The holiday are full of joy, cheer, warm and cozy feelings, and guests. That’s right … from pop-ins to holiday parties, you’re more than likely going to have guests at your house during the holidays.
If you’re wanting to impress your guests, there’s no need to do a floor to ceiling cleaning that will take you days to complete. There’s no time for that, especially if you get a call from a guest saying that she’s going to stop by in the next 10 minutes.
10 Simple Holiday Cleaning Tips
1.) Dust surfaces
Purchase a Swiffer duster and always keep refillable dusters on hand. Whenever I have guests coming over, using a Swiffer duster makes it so easy to catch all of the dust in just a few minutes. Plus, my son loves to help clean and he can use the Swiffer duster to help with the housework. Yes, he’s almost two. Like mother like son.
2.) Vacuum main areas
Chances are, if you’re having a holiday party or a dinner guest, your guests aren’t going to be in every room of your home during the event. So, instead of vacuuming all of the floors in your house, just vacuum the main areas of the home where the guests will be.
3.) Wipe down surfaces
Give the kitchen counters a wipe down, as well as bathroom counters too. Also, don’t forget to wipe down the kitchen appliances. Having smudge-free appliances will make your kitchen pop. And, we all know, the kitchen is where guests like to hang most.
4.) Put away toys
One of my favorite ways to hide kid toys is to use bins and baskets. Before guests arrive, I always go into our living room and the play room to tidy up and hide all of the toys.
5.) Spray the air or light a candle
You might not think your house has a certain smell to it. But, your guests will notice the smell of your house. Be sure to avoid a noise cringe by quickly spraying air freshener throughout your home. Or, better yet, light a holiday candle that will make your home seem warm and cozy.
6.) Tidy up the living room
Neatly drape blankets on couches and make sure pillows are in a nice order.
7.) Empty the sink
Yes, you might be cooking for the holiday party. But, be sure to have a nice and tidy sink before your guests arrive. Having a neat and tidy kitchen will make you feel confident as a host.
8.) Clean the toilets
Nobody wants to do their business in a dirty toilet. Spray and scrub the toilets. Enough said.
9.) Wipe down windows
With a toddler and two dogs in our home, our windows are smudgy almost regularly. The worst part is that we have a lot of windows on the west side of the house which means that when the sun sets during a party, all of the hand prints and nose prints are put on display. Yikes. Wipe down the smudges.
10.) Empty the garbage cans
Garbage cans will get stinky, especially if garbage has been sitting in there for a while. Before guests arrive, empty the garbage and add a fresh bag. Be sure to empty the garbage cans in the bathroom(s) as well.
This list might be a bit overwhelming at first. But, create a game plan and start knocking out these tasks one after another. You’ll realize that, when on a mission, you can quickly spruce up your home in about 10 minutes.
What’s your favorite holiday cleaning trick?
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