Namaste! The joyous occasion of the Ganpati festival is just around the corner. Ganesh Chaturthi 2023 Preparations are in full swing, as the festival will commence on September 19th and conclude on September 28th, 2023.
It’s time to prepare your home for the festivities. Preparing your home for the Ganpati Festival is both joyful and exhausting.
While decorating your home with beautiful artefacts is exciting, imagine how it would look if your home were cluttered.
This Ganesh Chaturthi 2023, as we welcome Lord Ganesha into our homes, it’s essential to have a clean and clutter-free space to create a peaceful and inviting atmosphere. ‘Cleanliness and tidiness’, themselves are decorations for your beloved Bappa.
Whether you’re in India or settled in another country, this guide is designed to assist you.
It will walk you through the process of deep cleaning and decluttering your home. The goal is to help you get your home ready before Ganesh Chaturthi 2023.
Welcome to “A Comprehensive Guide to Deep Cleaning and Decluttering.”
Is it Too Late to Begin Ganesh Chaturthi 2023 Preparations?
Do you feel that it’s too late to start cleaning your house?
Don’t worry!
Even if you have only a few days left, it’s never too late.
With the help of this guide, you’ll quickly achieve a thorough house cleaning. But before we dive into action, here are a few points to keep in mind:
- Kick Procrastination to the Sideline: Now, don’t procrastinate any longer. Start right away.
- Simplify Your Meals For the next few days: Keep your kitchen menus simple for the next few days. This way, you won’t spend a lot of time in the kitchen and won’t be burdened with extra work.
- Embrace Joyful Cleaning: You have to approach cleaning with happiness and joy. You’ve to reduce the burden, as you’ll have a lot of work ahead during the actual festival.
- Delegate Tasks: Plan what you’ll handle, what tasks you’ll entrust to household help, and what tasks you can assign to family members.
So, let’s get started!
Chapter 1: Ganesh Chaturthi 2023 Preparations & Planning
Before diving into the Ganesh Chaturthi 2023 Preparations, it’s crucial to plan and prepare adequately.
Even if you are short on time, spare half an hour for planning. It will significantly speed up the process. I promise, you won’t regret investing this time!
Here’s what you should do during planning:
- Create a Checklist: Start by creating a checklist of all the areas that require cleaning and decluttering. This will help you stay organized and ensure that no corner is left unattended.
- Gather Cleaning Supplies: Stock up on essential cleaning supplies, such as brooms, mops, dusters, cleaning solutions, garbage bags, and gloves.
- Set a Timeline: Determine how much time you can allocate each day for cleaning and stick to your schedule. Avoid leaving everything to the last minute. You can also try the Pomodoro technique. Having a wall clock in a visible area in the living room can be incredibly helpful. If you’re concerned about whether a wall clock might disrupt your room’s decor, read my blog post on how to choose the perfect wall clock for your living room. It will provide more insights on finding a clock that complements your interior design.
- Involve the Family: If possible, involve your family members in the planning process itself. It can be a significant help. Or just, assign specific tasks to each family member based on their routine and capabilities. Motivate them to contribute a little extra to your Ganesh Chaturthi 2023 Preparations, going beyond their daily responsibilities at home.
Chapter 2: Decluttering Your Space
Ganesh Chaturthi 2023 Preparations: Now, let’s tackle the clutter in your home.
(1) Starting Small:
Yes, even if you have only a few days on hand, start small. Instead of addressing categories, begin with one room at a time.
Do you know how many items you unnecessarily hoard in your home especially bedrooms?
I’ve uploaded a blog about the ‘Ultimate Decluttering Checklist of 100 items to Immediately get rid of from your bedrooms, your kids bedroom and closets.’
(2) Begin with Your Own Room:
It’s always a good idea to start with your own room.
Whatever your bedroom sizes, it is your personal sanctuary. This is the place where you can relax.
When your room is clean and organized, your efficiency increases.
First, sort through your belongings and decide what to keep, donate, or discard.
For Diwali makeover of your bedroom, read my blog on how to make your bedroom look like a luxury hotel room. You can achieve this look without hiring a professional designer.
(3) The Three-Box Method:
Use three labelled boxes or bags: ‘Keep,’ ‘Donate,’ and ‘Trash.’ As you go through items in every room, place them in the appropriate box.
(4) Sentimental Items:
Parting with sentimental items can be challenging.
However, consider whether they truly hold value in your life. Keep what genuinely matters and let go of the rest.
(5) Leave the Kids’ Room for Last:
Cleaning their room can be more challenging, as it’s often filled with sentimental items, both for you and your kids.
If you start with that room, you might exhaust yourself, especially when convincing kids to let go of things like ‘chocolate wrappers’ or ‘Amazon packaging covers.’
So, once the entire home is ready, if time permits, head to their room.
Otherwise, tackle that room gradually. To keep you motivated in the decluttering and cleaning game, I’ve uploaded a blog on “How to Declutter and Organize Your Home: 20 Easy Habits.”
Start practicing these habits to witness the transformation. And by Navratri, your kids’ room will slowly and gradually become neat and decluttered.
Chapter 3: Deep Cleaning Your Home
Now that you’ve decluttered, deep clean your home as part of Ganesh Chaturthi 2023 preparation:
(1) Dust and Vacuum: Begin by dusting all surfaces, including Ceilings, Furniture (from the inside), all the shelves, Carpets, Upholstery.
(2) Kitchen: Pay special attention to this area. While it may not be possible to clean the entire kitchen all at once, start addressing one part of the kitchen simultaneously while you’re cooking.
Declutter, clean, and organize one shelf or drawer at a time.
When you have some downtime while cooking, take the opportunity to discard expired spices, cookies, and medicines. Don’t forget to scrub the tiles, countertops, sinks, and appliances in the kitchen.
(3) Bathroom: Clean and disinfect the toilet, shower, and sink in the bathroom.
(4) Windows and Mirrors: Leave this task for one of the last couple of days as part of your Ganesh Chaturthi 2023 Preparations to ensure that windows and mirrors remain spotlessly clean during the actual festival!
(5) Flooring: Depending on your flooring type, mop and polish accordingly. Wooden floors may require special treatment, while tiles should be cleaned thoroughly.
Chapter 4: Adding Festive Touches
Once your home is spotlessly clean, it’s time to add those festive touches!
(1) Decorate with Love:
Embrace the spirit of Ganpati by decorating your home with vibrant rangoli, flowers, and diyas (lamps). Incorporate traditional and artistic elements that reflect the essence of this Ganpati festival.
(2) Arrange a beautiful altar or puja space for Lord Ganesha:
Usually, the living room is an ideal room for Ganpati Pratishthapana, as it offers an open space where guests can be easily attended to.
However, if you can’t find a suitable spot in the living room for Ganpati this year, there’s no need to panic. Take note of the shortcomings of this spot and use them as inputs to better prepare for the future.
In one of my blog posts, I’ve shared valuable insights on planning the layout of your living room and provided numerous tips for furniture arrangements. Apply a similar approach to plan your living room with a flexible space that allows for different arrangements throughout the year and easily accommodates Lord Ganpati during festivals.
(3) Prepare Offerings:
Arrange offerings such as fruits, sweets, and flowers. Ensure that you have all the necessary items ready for the Ganpati puja to be performed during the shubh muhurta!
Conclusion:
So, roll up your sleeves, start your Ganesh Chaturthi 2023 preparations, and watch your home transform into a beautiful and inviting space to welcome ‘Bappa’.
Remember, the key to successful cleaning and decluttering lies in consistency and dedication. To achieve this, consider incorporating certain practices into your daily routine. You can read my blog on how to master the decluttering game here.
And finally, Happy cleaning! and embrace the festival with open hearts, and may Lord Ganesha bless your home with happiness, prosperity, and positivity. Ganpati Bappa Morya!