As children dream of Christmas lists and families decorate their porches for Thanksgiving, it seems everyone is ready for a fun holiday season to begin. The last few months of the year are filled with family, friends, and traditions, making it one of the best times to create long-lasting memories with your loved ones.
While it’s enjoyable to celebrate the holidays, it can also be stressful if you plan to host people in your home. It takes time to complete everything on your holiday home cleaning checklist. Instead of procrastinating your holiday cleaning tasks until the night before your party, get a head start by using these holiday cleaning tips for deep cleaning in advance. It’s much easier to prepare for a party when you have already scrubbed away the grime and dirt leftover from summer.
Holiday Cleaning Doesn’t Have to Spoil Your Party
As a host, you want to enjoy the party with the people that you love. But it’s hard to relax and have fun if you are exhausted from a day of deep cleaning and preparation. So as the holidays approach, right now is the time to put in the hard work.
Your pre-cleaning efforts set the stage for a stress-free holiday season. Whether you are hosting one party or many, you’ll be glad that you put in the deep cleaning work early in the season.
Undertaking the biggest home cleaning tasks now reduces your last-minute holiday home cleaning checklist must-dos. First, use this checklist to scrub the house top-to-bottom ahead of time; then, you can focus on the most enjoyable parts of planning a party: decorating the table, baking the holiday treats, and dressing up for an evening with friends.
Holiday Cleaning Tips: 7 Step Schedule to Prepare Your Home for a Party
What is your routine for home cleaning before a party? Follow these holiday cleaning tips – a step-by-step guide to make it simple and easy:
Step 1: Create a Holiday Home Cleaning Checklist
Put together a holiday home cleaning checklist ensures you haven’t overlooked anything when the guests arrive. Walk through your home, identify the areas that need cleaning, then put together a schedule to make sure everything is ready in time for the party. Enlist family members to help mark these tasks off your checklist. You can make it a game with your younger kids to get them to help get the house ready. Or - if you’ve run out of time or need extra hands - you can hire a professional home cleaning service like You’ve Got Maids of Northern Virginia for assistance.
Step 2: Purchase Holiday Cleaning Products Before You Start to Clean
It’s easy to finish the holiday cleaning when you have quality products on hand. Good cleaning solutions, a strong vacuum, scrub brushes, and a steam mop make it easier to wipe away the grime without putting in a lot of elbow grease. Make a list and check it twice so you’re sure to have what you need to get the job done, so you don’t have to stop cleaning to go find the right cleaning supplies.
Step 3: Start at the Top (One of Our Best Professional Holiday Cleaning Hacks)
When you are deep cleaning, it’s a good rule of thumb to always start at the top and work your way down. For example, wiping down the counters and washing the windows can leave debris and drips on the floors. So, start with the higher cleaning tasks before finishing with the floors to make sure you get the most out of your cleaning and disinfecting efforts.
Step 4: Scrub the Bathrooms
Make sure your bathrooms are sparkling clean when guests need to use the facilities. Not only does the toilet need scrubbing (inside and out), but also wash the shower, wipe the mirrors, clean the floors, and set out extra toiletries. Don’t forget to wipe down the shelves and medicine cabinet – people will peek inside! Add an air freshener or lay out soap scented with essential oils to leave a pleasant smell in the room.
Step 5: Prepare the Kitchen
With the kitchen being the heart of the home, it’s a place where many activities are happening when you’re hosting a party. Deep cleaning the kitchen gives you a fresh start before you start cooking your favorite holiday treats.
Holiday cleaning hacks in the kitchen include small tasks that have a big effect on the day of the event: stock up on fresh hand towels, wipe and sanitize the counters, scrub out the sink, and make sure to unload the dishwasher so you have plenty of clean dishes available (and space to put the dirty dishes so your counters can stay clutter-free).
Step 6: Cozy-Up the Guest Room
When guests stay the night, improve the experience by creating a comfortable, cozy guest room they can enjoy. Dust the room, put fresh sheets on the bed, leave a note with the WiFi password, and set out any extra items to make their stay more comfortable: tissues, hand lotion, and chocolate on their pillows. And for an extra dose of holiday cheer, keep extra toiletries - like toothpaste, toothbrushes, shaving cream and other essentials - on hand for your overnight guest who may have forgotten to pack those essentials.
Step 7: Post Party Holiday Cleaning
After enjoying a fun night of celebration, it’s time to clean up the mess, so you are ready for the next event. Follow up that night or the following day and wash the dishes, wipe away the messes, and give yourself a fresh start.
Should You Leave a Holiday Tip for the Cleaning Lady?
Many people wonder if they should leave a holiday tip for the cleaning lady. It’s a season of giving, and families often want to share the joy with service providers such as the cleaning lady and mail delivery. It’s up to you to decide whether and how much you want to give!
Find a Maid to Help with Holiday Cleaning
If you’re interested in learning more about You’ve Got Maids, check out our information on our website. Then, schedule a consultation to get your free estimate by calling us at (571) 732-2199. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
Our cleaning business is licensed, bonded, and insured. In addition, every staff member is fully trained and has passed a 7-year background check.
We always follow COVID-19 protocols, and every member of our team is fully vaccinated. And if you’re looking for ways to go green in the new year, You’ve Got Maids of Northern Virginia is a Green America certified business.
Are you wondering about the cost of holiday home cleaning? Contact us to get a free estimate. We offer custom home cleaning packages and will help you find the right services for your home. Let us clean your home so you can prioritize your attention on more important things in life!
Want to give the gift of clean to your friends and family this holiday season? Show how much you care by giving a You’ve Got Maids gift certificate, which can be used towards any of our cleaning services!
