With windows shut against the cold and the heat turned up, indoor air quality can suffer. That’s why it’s important to focus on dust and allergens when performing #winter #cleaning. Be sure to dust blinds, ceiling fans, light fixtures, and electronics; wipe down baseboards and vacuum rugs; and launder all bedding and drapes. Finally — once you’ve eliminated most of the airborne pollutants — change your furnace’s air filter to keep the air you breathe fresher. “Cleaner air reduces the risk of allergies, asthma flare-ups, and cold and flu transmission,” says Men’s Journal. #WinterCleaning
Tag: winter
Winter Weather Means Frequent Cleaning
With snow and temperatures falling, you’re likely spending more time indoors — and that means your space is handling a lot more wear and tear. Frequent #cleaning can keep your #home sparkling and allergen-free, says Care.com. Start by #cleansing the floors, which are often subject to tracked-in dirt and moisture. Also shampoo or freshen area rugs and carpeting. Entryways are key to keeping the home clean, so sweep and #organize them. Be sure to clean and disinfect bathrooms regularly to prevent the spread of germs, and change out the filters in your HVAC to help it run efficiently and prevent allergies. #WinterCleaning
Hygge and Wintertime Self-Care
You’ve probably heard a lot about hygge (hyoo-gah) from this blog and others. It’s the Danish concept “of creating cozy and convivial atmospheres that promote well-being,” said the Collins English Dictionary in naming it a Word of the Year in 2016.
At the center of the concept — perhaps not surprisingly, giving the streamlined, no-nonsense lines that have long characterized Scandinavian design — is simplicity. Hygge practitioners are encouraged to relax, light candles and swath themselves in warm blankets.
In a hygge home, everything has its place. Furnishings feature natural woods and fibers. Sightlines are uncluttered. There isn’t a surplus of tchotchkes, but everything one needs to be comfortable is readily available. It’s a space that inspires calm.
Hygge is said to lower stress and improve emotional well-being, or at least many of its tenets do. Warm, dim lighting is more relaxing than bright white lights, for example, and spending time with friends and family supports physical and emotional health.
Researchers found that the hygge lifestyle had significant positive impacts for women in a correctional facility in Denmark. Encouraged to share food and fellowship according to hyyge principles, the women’s moods and perceptions of safety improved.
If you aren’t yet in a hygge space, start by #decluttering. Eliminate any things — or piles of things — that you set aside for a later date and just haven’t needed since. #Schedule a #free #donation #pickup with ClothingDonations.org to get rid of some of that #junk.
Then, reorganize your #space to be a warm, inviting source of calm and contentment. Turn down the lights. Have blankets and slippers ready. Offer guests a warm beverage, bake some cookies or relax with a good book instead of doom-scrolling through the mind-clutter of social media.
“The important thing to remember is that your #environment does influence how you feel,” environmental psychologist Sally Augustin told Everyday Health. “You can take control of your environment and actually make it really good.”
How to Store Your Off-Season Stuff
If you live in an area where the #seasons change, you probably have multiple wardrobes based on the outdoor temperature: shorts and T-shirts for #summer, corduroys and coats for winter, and multiple layers for everything in-between. That demands a lot of #storage #space.
If you’re a person who is blessed with giant walk-in #closets dedicated to different seasons, you won’t have any concerns. But in terms of #clutter, it never hurts to pare the #wardrobe down to the things you actually wear and have them at the ready when the weather dictates.
Many of us perform a biannual swapout to prepare for the new season — or at least we should. Otherwise, you’ll need to sort through your swimwear in order to find your favorite sweater, and vice-versa. Take advantage of the change in seasons to #organize and edit your #clothing.
“Before you put anything in storage, you must take stock of your current off-season inventory,” says The Home Edit. “Editing will give you the opportunity to reevaluate your wardrobe to clear space and start fresh.”
Set aside anything that doesn’t fit, doesn’t fit quite right or fits uncomfortably. Set aside any items you haven’t worn in more than a year. Now’s the best time to get rid of any summer #clothes that didn’t get worn since the season and what you wore is fresh in your mind.
Next, sort the #stuff you want to wear during the #fall and #winter into the easiest-access #storage real estate — those shelves, hangers and hooks that you see as soon as you open the closet door. Do the same edit on the incoming fall goods, setting aside anything you can’t envision wearing.
Store the off-season “keepers” separately from the incoming season’s must-haves. That might mean a high shelf, under the bed or in the basement; just try to make sure those garments are protected from moisture, mold, mildew and insects.
Finally, bag your lightly used set-asides and #donate them to ClothingDonations.org by scheduling a #free #donation #pickup. Any damaged or stained garments can be thrown directly into the trash or shredded into rags.
#Streamlining clothing storage with the change of seasons will pay off by keeping your drawers and closets #clutter-free. What’s more, you’ll save lots of time by being able to find what you want to wear when you want to wear it, all season long.
Rid Your Home of Winter Dirt
With homes sealed up against the cold, winter creates a special kind of dirt inside the home. With #spring arriving early this year, you can get a headstart on the #deep-cleaning needed to get your home ready for the warm-weather months, however. Good Housekeeping suggests #organizing storage spaces such as the garage by sorting things into keep, #donate and toss piles before cleaning the walls and floors, then replacing the (fewer) things you want to keep. Also pay special attention to the things that gather lots of dirt and dust in a closed-up house, such as blinds, doormats, ceiling fans and curtains. #SpringCleaning