5 Pro Tips for Tackling Common Winter Home Messes

While it's all too easy to track in debris from the outdoors or fall victim to other common winter messes, professional cleaning and organizing experts are determined to help you keep your space looking as fresh as possible this season.

Below, the pros share their go-to solutions for five common winter messes, and you won't want to miss out on their helpful tips, which will certainly come in handy year after year.

Keep Winter Gear Off the Floor

With the winter season comes a need for large gear, such as snow shovels, skis, or snowboards. Instead of keeping these items on the floor of a closet—or in the hallway or mudroom—Wendy Buglio, a professional organizer and founder of Wendy Buglio Consulting recommends making use of vertical wall space. She suggests adding hooks or hanging racks to the wall to corral all of this gear.

Tackle Window Condensation

It is very common to notice condensation on the windows of your home, which is caused when warm air comes into contact with the cold window surface. However, you can easily get rid of the streaks that may result using ingredients that you most definitely have on hand, Kathy Cohoon, operations manager at Two Maids, explains.

All that you will need to do is mix warm water with a few drops of dish soap and wipe down your windows with this solution using a microfiber cloth before drying off the glass.

Utilize a Shoe Rack in the Entryway

In the wintertime, it's all too easy to inadvertently track salt or slush into the house when coming in from the outdoors. To avoid this issue, Katrine Burkitt, the professional organizer and founder of Sunnyside Organizing, recommends laying down a large floor mat for the entryway. If space allows, you can even set out a small bench and/or a boot tray, the professional organizer says.

"That will encourage family members and guests to remove their shoes before tracking dirt and moisture throughout the house," Burkitt says. When shopping for a boot tray, opt for one that is plastic so that you can easily wash and dry it as needed, Buglio notes.

In the instance that you do end up with salt streaks on your floors, don't fret—there is a simple solution, Cohoon says. Just mix up a solution of one part vinegar and two parts water and use a mop to clean up the affected area, rinsing it with water after.

Tip

A plastic shoe rack will be the easiest material to clean—it will inevitably need a bit of care.

Wipe Down Pet Paws

Humans aren't the only ones tracking all kinds of things into the home come winter. You will also want to be sure to wipe down your pets's paws as they enter the house after playing or walking outside.

Shannon Parker, professional organizer and the founder of Arrange For It, likes her mother-in-law's idea of keeping a spray bottle of water and a damp cloth by the front door to clean off paws. This practical solution won't take up much space yet will get the job done efficiently right when they walk through the doors.

You can also keep a box of wet wipes nearby to quickly wipe down any dirty floors if they do get past the front door area. It's an easy way to clean up small messes in less time.

Sort Through Your Outwear

If jumbles of hats, mittens, and scarves are creating a mess inside your closet, it's time to take a moment and go through your collection of winter accessories.

"Let go of unmatched singletons, worn-out items, or things that don't fit anymore," Buglio says.

To allow each family member to quickly find what they need while preparing to head out the door, designate a different storage bin for each person, Buglio suggests. She adds that an over-the-door organizer with pockets may be a viable solution if you don't have space for baskets.

Tip

If you've been holding onto gloves that don't form complete pairs or have winter gear that has truly seen better days, it's time to do a winter accessory clean out.

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Read the original article on The Spruce.