The After Holiday Clean Up

 
The holidays are a special time of the year as families gather together to enjoy each other’s company. You’ve worked hard to make your family and friends feel welcome in your home. Hosting this year’s holiday festivities also means you have the tremendous task of cleaning it all up. Where do you start? The after holiday clean up can be an exhausting job, but it doesn’t have to be. It took a village to create the mess, have some of the villagers assist in cleaning it up! Here are some suggestions to keep the cleanup under control both during and after your holiday celebrations.

1. Have your family members pitch in

If you are hosting the holidays, chances are you already have a lot on your plate. With all the cooking and preparation, it’s only reasonable that your guests should lend you a hand with the clean up. Instruct family members, beforehand, that they will be expected to tidy up their personal spaces. Hopefully, if overnight guests see you straightening up around the house, they will be inclined to help. They can assist with folding laundry, dirty dishes and assembling meals.

2. Stay ahead of the food preparation

When preparing food, designate a person to wash dishes or stack them in the dishwasher as they pile up. Put condiments and food supplies away before moving on to the next dish. After the evening meal, wash dinner dishes before beginning dessert. You will breathe a sigh of relief when at the end of the night the kitchen will be one less mess you have to clean.

3. Organize your space as you go

With so many tasks to check off of your list, make sure to thoroughly clean up each mess. For instance, make gift distribution a snap. Don’t recycle all of those large plastic bags from the holiday shopping, just yet. They will come in handy for family members to store their opened gifts and keep everyone organized. Have several trash bags ready to go for any garbage not going straight into the recycle bin. Designate a family member to take out the trash each time it becomes full.

4. Carpets and floors

With the amount of foot traffic that will be coming through your home this holiday, pay close attention to your carpets and floors. Thoroughly vacuum carpets to pick up any dirt your guests may have tracked in. A dust mop can be used as a quick clean up for laminate or hardwood floors. Depending on the type of wood you have, do your research before wet mopping, as water can stain some wood flooring and mar the finish. The last thing you want to do is to further damage to your hardwood floors while trying to clean up scuffs and scrapes from holiday guests! Check with the company that installed the floors or hire a company to refinish it professionally.

5. Bathrooms, bathrooms, bathrooms

Try not to think too long about how many family members and guests have used your bathrooms. Take the time to thoroughly clean toilets, showers, sinks and floors. Having a spotless bathroom might be the most satisfying space in your home. The sparkling porcelain and fresh smell will encourage you to forget what a mess it was only hours before.

6. Wash table linens, sheets and blankets

Don’t just fold up the tablecloths and store them away for next year. They may look spotless, but chances are they have a few stains that need your attention. Pretreat stubborn spills before washing. Soak the harshest stains overnight to ensure they come clean. After your overnight guests have all left, now is the time to wash sheets and blankets and bring back the freshness of your linens before storing them away.

Bio -

This guest post contribution is courtesy of MacDonald Hardwoods located in Denver, Colorado. MacWoods carries a large selection of flooring materials including bamboo flooring, exotic hardwood flooring and can help you when choosing a wood floor species that is right for your needs.