Resetting Your Home for the New Year
The chaos of the holidays has finally calmed down, and many homes are left with clutter and buildup from the busy season. The start of the year is the perfect time to refresh your home and create a clean slate.
While keeping a household clean can often feel like a full-time job, you don’t need a complete overhaul to reset. Simply focusing on areas that need attention and evaluating your approach to everyday cleaning can make a big difference.
Key Takeaways
Feel more prepared for the months ahead and reduce the stress of everyday cleaning. This guide will help you:
- Tackle holiday clutter and refresh your space.
- Adjust your approach to cleaning to better fit your lifestyle.
- Keep a few reliable essentials on hand to make cleaning easier.
- Maintain a cleaner home with manageable upkeep.
Refresh and Reset Your Home
After the busy holiday season, it’s common for clutter and everyday messes to hang around longer than usual. The new year offers an opportunity to reset and get back to a clean baseline.
This doesn’t mean you need to do a full deep clean to get your space back. Start by focusing on the areas of the home that feel most impacted by the holidays, or anywhere that feels extra cluttered. Clearing surfaces, putting items back in their place, and a light clean can make a huge difference.
Clean According to Your Lifestyle

Every household is different, and the most effective approach to cleaning is one that works for you and your home. Consider what tasks often pile up during busy weeks or areas of the home that tend to need more attention.
Here are a few ways to adjust your cleaning approach, making it easier to keep up with day-to-day:
- Adjust how often you clean: Choose a cleaning schedule that fits your lifestyle best. Whether that’s 30 minutes a day, a few hours once a week, or something in between.
- Break larger tasks into smaller steps: Cleaning large areas can feel overwhelming. By breaking them up into smaller sections, it's much easier to get started and make progress.
- Shift your focus to high-traffic areas: Prioritize the rooms and surfaces that are used most often to keep your home feeling cleaner day-to-day.
Essentials to Have on Hand
One of the biggest barriers to keeping a clean home is often feeling unprepared or not knowing where to start. Simplify your cleaning approach by keeping a few reliable essentials on hand. Avoid clutter and overbuying by considering these basics to help you get started:
- Multi-purpose cleaners: Perfect for tackling everyday messes across multiple surfaces, all-purpose cleaners help to simplify cleaning in kitchens, living areas, and other high-traffic spaces.
- Ready-to-use cleaners: Having quick, ready-to-use options on hand makes it easier to address spills and messes as they happen, especially for tasks like cleaning floors. Products like Zep Hardwood and Laminate Cleaner help keep floors looking clean without extra steps.
- Specialty cleaners: For areas that need frequent attention, a specialized cleaner can save time and effort. Solutions like Zep Home Pro Foaming Wall Cleaner quickly remove handprints, food, ink, and other marks from walls, helping keep surfaces looking fresh.
Make Cleaning Manageable

After resetting your space and simplifying your cleaning approach, maintaining a cleaner home comes down to small efforts that fit naturally into your day-to-day routine. Here are a few ways to make the fresh start last:
- Address messes as they happen: Prevent messes from piling up by taking care of them right away.
- Recognize that upkeep will vary day to day: Some days only allow for quick touch-ups, while others offer more time for cleaning. This flexibility will help keep your home clean without the added pressure.
- Make cleaning more enjoyable: Make everyday cleaning tasks feel easier and more approachable by pairing them with something you enjoy, like music, a podcast, or talking to a loved one.
A clean home can make the new year feel like a true fresh start, and by focusing on simple and consistent upkeep, your home can stay clean without the added stress. Whether you’re tackling large messes or refreshing your space after a busy season, Zep offers trusted cleaning solutions designed to make any job easier. Explore our full line of cleaning products that are designed to simplify everyday cleaning.
- Zep Inc.