Ramadan is such a special time of year, and I always like to do a little preparation beforehand so that I can spend less time worrying about the house once Ramadan begins.
For me, preparing for Ramadan doesn’t mean completely transforming the house or buying lots of new things. It’s more about getting some of those everyday jobs out of the way, organising the areas that are going to be used a lot and creating a nice atmosphere for the family.
In this Ramadan preparation, I concentrated on cleaning, organising the fridge, catching up with laundry, preparing some Islamic reading and adding a few simple decorations around the home.
Here are some of the things I did.
1. Get the Bigger Cleaning Jobs Done Before Ramadan
One thing I definitely recommend is getting any physically tiring cleaning jobs done before you start fasting.
I’d already cleaned out my kitchen cupboards previously, so this time I concentrated on the kitchen windows and French doors, which were definitely in need of a good clean!
It might seem like a small thing, but getting jobs like this out of the way beforehand means there is one less thing sitting on your mental to-do list during Ramadan.
You certainly don’t need to deep clean your entire house. I would just concentrate on the jobs that have been bothering you or that you know you’ll appreciate having done once Ramadan starts.
A few ideas could be:
- Cleaning the kitchen and fridge
- Catching up with laundry
- Changing bedding
- Clearing kitchen worktops
- Organising food cupboards
- Cleaning the dining area
- Decluttering particularly messy areas
The aim isn’t perfection. It’s simply to make life a little easier.
2. Clean and Organise the Fridge
The fridge was one of the main areas I wanted to tackle before Ramadan.
It wasn’t particularly terrible, but it had become disorganised and needed a good clean. I also wanted to make some extra room ready for our Ramadan food shopping.
I started by completely emptying the fridge and taking out the shelves, racks and containers. I washed all the removable parts in the sink and gave the inside of the fridge a thorough clean before putting everything back.
One thing I noticed was just how much space some of the fruit and vegetable packaging takes up. Removing unnecessary packaging and organising everything properly gave us much more room.
Having an organised fridge also makes it easier to see exactly what you already have, which hopefully means less forgotten food and less waste.
3. Catch Up With the Laundry
Next came the mountain of laundry!
I’d accumulated a rather impressive pile of clean clothes that needed folding and putting away, and this was one of those jobs I really wanted finished before Ramadan.
I folded everything, hung up the clothes that needed hanging and finally put it all away.
And yes, it genuinely felt like a load had been lifted off my shoulders!
If you’re preparing for Ramadan, this is a good time to catch up with those little household jobs that have been hanging over you.
You don’t have to have a perfectly organised house before Ramadan begins. But getting yourself reasonably caught up can make those first few days feel much calmer.
4. Prepare for Ramadan Spiritually Too
Of course, preparing for Ramadan isn’t just about cleaning and organising the house.
I wanted to encourage myself to do a little more Islamic reading during Ramadan, so I put a selection of Islamic books next to my bed.
My thinking was very simple: if I can see them, I’m more likely to pick one up and read it!
You could do something similar with whatever you would personally like to concentrate on during Ramadan.
Perhaps create a little area for your Qur’an, Islamic books, journal or Ramadan planner. It doesn’t have to be Instagram-worthy. It just needs to be somewhere convenient that you’ll actually use.
5. Put Up Some Simple Ramadan Decorations
We also added a few Ramadan decorations around the house.
I didn’t spend lots of money or order anything particularly elaborate. I found some inexpensive decorations in Poundland in pretty rose gold and silver colours, and they were perfectly adequate.
The children enjoyed having the decorations up, and that’s really what mattered.
I think it’s lovely to make Ramadan feel like a special occasion for children. You don’t necessarily need elaborate decorations to achieve that — even a simple banner or a few decorations can change the atmosphere.
6. Keep Useful Duas Somewhere Visible
Another little idea I really liked was framing a page of duas.
I had a page from an old charity booklet containing useful supplications, so rather than leaving it tucked away somewhere, I put it inside an inexpensive frame and displayed it where we could easily see it during Ramadan.
You could do something similar with duas you want to learn, Ramadan reminders or even a little checklist.
It’s such a simple idea, but having something displayed somewhere you regularly see it can serve as a useful reminder.
You Don’t Need a Perfect Home for Ramadan
I think it’s easy to turn Ramadan preparation into another enormous list of things we feel we should be doing.
Deep clean the entire house. Organise every cupboard. Make dozens of freezer meals. Buy decorations. Create Ramadan baskets. Make elaborate planners…
It doesn’t need to be like that.
The purpose of getting organised beforehand is really the opposite — to take some pressure away during Ramadan.
Think about the things that will genuinely make your life easier.
For me, that meant getting some cleaning done, organising the fridge, catching up with laundry and making the home feel a little more ready for Ramadan.
Your list might look completely different.
My Simple Ramadan Home Preparation Checklist
If you’re not sure where to start, here’s a simple checklist:
- Finish any tiring cleaning jobs
- Clean and organise the fridge
- Check your freezer and food cupboards
- Catch up with laundry
- Clear obvious clutter
- Prepare a space for Qur’an or Islamic reading
- Put useful duas somewhere visible
- Add a few simple decorations if your family enjoys them
- Make room for your Ramadan groceries
- Then stop! You don’t need to reorganise your entire life before Ramadan begins.
The most important preparation for Ramadan isn’t having a spotless fridge or beautifully decorated home. These are simply practical things that can make everyday life run a little more smoothly.
I hope this gives you a little motivation to get your home ready for Ramadan without putting too much pressure on yourself.
May Allah allow us to reach Ramadan, make it a blessed and productive month for us and our families, and accept our fasting, prayers and duas. Ameen.
