After the holiday parties, Santa's sooty footprints, torn gift wrap and ribbons, we're all ready to reclaim our homes and enjoy a fresh start for the new year. Here are a few cleaning tips to help you with the process.

Got wine stains? A dab of foaming shaving cream can help remove many red-wine spills from carpets.

Want sparkling glass vases? Some have narrow necks that make thorough cleaning difficult. Add a little uncooked rice to the water when you clean narrow-necked vases and decanters. Your glassware will sparkle.

Stubborn labels and stickers?"? Try soaking a cotton pad or swab soaked with rubbing alcohol. The alcohol will dissolve the sticky glue and won't mess up your manicure!

Clutter driving you nuts? Take three of the large boxes that your Christmas presents arrived in and label them "Thrift Store," " Discard," and "Keep." Go through each room in the house and decide which items you no longer use, which are useless to anyone, and which you must keep. You're apt to reduce your clutter by two-thirds. Then you can find appropriate places for each item in the "Keep" box. In the weeks ahead you will save time every time you clean, not having to move all that stuff!