Content creator Lucy Kalice is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on cleaning, home decor and making the most of small spaces. See the rest of her articles here.
Its official, there are four Saturdays until Christmas! Yes, you read that right, FOUR! The countdown is properly on and I couldn’t be more excited.
Now I know the whole of social media seems to have had their Christmas decorations up since the clock struck midnight on Halloween. But I have a feeling a few of you might be putting your decorations up this weekend. Absolutely no hate to anyone who decorates early - I think it’s great to get into the festive spirit as soon as possible because it really is the best and happiest time of year.
And with Christmas just around the corner, I thought it was the perfect time to share with you all some of my favourite cleaning hacks that I use to keep my house looking and smelling lovely when the decorations are up.
1. I clean the day before I decorate
Putting the decorations up is the perfect time to clean those forgotten corners of my house. Tree going up in the corner of the lounge? Perfect time to vacuum the floors and scrub the skirting boards. Garland going on the fireplace? Perfect time to dust the fireplace ledge. Because let’s be honest, you won’t be moving your decorations to clean, so it’s best to get it in first before those areas don’t see a spray bottle and cloth for the next month.
2. Out with the old, in with the new
I know we’ve all fallen into the trap of buying new Christmas decorations before we’ve even got the old ones out the loft. Only to find you’ve bought something that’s almost identical to a decoration you’ve already got! Been there done that (more times than I’d like to confess).
It’s so hard to ignore all the shiny new decorations in the shops but the good news is you don’t need to. My rule is I can’t buy anything new until I’ve got the decorations out first. That way I can sort through them, get rid of anything I don’t want and make a list of the things I need (yes, need).
3. I switch to festive-scented cleaners
Christmas is the only season where we can go completely and utterly over the top and no one can say anything because the excuse is always ‘well it is Christmas.’ So let's leave the bog standard lemon-scented multi-purpose cleaner in the cupboard until January 2026 and get a delicious Christmas-scented multi-purpose cleaner instead. My favourite is the Zoflora Winter Spice Disinfectant spray - it is literally Christmas in a bottle.
4. I use duct tape to pick up stray pine needles
If you are Team Real Christmas Tree then this hack is for you. I know how much of a nuisance the pine needles are when they start falling off the tree. And what you might not know is that pine needles can easily clog up your vacuum cleaner and cause damage, especially if the pine needles contain sap.
So instead, I like to use duct tape to collect the loose pine needles, which works especially well in hard to reach areas. Just wrap it around your hand with the sticky side facing outwards and pick up the pine needles this way - simple yet so effective.
5. I grab a lint roller to pick up glitter
It wouldn’t be Christmas if there weren’t random specs of glitter on your sofas, on your cushions and on your carpets. Glitter gets everywhere, it’s so easily transferrable. The easiest way I've found to get rid of it is to use a lint roller. The glitter sticks to it and the glitter is gone in seconds.
6. I recommend white vinegar to clean glass baubles
This has got to be my favourite festive cleaning hack. If you have glass baubles, give them a quick wipe with white vinegar before you hang them on the tree. It leaves them looking brand new and streak free.
7. I hang scented tree ornaments
I remember how my world changed when I discovered scented tree ornaments and it’s one of my favourite ways to decorate for Christmas. There’s a brand called Scentsicles that sell green scented sticks that you hang on the tree. If you have a fake Christmas tree these are great because you can get sticks that are scented like a real Christmas tree. They make the whole room smell amazing.
So there we have it, some quick and easy cleaning tips so you can have yourself a merry little clean-mas!
