
The (potentially) big one. Go through all of your clothes and free yourself of the ones that don't fit, don't work with your style or you simply don't wear. Sell, donate, reorganise.
12th January - Tech Cleanse
First, sort through all wires, games or cables that you may have lying around and make sure they're all in one place. Delete any files/photos/things you don't need from your computer and phone. All apps you don't use need to go too.
13th January - Clean Kettle, Hob, Microwave and Small Appliances
Self explanatory, but give those kitchen items a good scrub.
14th January - Sort Papers
If you've got a pile of old bills or receipts etc lying around, get a box (they're about £4 from Wilkos) and sort them all out. Shred anything you don't need. Vow to sort them out as soon as they come in.
15th January - The Junk Drawer
We all have one. The drawer, the cupboard, the box filled with things we shoved away to tidy one day. Today is that day, people.
16th January - Shoes, Bags and Accessories
You've done your clothes, now it's time for the rest. Again, sell or donate anything you don't use and clean/repair anything that needs it.
17th January - Unsubscribe from Newsletters
If you're sick of your inbox being packed with newsletters, go on an unsubscribing marathon! It's amazing, trust me.
18th January - Sort Mugs, Plates etc
Any cutlery, plates and utensils need a good sort through today. Go into 2020 not feeling overwhelmed by the amount of mugs you have...
19th January - Clean and Vacuum Sofa
Pull it out if you can and vacuum underneath as well as under the cushions. Fluff everything back up again.
20th January - Daily Handbag and Purse
If you're like me, you've probably got lots of receipts in your purse and many store loyalty cards. Get rid! Carry a pouch with your essentials rather than them rolling around in your bag too.
21st January - Clean Kitchen Shelves
Now that you've sorted out the contents of your kitchen, it's time to actually clean the inside. Give everything a really good sort as it goes back in.
22nd January - Sort Under Bed
Pull everything out - I mean everything - and give it a vacuum then sort through the actual things you have stuffed under there.
23rd January - Clean Washing Machine etc
You can use vinegar and bicarb for so many things, including cleaning your washing machine. Make sure you clean around the rubber seal and the soap drawer - it can usually be pulled out completely.
24th January - Dust All Shelves
Take everything off and dust everywhere.
25th January - Finances!
Very important. You may have been paid for Jan already or payday is next Friday, but tell yourself this decade will be the decade you get a handle on your finances! Make realistic goals and try to pay off any debt if you have it. Set a savings goal (no matter how small) if you can and, if you're self employed, speak to a financial adviser about a pension. It's not scary, it's essential. Money is the ultimate freedom and I cannot stress enough how important it is to understand your finances, along with being completely 100% realistic.
26th January- Stuff You've Avoided!
I've got some paint touch-ups to do and I need to put trunking around wires... and I've had these to do for the last 6 months! Get those things you've procrastinated on, done.
27th January - Pet Stuff
If you don't have pets, maybe sort through anything associated with a hobby or if you have kids, sort through their toys! If you do have pets, clean their beds, blankets, bowls, litter trays, and see what toys they never play with.
28th January - Skirting Boards
I literally hate cleaning them, but they get so dusty and need doing!
29th January - Clean Pans
You can give stainless steel pans a really good clean with a little elbow grease. A lot of people use baking soda or vinegar and it lifts a lot of the marks off. YouTube it!
30th January - Plant Care
If you have plants, check if they need watering and remove any dead leaves. If you have outdoor plants, check to see if/when they need to be cut back.
31st January - Final Clean
As you've tidied everything else in your house, give it a final clean and make it a habit of keeping it organised. 15 minutes a day makes a big difference!
Good Luck!
I'll be doing this every day on my Instastories, so make sure you follow along. I hope you find the above to be useful and I hope you all have an amazing (more organised) 2020!
