KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 17 – Makeovers and refurbishments are in full swing to welcome the Lunar New Year.
Apart from getting all the festive treats ready, one of the most important chores Chinese families prioritise is to clean the house to welcome good fortune.
Spring cleaning is a long-observed Lunar New Year tradition and carries deep meaning for the Chinese.
Hence, the week before the New Year is mostly filled with buying new items, repairing or replacing the broken, and cleaning the house.
If you are planning to spend the weekend cleaning every nook and cranny of your house, here are some useful tips by a global science company, 3M, to boost your efficiency.
Make a checklist and come up with a schedule
Before plunging into a cleaning frenzy, break down all of your cleaning tasks and create a comprehensive checklist.
Segmentise your tasks by completing only a number of them each day within the span of a week.
You can alternatively assign specific areas of your house to work on daily.
Do not entertain thoughts of cleaning the entire house within a day because you probably won’t have the energy to pull it off.
It would also be good to schedule your cleaning tasks methodically for best effect.
Clean from top to bottom
Always clean from top to bottom and work your way according to the flow of your house; either from the front to the back or vice versa.
That way, you won’t end up having to clean areas that you’ve already covered.
Get organised
Keep your cleaning tools neatly arranged and easily accessible.
Often, most of us simply chuck our brooms, mops, dustpans and brushes in the storeroom or closet and they end up looking all cluttered and chaotic.
Be creative, and utilise the vertical space in these areas to hang and keep them easy-to-grab instead of leaning awkwardly in the corner.
Rearrange your kitchen utensils.
Cooking scrumptious Chinese delicacies for your guests and family can be quite a challenge.
A messy and cluttered kitchen adds to the commotion, so you should give your kitchen a little revamp.
Start by sorting your utensils according to their frequency of use and functionality.
Get decorating
Your Chinese New Year preparations would be incomplete if you miss out on sprucing up your home with vibrant and beautiful decorations.
Putting up spring festival couplets, paper cuttings and big diamonds of the inverted “Fu” character are a must to immerse yourself in the festive atmosphere.
But try to decorate without leaving any damages behind.
Using double-sided tapes or conventional sticky tacks often leave unsightly adhesive and stubborn oil residue.
Not only is this a nuisance, but you need to cough up additional cost and energy to get them fixed post-Chinese New Year.
Create a photo wall
Step up your crafting game by creating a photo wall where your family and guests can take awesome and Insta-worthy group photos.
Before getting into it, make sure to carefully select the perfect wall to accessorise.
