I had big plans for today but they didn't really happen :-/ I was hoping to get back into full swing but instead, it was a kind of slow start to the working week etc. Rather than put myself under a lot of pressure to get everything done I just made a start on some things and I am going to go back to my mind maps tomorrow so I can see all the things I need to get done and start to cross them off. I like to kick off the new year with a bit Spring cleaning which hasn't really happened yet but I have started to do some of the things I like to do. If you want to make a clean start to the year here are some of my top tips:-
Washing Machine/Dishwasher
Put the washing machine or dishwasher cleaning stuff in and put it on a hot wash to reduce the limescale and smells. Doing this also helps the lifespan of your appliances by getting rid of all the stuff that builds up over time. So it might seem wasteful with the whole cost of living crisis but if it gives you an extra 5 years out of your machines then it's saving you a lot of money buying new ones.
Cushions and Throws
I've put all my sofa throws in the wash with unstoppables in so they smell all clean and fresh. I do this once a month ideally but it's always good to kick off the year with fresh-smelling cushions and throws. I just need to do the ones from the car that Bella sits on as I noticed they had a doggie smell today when I ruffled them up for her.
Anti Bacterial
Tomorrow I am also going to Dettol All in One spray all the handles and remotes, keyboards and anything that gets touched on a regular basics around the house to help reduce all the bacteria around the place. Hopefully, this will also help with bugs being spread too. This is a must if you live in a house with kids who are out playing and getting grubby and mingling with lots of other kids and bringing bag germs and bugs. It might be one of the reasons you are finding it hard to shift that cold or flu as germs are just constantly being spread around the house on different surfaces? I'm not a doctor but it can't hurt to give it a go once a year if nothing else.
Carpets
I don't have loads of carpet areas, the downstairs is all Cardean and Amtico flooring so it's all moppable and easy to keep clean and fresh. I like to spray the upstairs carpets and stairs regularly with 1001 Carpet Fresh mouse Or shake and vac as it gives the carpet a refresh. At the start of the year though I am going to give them a run-over with a proper carpet cleaner to lift up and dirt and smells. More so to remove any areas where Bella might have wee'd in the past and stop her keeping finding those spots.
Clothings Clear Out
At the start of the new year I put all the clothes in my wardobes with the hangers the wrong way round so the hook point faces outwards. Once I wear something it goes back in with the hook the right way round facing the back of the wardrobe. Then when the new year comes round again I know that anything still facing the wrong way has not been worn in a year so it's time to get rid and either put it on Vinted or give it away to a friend or charity to help others.
Fridge & Freezer
I need to defrost one of my freezers so that will need running down first but I am also due a clear out to get rid of stuff that has been in there over a year as clearly it's stuff I'm not going to use or will be past it's best. Giving it a defrost when it's got all the ice build-up also helps your freezer perform more efficiently so it's always worth keeping on top of.
Batch Cooking
Now that I have eaten my way through all the bad stuff that's been in the house for Christmas I am going to start doing a lot more cooking to keep myself healthy, including batch cooking so I have lots of quick and easy meals in the freezer for the days I can't be bothered cooking. Just because I live on my own doesn't mean I eat rubbish and live off takeaways. To be honest I probably eat a takeaway once a month or less as I usually end up being disappointed as I could have made it better for less.
Vacuum Filters
I always try to keep on top of my vacuum filters and also getting rid of al the long hair and carpet fibres from the brushes. I remove the filters and wash them and leave to soak in zoflora so that when they have dried and I am vacuuming the smell comes through the filters. I use my spare filters while all this is going on so I can still use my Vacs. I have to admit I am finding it an effort to keep remembering to say Vaccum as for so long I have I always referred to it as hoovering, but I now realise that this is a brand and not the actual product/action. I also put the pet plug-ins in my G-Tech as they help reduce pet smells in the house. Before I got these I used to put some unstoppables in the cylinder that the dirt goes into so as the air passes through it freshens the air.
Also can I add that that dirty water is from just one month of vacuuming so it just shows how much dirt gets traffic'd through the house (especially with dogs' paws going onto the muddy streets and back home every day. So imagine the muck and gunk that would be in your filters if you didn't do them regularly.
And Finally Saving...
I've seen this a few times on telly this morning, if you find it hard to save this is one that should be easy for most people. You get yourself a jar, tin (maybe use a chocolate tub you've had from Christmas. On the first of Jan you put just 1p in the jar/tin and then on the 2nd of Jan you put 2p in and so on. The most you will need to save in ay one day is £3.65 on the last day. But if you do this for the whole year at the end of the year you will have £667.95. Imagine if two of you did this? it's a great way to get rid of your loose change every day, especially the pennies you don't have much use for. To help yuou keep track of how much you need to save each day you can print off a sheet HERE (you're welcome lol). I'm going to put 10p in tomorrow so I am up to date as I didn't start it on the 1st of the month :-) You can start this at any point in the year depending when you have a bill due etc? You could start it on the 1st No so that by the end of Oct the next year you have some money for your Christmas shopping or food shop? So don't think "oh I've missed the new year to start this" just start it whenever works for you.
Hope some of these tips help (for the two people who read my blog lol).
We will see how much I get done this week off my list ;-). One of my biggest priorities is to give my office a tidy up as this then makes me feel more productive when I'm working if I can put my hand to things I need easily.
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