The holidays are a perfect time to spend time with family, gather, and appreciate the great moments with family.
While everyone looks forward to the holidays, it can also be a stressful time if you’re hosting. If you want to get your home guest-ready, you came to the right place.
Read on to learn about the ultimate holiday cleaning checklist.
Clean the Entryway
If you plan to entertain guests at your house for the holidays, the entryway of your home is one of the spots you need to focus on. When guests walk into your home, the entryway is the first thing they will see, so you must make it guest-ready.
To set up for your guests before their arrival, you should get a mat or a rug in the entryway, so you can help contain the dirt in this area. For example, if you live in an area that gets snow, you want to get a mat that can absorb the water once the snow melts.
If you prefer your guests to remove their shoes, you can place a bench where they can sit.
It would help if you also got a rack ready with hangers where your guests can hang their winter coats and accessories. A day or two before your guests arrive, ensure you vacuum and mop the area to get it guest-ready.
Have a Spotless Kitchen
Hosting and cooking during the holidays can be a lot of pressure, especially if people spend a lot of time in the kitchen. To get your kitchen holiday ready, you must focus on cleaning the surfaces and having the supplies ready.
Because countertops and areas near the stove can have a lot of grease, it’s important you start deep cleaning all of your countertops with a special degreasing and disinfecting solution.
Chances are you will need to store a lot more food and cooking ingredients to make your holiday dinner. Start by cleaning out your refrigerator and pantry.
Because many people will be opening your refrigerator, you should take everything out and clean the refrigerator shelves. As you clean out your refrigerator, you should throw out empty containers and spoiled food.
You should also take this opportunity to clean out your pantry and remove any spoiled food.
Last, before you host, you should stock your kitchen with everything you need to cook. Ensure you have clean dish towels, aprons, paper towels, and cooking utensils ready.
Dining Room Area
Your holiday cleaning checklist would not be complete without you tending to your dining room area. To get it guest-ready, start by removing and washing any soiled linens.
Dusting, mopping, and vacuuming the dining area will help get it ready for your guests.
On the day of the event, you should get your tablecloths, placemats, coasters ready to set the table.
Ensuites and Guest Bathrooms
When you’re expecting guests for the holidays, it’s important that you get the bathrooms ready for your guests.
To deliver clean bathrooms and powder rooms for your guests, you need to have clean toilets, sinks, floors, and shower/bathtubs. Ensure all of the bathrooms get scrubbed a day or two before your guests arrive for optimal results.
If you have ensuite bathrooms for your guests, ensure you have every product they will need during their stay in case they don’t bring their own. For starters, you should get shampoo, conditioner, and body wash in the shower.
The bathroom should also be stocked with clean towels, a shower mat, and toothpaste.
It would be best to have new rolls and backstock of toilet paper, clean hand towels, tissues, hand sanitizer, and even hand lotion for the powder rooms.
If you run out of a certain product, ensure you have a refill readily available for your guests.
Clean the Guest Bedrooms
If you will have overnight guests during the holidays, having clean and stocked bedrooms should be a priority. The first thing you want to make sure of is that all of the linens are washed and ready for your guests.
Not only will you need to have clean pillowcases, sheets, and comforters ready for your guests, but you should also get extra blankets ready. Having an extra throw blanket on the bed in case they get cold will go a long way.
If you have never entertained overnight guests before, you might want to perform an inventory of all of your linens to make sure you don’t run out. To make the place extra special for your holiday guests, you should consider having a basket of sleeping essentials on the nightstand, such as candles, sleeping masks, and relaxation essential oils.
A day or two before your guests arrive, ensure you place the clean linens, vacuum, mop, and dust the guest bedrooms.
Other Common Areas
Even after you get the main areas where your guests will spend time, you should also focus on the common areas, such as the living room or patios.
Because chances are your guests will spend a lot of time in the living room, you can do a few things to spruce it off. In the living room, start by getting your couch or sofa ready.
For example, if you have pets, take a little bit of extra time to vacuum any pet hair that might be lingering in the crevices. Vacuuming area rugs or getting them professionally clean will spruce up the space also.
When cleaning your home before the holidays, you should focus on dusting and vacuuming areas of the house you don’t focus on on a regular basis. For example, when was the last time you dusted your house plants?
Take this opportunity to also wash your pet’s bedding and deep clean their areas.
Are You Ready to Start Your Holiday Cleaning?
Now that you have this holiday cleaning checklist, you’re ready to get your home for the holidays.
To get your home ready, you should start by cleaning the entryway, getting the bedrooms ready for guests, stocking the kitchen, and cleaning the bathrooms.
If you want to get your house holiday ready but don’t have the time, we’re here to help. Contact us today for a quote.
