Keepin' Busy - How to Organize & Clean Your Home When Social Distancing

Current events may have you stuck inside and feeling restless. If you feel like finishing more than a full TV series on Netflix this week, HomePro Match is here to help! We've come up with a list of activities to do around your house to keep you busy, clean, and productive!

Image by Room for Peace

Kitchen - Give your fridge a deep clean & organize your pantry

You've been good about washing your hands and keeping surfaces clean, but have you shown your fridge any love? Follow these steps to a sparkling fridge:

1. Remove all items and shelves from your fridge and scrub them with soap or surface cleaner.
2. Go through all your items and throw away anything expired.
3. Re-organize everything by sectioning them into categories.
   • Dairy, meat, vegetables, etc
   • HomePro Match Tip: If you have multiples of any item, like milk, butter, meat, etc, make sure to put whatever has the nearest due date in the front so you use that first!
4. After throwing away expired items and counting what you have, make a new list of what to stock up on so you're prepped to make one grocery trip!
5. Clean your food pantry as well using the same steps above.
   • HomePro Match Tip: Beautify your pantry and eliminate wasted space! Get rid of bulky granola bar boxes and half-empty boxes of cereal by reallocating your dry goods into neat, clearly-labeled jars and bins. You'll have the pantry of your dreams in no time!

Bedroom - Reorganize your closet and vacuum up your personal space




Image by Clean & Scentsible
Do you dream of what your closet could look like, but never get around to making it happen? Now that you'll be spending most of your time at home, you've got plenty of time to organize your closet space.
1. Organize your clothes based on your preferences & what will make finding them easier.
   • Color, type of clothing, occasion, etc.
2. Get rid of any items you don't wear anymore and get creative with repurposing them! Donating, selling, and consigning are all awesome and sustainable options for your unused clothing.
   • HomePro Match Tip: On the fence about some of your clothing? An easy way to determine if you're ever going to wear that piece again (or if you're just holding on for the memories) is to hang it with a hanger pointed in the opposite direction from the rest. If that hanger's still turned around after 4 weeks- meaning you haven't worn the item- you'll know it's time to let it go.
3. Launder all of your bedding for that fresh, can't-wait-to-get-in-bed feeling. Thank us later!
4. Vacuum your floors, which collect lots of dust and hair. If you have hardwood, spend some time mopping and disinfecting, too!

Bathroom - Leave your floors, tub, toilet, sink, and bathroom cabinets sparkling clean!

Your bathroom is one room that can definitely use a deep scrub.

1. Clean your entire bathroom.
   • Shower tiles, toilet, sink, bathroom floor, shower head, bathtub/shower floor
2. Check for mold growth. Common areas include bathroom tiles, walls, and curtains. If you do spot mold, there are special mold cleaners you can buy to use in your bathroom.
3. Clean out bathroom cabinets and drawers. Wipe them down with a disinfecting cleaner.
4. Go through items in your bathroom cabinets & drawers.
   • Throw away any items that have expired or that you no longer use.
   • Re-organize items that you are keeping. Categorize them based on type. Ex: hair products, skin care products, oral hygiene products, etc.
   • HomePro Match Tip: Since bathroom cleaning products can be strong and irritating to one's allergies, make sure to open up a window, wear gloves, and possibly put on a face mask so the fumes don't hit you as hard. Another option is to create some bathroom cleaning products on your own made from natural ingredients!

Basement- Show your basement the same love that you do upstairs by checking for mold, leaks, and dust



Image by How to Nest for Less

Possibly getting the least amount of love out of the entire house, your basement is one of the most important areas to check on. Just like your bathroom, your basement is also more susceptible to humidity, water, and mold growth.

1. Check walls, floors, and ceiling for mold, mildew, and water stains. If you notice any waterproofing issues, now is the time to have a professional basement waterproofer examine any issues.
2. Look out for dust & vacuum up your downstairs area.
3. If you're using basement space for storage, go through what you want to keep and what you want to get rid of. You can call one of our junk removal experts to pick up your junk! If you prefer them to not go inside they can pick up your items from the curb.

Garage- This cold, dark space can use some sprucing up

It's easy to store anything you want to get rid of in your garage. Since self-isolation has got you home, now is a great time to go through all of these items.

1. Go through all items and get rid of the ones you no longer want.
2. Organize similar items. For example, all your gardening items, shovels, gloves pots in one area. Throw out items you no longer need!
3. Sweep the floors from leaf and dirt build-up.

Can't leave your house? We have junk removal contractors that can come and pick up the junk for you! You don't even need to lift a finger; they'll do all the heavy lifting for you! Get in touch with a local junk removal specialist today to learn more about their curbside pickup and garage cleanup options.

Living Room- Create a comfy and clean space to hang out in

As we continue our social distancing, many of us are probably spending a lot of time in our living rooms, either watching TV, playing video games, browsing online, or scrolling on social media. Taking a break to clean the space you're lounging in will help both you and your home.

1. Dust and polish all the furniture in your living room. From window sills to lamps, make sure to get every nook and cranny sparkling clean.
2. Vacuum your floors, under your furniture, and in-between cushions. A lot of times, crumbs sneak in between the cushions and under the couches.
• HomePro Match Tip: There's no time like the present! Use your extra hours at home to move couches, tables, and other large furniture out of the way to ensure the floors beneath are free of dust and dirt.






Image by Clean My Space

Home Office- Working from home? Make sure you have an organized space to work in






Image by Home Decor Fix

If you have a home office that you haven't used in a while, it may be because it turned into the family storage room or junk drawer. Since many of us are stuck working from home right now, it's a great time to go through all the miscellaneous items that accumulated over time.

1. Go through all items and find the proper home for them.
2. Organize your drawers with small storage containers to help separate items.
3. Throw out, shred, or file away any papers in your home office. Seeing a beautiful, neat result will make you feel happy and accomplished!
• HomePro Match Tip: People are most successful in remote positions when they have a designated space to work in. While working from the couch (or your bed) may seem glamorous at first, sticking to one area will make you feel far more grounded and increase productivity.

It can be difficult to adjust to being indoors 24/7 if you're someone who's always on the go. Although times like these make us miss the social and free life we had before, turn them into a positive and cherish every moment you have at home.

The home that you rely on for protection, comfort, and security needs some of your love and attention too.