I love the Holidays, but I also kind of love it when they’re over. Any other parents of young kids just exhausted like I am? We had such a great time visiting our parents and seeing our siblings, aunts, uncles and cousins, but 5 nights in two different places has worn me down. We spent all of November and December working on good sleep habits with Felix (in his own crib for 12ish hours a night) and two nights ago the three of us were awake on the hour sleeping a futon. We’re just tiiiiirrreeeddd.

Luckily, it’s just about time to start the new year and I love kicking it off on the right foot back at our own home. For me that means a tidy and organized house, fresh laundry and a full fridge. And believe it or not, I actually really look forward to cleaning my home during these last December days. 

ORGANIZING & TIDYING

I’m already halfway done with packing up and storing my Christmas decor and I’m going to neatly pack away wrapping stuff and holiday dishes too. I’m ready to get my house cozy for winter and change out some blankets in my living room as well. One of my key resolutions that I’m going to work on in 2016 is LESS CLUTTER! Is it practical? Is it used often? Is it beautiful? Keeping my counters and table tops clear helps reduce the amount of other things piling up in those spots. Clutter is a magnet for more clutter!  This also makes them easier to wipe down, which needs to happen multiple times a day when you live with two cats and a toddler! 

We also need to do a better job regularly dropping off our donation box which sits by the back door. I think making it a part of my weekly routine will really help. If there’s not a place for it, it needs to move on to someone else! Here are a few other spots in my home that will get extra attention in the coming days:

• Medicine cabinet (check expiration dates, toss unused products)
  
• Makeup bag
  
• Shower Caddies
• Living room ottoman (so much random gets shoved in there!)
  
• Living room junk drawer
  
• Glove and Hat baskets
• Toy chests
• Kitchen junk drawer
  
• Under the kitchen sink

LAUNDRY 

I recently wrote about my habit of doing the wash once a day but I’ll admit I’ve been slacking. Other projects have taken priority so sometimes I get really behind. Our first Christmas visit is waiting to be washed and I’ll start the second half right behind it.  This week I’m planning to go beyond just folding and putting things away - I’m going to FINALLY ditch the socks that are missing their pairs, trash tights and undies that aren’t in good shape, and toss bras that don’t fit. I rotate through a pretty small amount of under garments, so I’m clearing out space so that drawer isn’t crammed full anymore. 

I’ll also take stock and repurpose/recycle/store:

• Outgrown baby clothes
  
• Tee shirts with holes
  
• Remaining maternity clothes
  
• Workout stuff I never wear anymore
  
• Stained towels/wash cloths

FULL FRIDGE & CLEAN KITCHEN

Finally - the heart of the home - the kitchen. I’m guessing something like 95% of diets start with the new year. It’s such a good jumping off point to getting your health in check but also an ideal time to check your expiration dates and do a solid clean out of your refrigerator, pantry and kitchen in general. We’ll be doing our annual Whole 30 and I like to toss or hide anything that might tempt me off track.  Once the fridge is empty, it’s the perfect time for a thorough cleaning! I’m treating myself to a new dishwashing brush on my next trip to the grocery too! (Isn’t it weird how you let stuff like that just get trashed before replacing?) Here’s my agenda for my big kitchen clean out:

• Empty fridge and wipe down
  
• Check all expiration dates
  
• Scan ingredients and toss or hide stuff on the naughty list
  
• Clear counters, wipe down, organize clutter
  
• Wash new dishes/glasses/baking gear before putting away (I love washing dishes… it’s so zen for me. I used Lavender Mint Seventh Generation natural dish soap for extra ahhhhh) When I’m in a rush and want to use the dishwasher, I use this natural dishwasher detergent.
  
• Meal plan and make new shopping list

I’m one of those people that actually enjoys cleaning and I can’t fully relax until everything is in it’s place. It’s taken some internal work to be a little more patient and accept that life with a little guy on the move is going to mean more messes but when I stay on top of things (using my 2 minute resolution from last year!) everything seems more manageable. I’m excited to wake up on New Years Day with a clean slate. 

Heads up - this post is brought to you by Seventh Generation, a brand I’ve used for years.  It makes me feel confident to clean my home, do my laundry and dishes with products that are safe for my family.