Cleaning the house after the holidays is a simple when using these 10 tips from the experts
Spending time with friends and family is always enjoyable, and it's even more special during the holidays. When we open our homes for gatherings during this period, we inevitably face various challenging tasks. While the preparation can be exhausting, it can still be rewarding. However, post-holiday cleaning is always the most challenging chore.
The Christmas period soon passes and then we are faced with the enormity of the cleaning-up task.
So, how best can we tackle this? Cleaning experts offer 10 valuable tips to taking on the challenging of post-holiday cleaning - keep reading:
1. Before the festivities
The right way to start the cleaning process is to begin before the start of the holidays. Welcoming guests to a tidy and clean home is a tradition we should all uphold, but you can take it a step further. As you set up the table, decorate, and prepare food, try to keep the spaces clean and organized, avoiding shifting any mess into rooms you already know you won't be using. This way, the workload will be significantly lighter.
2. Trash cans
Place trash and recycling cans in strategic spots so that your guests can help you tidying up by throwing away their waste instead of leaving it on tables, chairs, armchairs, and sofas, or the floor. This strategy will save you time in collecting up the garbage once the festivities are over.
Leave spare trash bags at the bottom of each bin so that they are immediately ready the bin fills up. At the end of the evening, it will be quicker to pick up any remaining trash.
3. Dirty dishes and leftovers
Empty the dishwasher before the start of a party to make it easier and faster to fill it again during the cleaning process. Also, try to wash dishes, cookware, and utensils you used during preparation as you go, leaving the sink empty and ready to accommodate the dishes used.
At the end of the party, and after collecting all the trash, you can focus on the dishes and utensils, immediately putting them in the dishwasher and filling the sink with those that need handwashing. Speed up the process further by designating an area on the table or kitchen countertop during the party for stacking used dishes.
4. From top to bottom
The best way to clean is to start from the top and work your way downward: there's no point in sweeping the floor if you still need to clean tables and countertops; you'll end up having to pick up the broom again once everything else is done.
5. Clean by category
Instead of jumping from one room to another, clean by category; this way, you'll save time and energy by avoiding jumping from one material or type of object to another. First, focus on gathering all the trash, then on collecting plates and dishes, and so on, returning each item that has been moved for the occasion to its place. During this phase, always carry a container with all the necessary cleaning supplies; it will make the job easier.
6. Broom and dustpan
Broom, dustpan, and multipurpose cleaning wipes should always be on hand - even during the party - to immediately deal with small accidents like food or drink spills, preventing them from sticking to the floor and saving time afterwards.
During the cleaning process, use the broom and dustpan only after once done with the cleaning of all the other surfaces, so you can gather everything that is on the floor in one go.
7. Concentration
Concentrating is one of the keys to the success of any task, and cleaning is no exception. After the party, focus carefully on the cleaning, starting from the moment your guests say goodbye. Encourage them to take leftovers with them so that you don't have to throw them away. Whatever is left in your home should be promptly collected and stored in the refrigerator or pantry to avoid contamination while cleaning everything else.
Cleaning by category will also help you maintain your concentration throughout the duration of your work. If it helps, create a schedule, marking or crossing off the tasks as you complete them.
8. The key concept: simplicity
Another way to make the cleaning process easier is to keep things simple: a menu with less elaborate food and drinks that create minimal mess, along with a well-organized party space, will be extremely helpful in maintaining cleanliness and restoring order once the festivities are over.
9. Don't be shy about asking for help
You are the host, but this doesn't mean you have to do everything by yourself; friends and family contribute to creating the mess, so they can help clean up too. Ask your guests to stay a few extra minutes to help with the initial cleaning tasks. You might be surprised to discover how willing they are, and who knows, maybe there's someone among them who actually enjoys cleaning and helping you out.
10. Prepare your home for the coming year
At the end of the holidays, not only do you need to clean up the mess left by the festivities, but you also need to remove all the decorations and ornaments used throughout the entire period. A good habit is to store everything away neatly, ready for the year to come. If strings of lights, wreaths and garlands are neatly gathered up and stored (and you have already discarded anything that is broken), it will be easier next year to retrieve them from the closet or basement and put them back up.
Now you are truly ready for the festivities!