Holiday Housecleaning Tips

The holiday season is right around the corner. J and R’s Carpet Cleaning found this article to help you organize and prepare your home with a 7-day cleaning plan.

Holiday Housecleaning Tips

Prepping your home for holiday parties or overnight guests can be hectic. Eliminate day-of cleaning chaos by dividing your housecleaning tasks into doable segments. Follow our 7-Day Cleaning Plan and 1-Hour Quick Clean Plan to prepare your home before guests arrive. Use our BHG’s Emergency Housecleaning Guide — simple solutions for tricky stains — to ensure hitch-free holiday entertaining.

Don’t procrastinate — start cleaning now. Our 7-Day Cleaning Plan maps out a few major tasks to accomplish daily, so all that’s left the day your guests arrive is a handful of last-minute touch-ups.

7-Day Cleaning Plan: Day 1

  1. Walk through your home with a visitor’s eye, making notes of any imperfections you may be used to but guests may notice, such as houseplants with dead leaves.
  2. Turn do-it-yourself tasks into a do-it-ourselves effort — gather family members, go over the plan, and assign chores. Remember: many hands make light work.

7-Day Cleaning Plan: Day 2

  1. Wash windows and vacuum window screens.
  2. Damp-mop baseboards.
  3. Launder and press window and shower curtains.
  4. Launder bedspreads if needed.

7-Day Cleaning Plan: Day 3

  1. Deep-clean bathrooms and medicine cabinets (yes, people will look).
  2. Straighten bedrooms; remove clutter and donate or store out of sight.

7-Day Cleaning Plan: Day 4

  1. Straighten coat closet, making room for guests’ coats. Add extra hangers if needed.
  2. Wash throw rugs; set aside so they are nice and fluffy for party day.

7-Day Cleaning Plan: Day 5

  1. Clean range or stove top, surfaces, and grates.
  2. Clean out the refrigerator, making room for party foods; dust top of the refrigerator.
  3. Wipe down all large and small appliances.
  4. Wipe down kitchen cabinets.
  5. Take recycling to recycling bins or facilities.

7-Day Cleaning Plan: Day 6

  1. Sweep entryway, polish the doorknob and decorate the entry with seasonal touches.
  2. Dust all surfaces, including bookshelves, photo frames, and art. Don’t forget the ceiling fans.
  3. Clean kitchen sink and dish drainer.

7-Day Cleaning Plan: Day 7

Time to party! Here are a few day-of touch-ups:

  1. Clean trash receptacles and add fresh liners.
  2. Wipe down any dirty areas in the bathroom using household cleaner and paper towels.
  3. Wipe down bathroom mirrors and counters. Wipe down floors with a damp towel.
  4. Put toilet bowl cleaner in the toilets; brush.
  5. Hang fresh towels and put out fresh hand soap.
  6. Damp-mop the kitchen floor.
  7. Vacuum carpets and dry-mop wood floors.
  8. Fluff sofa cushions and pillows.
  9. Decorate with special touches, such as flowers or candles.

 

This article was originally published on Better Homes and Gardens.