Diwali Ideas: Tips to clean your home before Diwali

Getting rid of clutter is easier said than done. Come Diwali, everyone seems to tear around in a panic trying to clean up a year’s worth of stuff, right before the festivities begin.

Here are a few simple tips on reorganising your home in just a few days:

Make a Plan:

Start by dividing the house into sections ­– living room, kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms and the workspace or study area. Choose where you want to start and end, beginning with the easiest room and picking the hardest one somewhere in the middle. Seeing the positive result of the first room once it’s cleaned will motivate you to move on to the messiest.

Keep, Dispose, Maybe:

Deciding whether you really need something or not can be exhausting and even put you off wanting to clean. Choose three large boxes, one for retaining things, second for giving away, recycling, selling or trashing, and another for things you can’t make up your mind about. This will give you time to figure what to do with the ‘Maybe’ box.

Need-based Reorganising:

Once you’ve decided what to keep, re-assign these to a specific place based on what you use them for.

• Living rooms tend to gather less clutter but one can clear up even here – put away all remotes in one box or in a pocket hanging from the sofa arm and throw away old magazines or newspapers.
  
  
• Your workspace needs to be the least cluttered. File papers in colour-coded folders, get various different-sized trays for drawers or cabinets, and ensure wires are tied together or concealed, not left hanging.
  
  
• On the bedside table in your bedroom, keep no more than a charging dock for your cell phone and a bottle of water, a couple of books or your Kindle.

In the kitchen, place the spices or gadgets that get used the most, right where you can have quick access to them.

Now that you’ve successfully prepped your home, enjoy the festivities and reward yourself with feeling house-proud thanks to a cleaning job well done!