England, Wales, Scotland & Northern Ireland
Interiors
The House Reset Trend:
Five things you might be missing
By Matthew Currington, Technical Director,
TikTok has a wealth of videos on all topics but perhaps some of its most addictive content is kitchen, home and bathroom cleaning, organising and restocking.
This has given rise to the ‘house reset’ trend of TikTok, showcasing the finest tips and techniques on how to clean, tidy and organise your home, often on a Sunday, for the week ahead.
But there are five important tips to include in a house reset…
Dust, wet wipe and clean your lights
Lighting is an essential part of the home, helping to set the mood and curate the desired environment. Lighting is also functional, giving us adequate light to perform certain tasks at home.
For example, under-cabinet lighting in both kitchens provides much-needed task lighting, especially useful when chopping with sharp knives. Equally, bathroom mirror lights for evening self-care rituals must be bright.
But over time lights get covered in dust, moisture, cooking grease, beauty products, limescale grime and more, all of which hamper their effectiveness and light output.
Once a month, include a good dust and wet wipe of these light bulbs in the routine. This will maximise the effectiveness of lights by limiting the build-up of dirt.
Refresh fancy fittings
Many light fittings are made with luxurious materials such as chrome and brass, both of which tarnish over time when neglected. Tarnishing is unsightly, making light fittings look unkempt and in need of a refresh.
Consider including a polishing ritual in your house reset to prevent any irreversible and lasting damage due to prolonged tarnishing.
You could also create cleaning products made from household ingredients such as lemon juice and baking soda.
Have a change of scenery
They say that change is as good as a holiday, so why not change up your décor in your reset routine?
Swapping around your lamps and home décor gives you an exciting new perspective of your home, making it feel like a whole new space.
For example, now that we are heading into the darker and colder wintery months, create a reading nook by moving any existing lamps into a corner alongside a cosy armchair. This is the perfect reset activity to get you excited for evening reading after long days at work.
Don’t forget the lampshades
Lampshades are a great way to add character to your lighting. Options are abundant, ranging from bright and colourful to more natural and minimalist shades.
Unfortunately, lampshades are also the perfect spot for dust to settle over time leaving shades looking duller by the day.
Different fabrics require different cleaning. For fabric shades, mix up a bowl of water with some fabric detergent and gently clean the shade with a microfibre cloth. For lampshades made of natural materials like rattan or bamboo, use a vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment to get the dust out of all the nooks and crannies.
Include frequent dusting of lampshades in your weekly reset because dust is better dealt with straight away. Over time it becomes sticky and more difficult to remove.
Check your light bulbs
If you have any older incandescent light bulbs in your home, it’s a great idea to switch these out for LED light bulbs during your house reset.
While incandescent light bulbs are cheaper at face value, you may find yourself replacing them more frequently. LED bulbs are more energy efficient and have a much longer lifespan, making them much more cost-effective in the long run.
Matthew Currington, Technical Director
