New Year Cleaning Guide for the Lazy | 2026 Auspicious Dates for Spring Cleaning, Taboos, and Customs: One Article Teaches You How to Usher in the New Year

The saying "out with the old, in with the new" captures this very idea. After a year of use, the old Spring Festival couplets have lost their vitality. Only by replacing them with fresh ones can we welcome good fortune and radiate festive cheer.

Additionally, it is recommended to dispose of items such as loose, worn-out clothing, cracked bowls, and withered plants. Only then can you truly achieve the goal of clearing out the old to make way for the new, bringing good fortune to your home in the new year.

Clothes left damp from New Year's Eve through the first day of the Lunar New Year—or even left out for several days until the fourth or fifth day—are considered unlucky. Dark, damp misfortune will gather in the home, affecting overall fortune. Therefore, it is advisable to wash and dry all clothes before the New Year and wear new clothes to welcome the new year.

New Year's Eve is a time for family reunions, when long-separated relatives gather around the table for the festive dinner. Continuing the deep cleaning at this time risks sweeping away the family's good fortune. Therefore, it is advisable to complete all cleaning before New Year's Eve and avoid taking out the trash between the first and fourth days of the Lunar New Year.

During the annual spring cleaning, it's common to rearrange furniture or redecorate your home, but remember never to move the bed. Known as the wealth position, the bed occupies the spot in your home most conducive to attracting prosperity. Moving it carelessly could potentially drain your fortune and energy, affecting your luck for the entire year.

First, it's best to start organizing from the bedroom before moving on to other rooms. Whether you're sorting clothes, cleaning surfaces, or storing items, beginning with smaller areas makes the process easier to tackle. This approach ensures your New Year's cleaning gets off to a smooth start, builds a sense of accomplishment, and prevents you from giving up halfway through.

When tidying your bedroom and rooms, be sure to clean dust-prone areas like nightstands and wardrobe compartments to create a restful sleep environment. You can also spritz a little aromatic mist to fill the bedroom with a fresh, rejuvenating scent.

The bathroom is usually adjacent to the bedroom and is a place we visit daily, so extra attention to cleaning is essential. When deep-cleaning the bathroom, pay special attention to the toilet seat and sink. You can also take the opportunity to check if there are enough toiletries in the bathroom. If supplies are low, restock them to prepare for the New Year.

Additionally, Taiwan's climate is humid and muggy, and damp environments are particularly prone to mold growth. During deep cleaning, pay close attention to signs of wall cancer or mold. If you're unable to handle it yourself, consider contacting a professional deep cleaning company.

The kitchen is where families gather to enjoy good meals. Hot dishes and exquisite desserts all originate here. Since the food we consume comes from this space, it's all the more important to maintain thorough cleanliness and hygiene.

Areas like stovetops and sinks tend to accumulate grease and grime easily, so they should be cleaned more thoroughly. Given the prevalence of pests like cockroaches in Taiwan, it's also advisable to inspect dish cabinets and storage cupboards to prevent insect breeding.

The living room serves as the face of the home and is where the family gathers most often. Whether spacious and bright or cozy and intimate, it embodies the family's bonds, daily routines, and habits, making careful organization essential.

Living rooms often accumulate snacks, newspapers, magazines, or small knickknacks. It's best to put everything back in its place at once. For items that have been sitting unused for a long time, consider decluttering them all at once. This will keep your living room tidy and organized, allowing everyone to relax comfortably on the sofa after work.

After tidying up many important areas of the home, the entryway and balcony are essential to complete. The entryway is the first space encountered upon entering and is considered a feng shui treasure spot brimming with wealth energy. Therefore, it must be kept exceptionally clean, and shoes not currently in use should be stored in the shoe cabinet.

For those with cabinets in their entryway, clear away clutter piled on top and clean dusty areas to keep the space tidy and organized. Only then can you attract good financial fortune.