These Are the First Things You Should Clean in 2025

Because time marches ever onward, 2025 is almost here. If you’re setting a resolution to keep your home in better shape, congrats on the big step. Even if you’re not, there are some cleaning tasks that should be dealt with as the new year rolls in. Some are annual, some are habit-building, and some are useful for the winter months. Here’s your checklist of everything to clean to kick off 2025.

Start by decluttering your fall and holiday items

The first thing on your list should be a seasonal attack. Start your New Year’s cleaning by getting rid of all your fall essentials and lingering holiday stuff. Obviously, this means storing or getting rid of your Christmas tree, packing away your Santa statuettes or menorah, and reverting your home to whatever its pre-holiday status was. But you can go deeper. Seasonally swapping out your basics is a major part of maintaining a tidy home. Rotate lighter jackets to the back of the coat closet (or put them in storage with other off-season wear by utilizing under-bed storage containers or similar), swap rain boots for snow boots, place the heavier linens on your bed, and put the rake in storage while you get down the shovel.

When it comes to keeping the house organized, there are some key rules to keep in mind: Similar items need to be stored together and everything you own must have a designated place. Putting non-seasonal items together and out of the way frees up your access to what you actually need at any given time of year. Doing this as the first step of your New Year’s cleaning routine sets you up well for the rest of winter. As you’re working through this step, don’t be afraid to truly declutter, either. Use whatever decluttering method works best for you to really assess everything you’re putting away. While fall is still fresh in your mind, think critically and objectively about what you used, what you didn’t use, and what could actually stand to be tossed or donated so it doesn’t take up unnecessary storage space.

Clean your radiator, if you haven’t

I forgive you if you haven’t cleaned your radiator yet for the year. It has been unseasonably warm in many parts of the country, but it’s almost January now and luck’s soon to run out. This isn’t a hard thing to do, fortunately, although it might seem intimidating because of all the crevices on the device. What you need is a hair dryer or compressed air. First, manually remove any big clumps of dirt or dust you can see, then point the nozzle of your dryer or air can into the crevices of the radiator at an upward angle so the air pushes dust up and out. Avoid facing the machine head-on, as this can push dirt deeper in, which we do not want. After that, clean up the debris that came out and wipe the radiator’s exterior down with some soapy water.

If you didn’t do your fans and vents yet, either, it’s time. For all air purifiers and fans, pop out the filter and give them a good cleaning per manufacturer instructions. With the machine unplugged, wipe down the exterior with soapy water and let it dry fully before plugging it back in or, in the case of box fans, putting them in storage for the winter. While you’re at it, use the same methods from the radiator cleaning to clean out any built-in vents, including those on baseboards and in ceilings like the bathroom. This isn’t an all-the-time cleaning duty, so prioritize it during your New Year’s sprint.

Tackle your annual cleaning tasks

Some cleaning tasks are maintenance-oriented. You have to vacuum, sweep, and wipe things down on a regular basis, after all. Other jobs, though, only need to be done periodically. Sure, you could wait for spring cleaning to roll around, or you could get on them right away and start the new year off fresh. A few examples for your consideration:

• Thoroughly clean all appliances, pulling them out from the wall and vacuuming behind them before embarking on a deep clean of the interior.

• Deep clean your carpets and upholstery, hiring a pro or renting a heavy-duty machine for the job.

• As mentioned, clean vents and air ducts, but call a pro for an inspection if you haven’t had one in the last three years.

• Clean your mattress, wash your mattress cover, and wash your pillows, not just your linens.

• Clean inside all your windows, like between panes, screens, and sliding tracks (but wait for spring cleaning if it’s too cold where you live to justify opening them).

• Wash your shower curtain, liner, and bath mat.

This is also a time to tackle the things you should be doing a little more frequently than annually, but never seem to come up during regular weekly cleanings. I’m talking wiping your baseboards and walls, dusting your blinds, and sanitizing high-touch surfaces like light switches and remotes.

Prepare for a cleaner year

Finally, as you’re doing all this, take note of what’s really messy so you can pay more attention to it in the new year. It’s never too late to start a new cleaning routine, and I recommend creating a detailed cleaning schedule that moves you through different rooms over the course of a month and only cleaning in scheduled, 15-minute bursts once a day.

Set an intention to create and stick to a schedule as one of your New Year’s resolutions, then make sure you follow through. It’s a lot easier to clean in small increments without getting overwhelmed than it is to dedicate entire days or weeks to fixing up a space that’s gotten out of hand.