With Christmas just around the corner, do you find yourself panicking for the big day? From shopping to cooking, every last minute chore in preparation for your annual family gathering might feel stressful nowadays.
Cleaning, in particular, might be one of the more challenging things to tackle during a celebration. After all, washing the dishes and sweeping the floor aren’t exactly the most enjoyable ways to spend your holiday. But if you have guests coming over for your annual Noche Buena, it is essential that you clean up your home. Here are some tips to minimize your stress over holiday clean-ups.
Focus on public rooms
If your house looks like a swamp and you only have a few hours to go, focus on cleaning up rooms which your guests will frequent. This would usually consist of the kitchen, the living room and a bathroom.
Guests don’t usually ask to see your kid’s messy bedroom, but just the same, keep this area off limits during the celebration.
Your living room should be free of clutter once guests arrive for the Noche Buena.
De-clutter
You’ll be surprised how much spacious your room will be once you remove the array of items that overwhelm the floor.
A quick but short-term remedy will be to simply move your items to a private room. If you have the time, though, it’s best to put things in their proper places right before the celebration. Throw out items you don’t really need or better yet, donate them to the less fortunate in the name of Christmas giving.
Dust off with the right tools
Jennifer Louise Ebert of idealhome.co.uk suggests using a lint roller to easily remove those pesky particles off surfaces and fabrics. A microfiber cloth would also come in handy and doesn’t cost too much.
If you have the budget, a vacuum cleaner would be the quickest way to eliminate dust and other small debris such as dog hair and bread crumbs.
Start cleaning ahead of the big day to reduce stress.
Wash your kitchen tools
Before you even start cooking for Noche Buena, wipe down the inside of your oven with a soapy sponge and water. Not only will your appliance look better, your baked creations will taste better, too.
Wash the dishes and utensils ahead of time to have one less worry on your mind when guests arrive. Before you start dinner, clean up the pots, pans and the kitchen sink so the dirty dishes won’t pile up afterwards.
Provide tissue boxes and garbage bins all around
To minimize the mess during the celebration proper, keep tissues at hand for your guests.
Accidental spills can be quickly contained if there is a tissue or towel within immediate reach. Place small garbage bins in public rooms, too, so guests will be encouraged to throw their litter away. At the end of the party, all you have to do is collect the contents of these bins, thus cutting your cleaning time in half.
Use candles to hide unsightly areas and spread Christmas scents.
Camouflage with lights, scents
Another cleaning tip from idealhome.co.uk is a clever one that also sets a romantic mood for your Noche Buena dinner.
Use candles to spread fragrance in a room full of guests. Place candles away from unsightly nooks of a room to keep these areas invisible in the dark. Use bright electric lights for focal points, such as your colorful parol and decorated Christmas tree. Just make sure to turn off the lights and extinguish the candles when the room isn’t in use. You wouldn’t want to risk an accident during the holidays.
Invest in a new door mat
As one of the first things to greet your guests, your door mat at the entrance door represents the state of your home inside. If you can’t remove the dirt or stain off your existing mat, don’t hesitate to buy a new one.
A Christmas-themed mat can bring a smile to your guests’ faces before you even open the door.
The mess during Christmas can be overwhelming.
Start cleaning now
With less than a week to go before Christmas, you’re best off cleaning ahead of the big day.
If you’re still busy with other concerns, devote at least a few hours to cleaning your home bit by bit until Christmas Day. By accomplishing the work gradually, you’ll barely shed any sweat in cleaning your home before the guests arrive.
Come Christmas Day, with all the work done and the presents ready, you’ll finally be able to focus on what’s important during the holidays: family, thanksgiving and joy of the season.
Sources:
https://www.idealhome.co.uk
https://www.lifestylecleaningservices.com.au
https://www.bhg.com
https://pixabay.com
https://pexels.com