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Snow Day Cleaning List

Even the slightest prospect of snow showers in the forecast has us dreaming of a white Christmas and simultaneously wondering why we live in a state that employees snow plows. Love it or hate it, we likely have a few months of inclement weather ahead of us. If you find yourself hiding indoors to avoid frigid temps or slippery roads, you could still be productive around the house. Working on to-do list items between or during binge-watching sessions is completely acceptable.

If you can dig up the motivation and rubber gloves, we’ve suggested some cleaning tasks below to help make the most of your snow day. 

Dust.

Who dusts as often as they should? No one. This is an important time of year to get out the lint-free rag and give your hard surfaces a once over. Everyone is stuffed up and sniffly enough without breathing in an overabundance of dust particles. We suggest dry dusting first, then following up with furniture polish to make everything shine.

Clean the Vents.

While we’re on the subject of dusting you’ll want to take a peek at your air and return vents. If vents are on the floor, you might catch them often enough when sweeping, but take a minute to give them a more detailed clean. Pop-out the registers to wipe what you can reach inside the duct. Ceiling vents and returns require a step ladder and perhaps a bit more elbow grease. First, try vacuuming off what you can with the hose attachment, then remove them if possible to clean from the safety of the floor. While you’re at it, change your furnace filter! 

Wipe out the Microwave.

The dreaded task. We all know we should just wipe out spills and splashes when they happen, but hey, nobody is perfect. Grab a sponge and distilled, white vinegar and you’ll have it knocked out in no time. Fill a microwave-safe bowl with the 2 cups of water and 2 tablespoons of vinegar and put it in the microwave for 5 minutes. Let it stand for 2 minutes (without opening the microwave door) to let the steam loosen the stuck-on food. Finally, wipe everything down with a sponge and touch up with a dry towel. 

Clean out the Refrigerator & Pantry.

This is especially important if you’re getting ready to make big grocery trip to stock up on all the appetizers, baking supplies, and holiday dinner fixings. Dig to the back and check the dates on everything to see what needs to be pitched or eaten first. It’s best to pull everything out so that you can wipe down shelves and drawers before organizing everything beautifully. You’ll be amazed at the space you actually have in there!

Mop. 

No matter how hard you try, snow and mud will be tracked in a lot this time of year. Throw kids or pets in the mix and you’ve got a bigger mess. Sweep or vacuum before you bring out the mopping solution. We suggest ditching the traditional mop and bucket and using terry cloth towels and a flat mop like this one instead. Wet the towels in a pre-mixed solution, wring them out thoroughly, then put one beneath the mop. This method allows you to flip the towel or grab a new one when it gets dirty. No floor looks good after dirty water has been spread around.

Organize the Junk Drawer.

If you don’t have a junk drawer then you can skip this one. For the rest of us normal people, it’s one task we typically save for a rainy (or snowy) day. Time to sort through everything that got tossed in there when you got tired of it sitting on your countertop for 2 weeks. If you’re really feeling ambitious, grab some old Tupperware to organize things like pens, paperclips, coupons and anything else that tends to accumulate in there. 

Purge & Donate.

It is the time of year for giving and receiving gifts. That doesn’t necessarily mean we need more stuff though. Take a giant trash bag with you through every single closet and toy chest in your home. Leave nothing unturned and be ruthless. By New Year’s Day, you’ll thank yourself. There are plenty of local charities you can donate items to. If you have the time and patience, list items still in good condition on a buy/sell platform. With today’s technology, there’s no reason you shouldn’t make a few bucks to go towards this year’s gift shopping

Take a deep breath, you’re done! Don’t you feel better having accomplished something on this “stay-in bed watching Christmas movies” worthy day? Hey, if all or none of it got done, there’s always the next snow day.

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