There's nothing worse than hearing the clink of glasses and laughter in the living room, over a messy kitchen and a huge pile of dishes. And while everyone is having fun, think about the red wine stain on your couch and the sheets in the guest room that still need to be removed. If this sounds familiar, luckily, regular cleaning could transform the way you organize this year.
Whether you plan to host Christmas or invite all the guests yourself, we probably don't need to tell you that hosting during the holidays is both enjoyable and stressful. And while you can seek holiday hosting advice from holiday hosting professionals to make your guests as happy as possible, the reality is that hosts rarely have the opportunity to enjoy the festivities themselves, especially when so much cleanliness goes into the upkeep of their home is inserted. whenever.
However, an interval cleanse may be the answer to your holiday prayers. By cleaning at regular intervals and only when absolutely necessary, you can create a system that gets the job done as quickly as possible without compromising your own enjoyment. And if you follow this Christmas interval cleaning guide, you can save yourself the hassle of organizing this Christmas.
1. Clean the kitchen little and often
(Image credit: Future/Malcolm Menzies)
With the holidays in full swing, you might not even have time to clean a kitchen in 15 minutes . But instead of turning away from the royal speech or a game of family charades and forcing yourself to keep the kitchen area as clean as possible, you can simply clean the kitchen a little and often.
Laura Marsden, cleaning expert at Marigold , explains: "The best way to prevent cleaning jobs from becoming too tedious is to do little and often, and do short 'interval cleans' to avoid large build-ups. Use your free time wisely: When cooking or frying food, wipe down surfaces, mop the floor, or wash the dishes.
And he adds: "Always have a microfiber cloth handy to wipe up any spills or dirt immediately to prevent them from building up and getting worse." This way, you don't have to spend a lot of time cleaning after cooking and can enjoy the festivities .
2. Expect a high number of visitors
(Image credit: Future/Davide Lovatti)
Even if you have one of the best vacuum cleaners , no one wants to spend their entire Christmas vacation vacuuming after their guests. And it's not necessary. Kirsty Barton, marketing manager at Alternative Flooring, has the best interval cleaning hack so you don't have to vacuum regularly over the holidays.
She says: "To control how much dirt gets into your home at Christmas, use doormats at entrances. » These doormats will catch most of the dirt and debris from your guests' shoes before they enter your home, and you can even offer them slippers (like these 12 pairs of disposable slippers from Amazon ) to completely eliminate that mess . .
Then you can vacuum at the beginning and end of every vacation instead of every time someone leaves the house or enters the yard.
3. Wash little and often
(Image credit: Future/Katie Lee)
Christmas dinner is supposed to be a celebration, and a big celebration includes several plates, platters, gravy boats and side dishes, not forgetting wine glasses, champagne glasses and water glasses just in case. This requires a lot of laundry and can keep you away from playing for hours on vacation.
But instead of washing all the dishes at once, Laura Harnett, founder of Seep , suggests cleaning at regular intervals and opting for the small and frequent technique. She says: "Clean your dishes the same day by washing them little and often. »
"I like to take the plate out of the sink and use it to pre-rinse with hot, soapy water to soak greasy trays or dirty dishes. Then use cold water in the sink for final cleaning. If you use a dishwasher , wash the glasses by hand so that they don't get contaminated by larger items as they will need to be washed again anyway, and this saves space in the dishwasher for other items.
So do a little washing up between dishes to stay on top of things, and if you really want to enjoy the day, you can even leave a bowl of hot soapy water in the kitchen sink and ask your guests to wash their dishes. after destroying his twelfth tart.
4. Put things away as quickly as possible
(Image credit: Future/Maxwell Attenborough)
If you want to avoid a major post-Christmas cleaning, it may also be easier to tidy up and put things away as quickly as possible. This is especially true if you plan on creating the ultimate holiday tables .
Becca Stern, creative director and co-founder of Mustard Made , explains: "Decluttering and putting away while getting organized is a great way to deal with the Christmas chaos that can arise in your home during the holidays. While you may want to use your best plates and champagne flutes for entertaining family and friends, make sure they are quickly cleaned and returned to their cabinets when not in use to keep kitchen surfaces clean and the dining room looking as bright as possible.
Just make sure you know how to properly store glasses in a cabinet and organize your kitchen cabinets in the best possible way so you don't have to reorganize them when the holiday madness is over. You can also place them on a bar or drinks cart so your guests can pour their own drinks.
5. Create dedicated cleaning stations
(Image credit: Future/Mary Wadsworth)
If you like to decorate your bathroom right before your guests arrive or want to tackle those stained glass windows you saw out of the corner of your eye at Christmas dinner, you could spend a lot of time running back and forth to your cleaning closet . To make sure you have time for fun, Sam Tamlyn, CEO of Shutterly Fabulous, recommends setting up cleaning stations around the house.
He says, "Having dedicated cleaning supplies stations strategically placed throughout the home, such as disinfectants and microfiber clothing in your living or dining room, will help you quickly address any spills or accidents." »
Natalie Mudd, co-founder and creative director of Knot & Grain , adds that this is especially important if you want to clean your hardwood floors . She explains: "Having an emergency cleaning kit on hand is a smart way to quickly deal with accidents; This saves you the hassle of searching for the right cleaning product and the time you have to spend with your guests.
"When it comes to cleaning up spills on hardwood floors, it's best to act quickly. Dry them immediately to prevent moisture from penetrating and damaging the wood. Absorb the spill with a soft cloth or paper towel and then wipe the area with a damp cloth," he adds.
6. Free up sleeping spaces quickly
(Image credit: Future/Katie Lee)
There are plenty of additional tips for seating at Christmas, but you may also need to furnish your guest room or invest in one of the best air mattresses so your guests have a place to sleep too. And if you're not careful, you could spend hours cleaning these areas while your guests are having fun.
Therefore, you should optimize your cleaning schedule and opt for cleaning at regular intervals. And Ayan Abdi, brand and home expert at Zinus , says it might be worth investing in one of the best sofa beds to achieve this.
"A sofa bed is a great investment for Christmas as it can be quickly put away between days of fun. If you plan to host friends or family in the living room or necessary common areas on Christmas Day, make sure your sofa bed and linens are stored as efficiently and neatly as possible so that the room can be used as a place to relax. '
Opting for a sofa bed with hidden storage is ideal for regular tidying, as you can remove the bedding, store it in the sofa bed's storage compartment and quickly get on with the rest of your vacation.
Frequently asked questions
How to quickly clean in front of unexpected guests?
Especially during the Christmas season, it is not uncommon for guests to be invited to our home. If you have limited time to clean quickly in the event of unexpected guests, it's best to prioritize the areas of your home with the highest traffic and the places you know your guests will use. For example, the hallway, the living room, the bathroom and the guest room if you want to spend the night.
During this quick clean, clear the room of any dirt, dust visible surfaces, vacuum or mop the floor, quickly wipe down your toilet, and spray on bathroom cleaning products. If you don't have time to clean the rest of your house and know your guests won't be using it, simply close the door and keep the clutter out of sight.
When should I start cleaning for Christmas?
If you want to properly clean your house this Christmas, most experts recommend starting at least two weeks before the big day. This will give you time to clean more thoroughly and intensively areas and items such as the oven, refrigerator, guest room, and other areas that don't always receive the same attention.
Then, a few days before Christmas, you should be able to slow down the cleaning and focus on small, regular bursts of cleaning as the festivities progress. This way you can continue to enjoy your accommodation without the additional hassle of cleaning.
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