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I hate winter. I hate it so much. Asides from Christmas, my birthday, and the sporadic joy of a trip to the ice skating rink, I consider each day a fight against the cold and the dark. Suffice it to say, in winter I stay home a lot.
In the summer, I’m out so much I forget what my apartment looks like, but in the winter, I’m deeply aware of all its quirks and contours. That’s why I take winter cleaning so seriously. If I’m gonna be stuck at home, I’m may as well enjoy being there. To that end, I always conduct a pre-winter cleanup and organizing session to ensure my refuge is comfortable and functional while I hide out. Here’s what I do (and what I suggest you do) to whip a home into shape for the winter.
The best time to clean and organize for winter
Since you’re doing all this to get ready for the specific season, I don’t recommend bundling your winter prep tasks into an ongoing schedule (like the one you might use for weekly maintenance). Instead, dedicate one day to getting everything done and out of the way. Block time into your schedule and preempt your other cleaning activities for the day.
Clear out seasonal items like summer clothes
I’m a big believer in efficiency. When I open my closet to pull out a wool dress and heavy tights, I don’t need to dig through all my shorts and t-shirts. Swapping seasonal clothes so they’re not crowding my wardrobe is a key step I take every season.
Beyond renting a storage unit (which I totally support, if you can justify and afford it), you have a few options. My go-to hack is storing off-season clothing in my luggage, which takes up a lot of space in my closet as it is. If you have a lot to stow away, you can stuff it into vacuum-sealed storage bags, which help you compress a high volume of soft items down so they take up significantly less space.
Take the time to move around other items around the home, too. For instance, I tend to keep a sunscreen and tanning lotion by my front door in the summer so I can grab it on my way out, but in the winter, I put it under my bathroom sink.
If you cook a lot of hearty stews or filling meals in the colder months, rotate those ingredients to the front of your cabinets. Pull-out organizers are a good way to keep this chore from getting away from you, as they allow you to easily see and access your ingredients or other seasonal items without having to yank everything out of the cupboard one by one.
Rotate your blankets and linens too: Lighter ones can be stored under the bed or in those aforementioned vacuum-sealed bags. Start your winter cleaning day by tossing your heavier quilts into the wash, and finish it by laying them out on the bed or couch where they’ll reside for the next few months.
Clean your radiator and other vents
Cleaning your radiator is important for both your safety and comfort. A dirty one can cause unpleasant smells, which isn’t what you want to deal with on a cozy night in. Depending in what type of radiator you have, you can use compressed air or a hair dryer, angled slightly upward, to blow dust and debris out from its innards. Using a brush also works, but you have to be careful not to push the mess deeper inside. From there, you can sweep or vacuum up whatever falls out.
Do the same for your vents. Drop vent covers in a tub or sink full of warm, soapy water, and vacuum out the vent spaces you can reach. And change your HVAC filters while you’re at it.
Clean your fireplace
Cleaning your fireplace before you start using it heavily is important both to keep it working and to make sure it’s safe to use. Even if you’ve already lit it up this winter, it’s worth going over (as long as it has been at least 24 hours since your last fire). Put down a drop cloth, scoop everything out of the firebox with a shovel (which is usually in your fireplace accessory kit, but any small scoop will work), and use a broom to get out the remaining soot and debris. Combine equal parts vinegar and warm water and wipe down the interior. While you’re in there, look for any cracks or issues—and call a pro if you see any. Likewise, call a chimney sweep if it’s been a while since your last thorough cleaning. (There are a lot of things in your home you can DIY, but I am a firm believer in outsourcing any task related to fire or electricity.)
Clean behind your large appliances
Heading into the cold months is the best time to clean behind your large appliances. I cook more in the winter than in the summer, so I prefer to get all the debris and crumbs out behind my oven before I inevitably make the problem worse. You don’t have to pull everything away from the wall, either: Drain snakes, flat mops like Swiffers, and even a cloth wrapped around a stick can help you get under and behind everything. (I even have a compilation of methods that will save you some backbreaking cleaning labor.)
Clean off and reverse your ceiling fans
You have to clean your ceiling fans each season, but that obviously results in some dust getting on the floor, so save this task for the end of the day. Use the pillowcase method, which involves putting a pillowcase over each blade and pulling it toward the end so the dust drops into the case, then wipe down the blades and fixtures with a wet sponge. While you’re up there, reverse the direction of the blades’ rotation, which can help keep your rooms warmer in winter.
Get out your vacuum to suck up the dust that was disrupted, as well as any that resulted from the rest of your winter cleaning. Get your winter blankets and linens from the dryer, put them where they belong, and tuck in the cold months ahead in your now more inviting home.
