8 Simple Ways to Clean Your Home for Tết

A new year has arrived, bringing new wishes and goals. Instead of struggling with “unrealistic” plans, why not start with the smallest yet most meaningful changes, including refreshing the living space around us? According to decluttering and organization experts, the key to avoiding a “suffocating” home is to keep it tidy at all times through the simplest habits.

An Effective “Declutter – Organize – Store” Process

This process is divided into small steps that busy people can apply flexibly, helping them avoid feeling overwhelmed by a large workload.

Step 1: Make a List and Sort Your Belongings

Before you begin, sort every item you handle into four clear action groups:

• KEEP: Everyday essentials, favorite items, or belongings with practical or sentimental value.

• STORE: Infrequently used seasonal items, keepsakes, or spare items. (This group will be placed in storage).

• GIVE/SELL: Items you no longer use that are still in good condition, ready to be sold, given away, or donated to charity.

• DISCARD: Old or damaged items that cannot be recycled.

Step 2: Choose When and Where to Start Cleaning (The Priority Principle)

For busy people, apply the principle of maximum impact with minimum effort:

1. Bedroom/Wardrobe: Easy to tidy and provides an immediate sense of comfort.

2. Desk/Living room: Cleaning the area where you spend the most time will reduce mental stress.

3. Kitchen: This area accumulates many small items and can be cleaned one cabinet at a time.

Step 3: Prepare Cleaning Supplies and Packing Materials

To make the cleaning process faster, prepare all the necessary materials in advance:

• Cartons/Boxes: Use 5-ply cardboard boxes or durable plastic containers to pack items for STORAGE/TRANSFER TO STORAGE.

• Labeling: Prepare markers, packing tape, and labels to clearly identify the contents (for example: “Tết Decorations 2026,” “Old Work Documents”).

• Protective materials: Prepare moisture-resistant wrapping, PE film, or bubble wrap for fragile items.

Step 4: Clean Each Area Thoroughly

This essential step ensures that your space will be “as clean as new” when everything is reorganized:

• After removing everything, clean every surface: wipe down cabinets, shelves, tables, floors, and windows.

• Cleaning does more than remove dirt; it also gives you more motivation to reorganize.

Step 5: Pack and Separate Items for Storage

Focus on the STORE group identified in Step 1:

• Pack carefully: Make sure infrequently used items, keepsakes, or reserve inventory are packed securely.

• Label in detail: Each label should include the packing date and a basic inventory.

• Transfer to storage: Packed items can be moved into a personal self-storage unit (Self-Storage) to free up as much living space as possible.

Step 6: Reorganize Your Home with a Practical Layout

Only return items from the KEEP group to your home:

• Apply the Clear Surfaces Principle: Keep only daily essentials on tables and cabinets.

• Organize logically: Place frequently used items in the easiest-to-reach locations, at eye level or within arm’s reach.

Step 7: Maintain Small Daily and Weekly Habits

To prevent your home from becoming “overstuffed” again:

• The 15-minute rule: Spend 15 minutes each day returning items to their proper places and putting away new purchases.

• Check once every 1 week: Spend 30 minutes at the weekend checking surfaces and clearing areas where clutter has accumulated.

1. Spend 1 Minute a Day Tidying Your Wardrobe

Follow the rule “don’t put it down; put it back,” and you will see your home—or at least your bedroom—become tidier instantly! For example, instead of leaving dirty clothes scattered across the floor, hang them up if you plan to wear them again or place them in the laundry basket for washing and drying.

You can also dedicate a drawer to clothes you rarely wear and occasionally revisit it to decide whether to keep or donate them. Make this a monthly habit instead of an annual one. It will help prevent the overcrowded wardrobe you often complain about.

2. Keep at Least One Clutter-Free Corner in Your Home

Choose one corner of the room – it could be the dining table, your desk, or a vanity area – and always try to keep it as clean and tidy as possible. It will help you feel calmer and more relaxed. Add a small vase of flowers or an elegant decorative object. When that corner always looks… picture-perfect, you surely won’t want to clutter it up, will you?

3. Plan for Tomorrow at the End of Each Day

Beyond simply choosing tomorrow’s outfit to avoid rummaging through your wardrobe every morning, you can also prepare for other “morning routines”. Fill the coffee maker and prepare your children’s lunch in advance.

Leave the frying pan ready on the stove for breakfast. These small tasks will make your mornings run much more smoothly. After all, we tend to make a mess when we have too many things to do at once, especially when our brains are not quite ready to start working…

4. Make Your Bed and Tidy the Surrounding Area Every Morning

Once you have fewer things to do each morning because you prepared carefully the night before, build the habit of making your bed and tidying the area around your bedroom as soon as you wake up. This will make you feel more comfortable and relaxed when you return home after a tiring day at work.

Besides making your bed, pay attention to your bedside table. It is easily overlooked and can gradually become cluttered with books, newspapers, hair dryers, styling tools, and half-full cups. Clear it every morning so you do not have to do it at night, after a long and exhausting workday when you need to rest.

5. Check Your Refrigerator Before Grocery Shopping

In reality, a refrigerator that is either too empty or too full can drive us… “crazy.” To avoid buying too much or purchasing food we will not consume, make a habit of taking a look before going shopping. Rearrange and sort food into separate compartments. For example: leftovers – fruit, vegetables, dairy products,… Remember to check expiry dates and quickly discard anything when necessary. While you are at it, clean your refrigerator at least once a week as you sort the food. This can even help you save on your weekly grocery bill!

6. Organize Your Pantry

Although dry goods have a longer shelf life than food requiring refrigeration, they can still easily expire if you do not clean and organize your home regularly. Experts recommend organizing your pantry once a month and using safe, airtight containers for opened dry goods. You should also monitor the humidity inside the cupboard. This helps prevent termites and other pests from contaminating food and putting your health at risk.

7. Wash the Dishes Immediately After Dinner

A pile of unwashed dishes can be a real “nuisance.” If you keep putting them off with the thought that “if I don’t wash them today, I’ll do it tomorrow,” you will eventually need more than an hour to clear the entire stack. Maintain the habit of washing dishes immediately after every meal. Dirty dishes also “attract” other extremely unpleasant things, such as cockroaches, insects, and foul odors,… None of this makes your home feel comfortable or fresh!

8. Start the New Year with MyStorage’s Storage Service

For belongings you do not use often but are not ready to part with, a more modern and practical way to declutter your home is to keep them at a storage facility. With MyStorage, you can choose shared storage or a private self-storage unit, with reasonable rental rates and flexible storage sizes starting from 1m3 (enough space for approximately 8 storage boxes).