Whether you love to clean or it’s your least favorite thing to do, having a clean house for the holidays is a must. It can feel daunting to ensure your whole house is ready to go for that holiday dinner or Christmas party, but it doesn’t have to happen all at once. Here are a few tips to get you started and keep you on track towards a clean house and a stellar holiday season.
Be Realistic and Start Small
The first thing you need to decide is what area or items need to be cleaned. Your guests probably won’t be in your attic or in your bedrooms, so those areas shouldn’t be a priority. However, you may have guests staying with you, which means you’ll have more space and items to cover. Typically, the heavy hitters are the kitchen, bathrooms, living areas, and dining areas. If you can help it, keep guests in these areas to cut down your workload.
To get started, assess your cleaning needs. Walk through the trafficked areas of your home and decide what needs to be cleaned. From here, you can create a list to tackle and a schedule to get it all done before the big day. But tackling that list shouldn’t happen all at once. If you can help it, start small and focus on one room or task at a time. This way, it breaks up the chores and creates a manageable timeline that can fit into your daily schedule. For some, it may not be possible with your other responsibilities, but dividing up the work and conquering a few tasks per day can help you complete your list without burning out.
Another thing to consider is how often the spaces on your list are used and when. For example, the living room is typically a highly used space. You don’t want to clean that first, since it’s used everyday. However, areas such as your windows and baseboards don’t see a lot of action. Work backwards from least used/touched spaces to ensure the most-used areas are cleaned last and stay that way before guests arrive. With these tips and tricks as a baseline, it’s time to start the cleaning process.
Make a List and Check it Twice
An effective way to work towards a clean house is to get in the Christmas spirit and follow in Santa’s footsteps—make a list and check it twice. When you know what you have to tackle, the job because a lot easier to handle because you can divide the tasks into hours and or days. Look at your house and write down all the chores. From there, you can divvy up the tasks by day and start crossing items off the list. Here’s a quick cleaning checklist to help get you started.
•  Windows, baseboards, light switches
•  Washing shower curtains, window drapery, bath mats, hand towels, etc.
•  Bedrooms: flooring, launder bedding, neaten/organize clutter (if guests are staying with you)
•  Dusting: shelving, tables, counter spaces, etc.
•  Dining area or eating space: flooring, declutter shelving, set place settings
•  Living room: flooring, declutter, organize shelving
•  Kitchen: flooring, counters, clean fridge, declutter, sink/dishes, trash can
•  Bathrooms: flooring, shower/tub, toilet, sink, declutter medicine cabinet/shelved items
•  Front entrance/foyer: flooring, decoration, declutter for guest shoes/coats
Remember, you want to start with items, such as windows, baseboards, guest rooms, and other areas or items that aren’t regularly used or touched. Work your way towards highly trafficked areas such as the kitchen and living room to ensure these areas remain cleaned for your guests. On the big day, focus on the little things, like decorations, hand towels, and the front foyer as finishing touches that will impress your family and friends.
How to Keep Your Clean House Clean Before the Big Day
You might be thinking, okay, so I get the house clean, but then what? The world won’t stop turning just because you made your home immaculate, but there are a few ways to keep it ready for the big day.
•  Give yourself seven days to clean; don’t start any earlier
•  Start with nonessential areas: windows, baseboards, laundering curtains and work your way towards highly trafficked rooms
•  Spray down shower after use, make your beds each morning, give unused items to GoodWill to remove clutter
•  Keep up with trash/recycling, cleaning dishes/kitchen after cooking within that seven day period
•  Define “off limit” areas if you live with others, such as the dining room
There is no one right way to clean your house for the holidays, but these tips and tricks can help you stay on track. Don’t let cleaning get in the way of holiday fun. Make a list, check it twice, and tackle a few items each day to ensure your home is ready for Christmas parties and holiday dinners.
Not everyone has the time to get their house in order for the holiday season. If that’s the case, don’t sweat it! If you’re in the Cookeville or Algood areas, call Advanced Cleaning for help. From carpet cleaning to a thorough deep clean, we can do it all so you ca enjoy the season of giving!
