Pre-Holiday Party Cleaning Plan
One of the easiest ways to keep a home in order is a well thought out schedule/plan and consistency in carrying it out. Life can get adventurous, messy, busy, chaotic, etc. especially during the holiday season. The best plans can get off track with the addition of parties, gift-giving, family and friends coming in to visit, large meals, and many other added activities.
Maybe it is your turn to host the main event. Whether you are hosting all of the extended family or the company Christmas party; having a clean and organized home is a top priority to get through the holidays with less stress. The easiest way to keep your cool while trying to plan a party and keep your home in shape is to put a holiday party cleaning checklist together.
The Week Before
The less cleaning you have to do last minute the less frazzled you will be at the actual party. Don’t wait until the last day or two before the party to get your house in top shape. Start with the big tasks and work your way to the smaller ones as you get closer to the party date.
Bathrooms
– Scrub down the whole room from the shower to toilet, to sink, to floors. If your tile grout is looking a little dingy try bleaching it or call in a professional for a tile deep clean.
- Restock/Refill Hand Soaps; its germ season, the best defense is clean hands. Make sure there is enough soap for everyone that uses the facilities.
- Hand Towels; set out fresh clean towels in a clearly visible spot, use decorative towels to keep things festive.
- Plenty of Toilet Paper; make sure the roll is full and that a spare or two is available in plain sight. If you have a septic tank place a kind reminder to only flush toilet paper.
Floors/ Upholstery/Stone and Tile
The best way to feel good about presenting your home in its absolute best light to your guests is with professional deep cleaning. This is a great time to have an annual carpet, upholstery and/or tile and stone cleaning. Not only will your home be its deepest possible clean for your guests, but pre-party is a perfect time to have a fresh coat of stain repellant or sealant ( for grout and stone) applied to help combat spills and stains. Keep these seemingly new surfaces clean until the party with vacuuming/sweeping and nightly counter cleans.
Guest Rooms
Give all bed linens a fresh wash and cover pillows and mattresses with hypoallergenic covers. Vacuum and dust then add some welcoming touches like a welcome note, bottled water on the bedside table, magazines, extra travel sized toiletries, etc. This will ensure your guests have a comfy and pleasant stay. If you have pets or tiny tots keep the door closed until your guests arrive to keep the room in order.
The Day Before
Luckily you deep cleaned not too long ago so all you should need is a few light cleaning touch-ups and you can focus on the day before party prep.
- Spot Check Guest Rooms; focus most of your time and effort in rooms guests will be staying in or hanging out in. Move around each room clockwise and around each floor in the same direction from room to room. Having a system helps you remember where you have been and helps you not to forget a spot.
- Dust; Laundry dryer sheets make great dust cloths. Dryer sheets can pick up dust mites, remove static and make it harder for dust to settle back in. Dust from highest point to lowest and follow up with the vacuum to get dust that fell to the floor.
- Pre-treat table linens; if you are using a table cloth or two, or more, make post party cleaning easier by spraying with a fabric protector and if the weather permits put them outside to dry.
- Protect Floors with the Right Door Mat; its amazing how much outdoor stuff stays outdoors and off the floors with the correct use of door mats. You will want a durable outside mat with sort of brush like texture to remove the bulk of outside muck that is on the bottom of shoes. Place another mat inside the door to get anything still left on shoes. If you really want to keep your floors clean, have a shoe tray for guests to place shoes and offer comfy socks or slippers to roam around your newly cleaned floors.
With the right plan and enough forward thinking hosting Holiday parties does not need to be a nightmare. Let All Kleen take the stress out of hosting holiday guests. Make an appointment online.