Entertaining friends and family throughout the holiday season requires more than just decking the halls, it requires some planning too. You’ll need to prepare guest rooms and baths, plan and prepare meals, and do plenty of holiday house cleaning to make a great impression. As overwhelming as your to-do list might appear, you’ve got this! Here’s how to get it all done and still enjoy the most wonderful time of the year.
How to Plan for Holiday House Cleaning
The holidays can be a tough time for all of us. When you throw in hosting holiday party guests, your day-to-day time management becomes even more important. It pays off when you have a holiday cleaning checklist that brings focus and timeliness to your normal house cleaning routine.
Plan for Your Holiday Party
There’s one thing you can’t pick up more of when you run to the store: time. Take ten minutes to sit down and plan out your cleaning schedule and a basic strategy well in advance. Block off and prioritize time for cleaning so your other activities don’t compromise it. Save your more time-intensive tasks for weekends and smaller tasks for weekdays. Because your floor won’t stay clean for long, especially in high-traffic areas, save the vacuuming, sweeping and mopping for a little closer to the event itself.
Think outside the box—and the home, too. Where will everyone park? For those living in snowy climates, getting a little help with clearing the driveway isn’t a bad idea. So, if the forecast calls for inclement weather right before or during your event, make sure you arrange to keep the driveway and parking areas clear for guests.
Related Topic: Getting Ready for Holiday Guests
Make a Cleaning Checklist (and Check It Twice)
After you’ve planned your basic timeline and strategy, use a checklist to organize and prioritize your cleaning tasks. This is a great way to make sure no areas of your home are neglected. Use our House Cleaning Checklist as a starting point, but be sure to adjust it to focus on the areas of your home that might need more attention.
One useful method is dividing your home into zones and ranking those zones based on which will need the most work. For example, if you’re cleaning out a room for a guest to sleep in, consider that it may take more time than usual to dust, vacuum, remove stored items, and wash the bedding.
Set a Holiday Cleaning Budget
One of the biggest stressors of the holiday season is the additional financial strain. Just as you’ve set a budget for gift giving and entertaining, set some honest boundaries for how much you’ll need to spend to get your home clean. This budget will include supplies and possibly professional cleaning services from Molly Maid. Hiring a couple of extra pairs of hands to clean is money well spent. Not only will it free up your schedule so you can tackle the shopping, cooking, and other tasks, it will help you relax and enjoy the season!
Stock Up Before You Start
Nothing slows your cleaning momentum like running out of cleaning supplies. Look through all your cleaning cupboards and closets, take inventory, and shop for the supplies you’re short on. It’s smart to get extra supplies so you’re ready for post-celebration cleanup too. This does require more shopping and more budget, so you may prefer to hire expert help instead.
One more tip about supplies: Don’t forget the laundry detergent. While it might not be considered a typical holiday home cleaning product, you’ll be doing more loads of laundry than usual and won’t want to run out of detergent!
Even Santa Doesn’t Do It All—Mobilize Your Elves
No one person can claim to have built a skyscraper. During the holiday rush, throwing a house party can feel like just as big a project! Look at your checklist and assign tasks to members of your household—yes, even the kids. Like any good manager, you can put each person in a position to succeed (and meet your standards) by knowing what they do well, what they only do halfway, and what tools and supplies they need to get the job done.
Related Topic: How to Clean Up After a Party
Get Professional Cleaning for Your Event
Especially during the holidays, you may not find time to make memories and connect with the people who matter most; you need to make time instead. So, give yourself a little gift this year. Professional cleaning services just might help everyone destress this holiday season.
Contact Molly Maid for professional event cleaning services ahead of your next holiday get-together! Request your cleaning estimate online today.
