If you’re anything like me, the most wonderful time of the year is also the busiest. Between going to all those dinners, parties, shopping, and cooking, it’s quite hard to find the right time to keep things as clean as you’d like.
Then, you rapidly realize that you’re having guests coming over in a couple of hours, and you don’t even know where to start. Even so, you didn’t get the chance to clean in months.
Well, it sounds like mission impossible, right? Luckily, that’s exactly how we like it! With the tips you’ll find in this article, you will manage to pull it off in a matter of hours. Ready? Let’s go!
Step 1: Do a surface declutter.
First, you need to start with a surface declutter. Just take a look at your counters and put away any other items that you don’t need on a daily basis. You will definitely find a little extra space in your cabinets for this. Not only will you create more space for decorating, but it will also make it much easier to clean.
Step 2: Clean out the sink.
Dishes in the sink are a dead giveaway that your home hasn’t been cleaned as it should have been. If you have a dishwasher, make sure you load that baby with everything you can and then start hand-washing the rest of the dishes that have piled up.
Step 3: Clean up all the little things.
To make things look even cleaner, tackle those little piles and messes that might rapidly add up. Also, make sure you gather any mail or papers and put them in a bin to go through later. Whether it’s toys, sports stuff, or even art supplies, they can all be put in a plastic bin and gone through later.
Step 4: Make use of the baskets and bins.
Having a bunch of baskets and bins on hand at a time could make decluttering faster and easier. You can also opt for decorative ones you could easily integrate into your design scheme, but also those big plastic ones for the garage and slim ones for under the bed.
We all know the pleasure of collecting pretty baskets and placing them all over the house. Whether we’re talking about shoes or clothes, everything has a place to go.
Your space will feel more open and cleaner, and you won’t feel exhausted before company comes. Also, remember that you can always use big plastic bins to store all the excess stuff and store it in the playroom to go through after the holidays.
Step 5: Do a quick clean.
Even if you don’t have enough time to dust every surface and shine every mirror, you must have a little bit of time for a light cleaning, right?
Well, don’t forget about all the simple things that make the space sparkle. I’m talking about sweeping and washing the floors and the counters, as well as cleaning the windows.
Step 6: Prepare the bathroom
As everyone will need the bathroom, make sure the room is extra clean. Carefully scrub the toilet, spray some cleaner in the sink and on the mirrors, then wipe it down with a microfiber cloth.
Then, empty the garbage pail. Put out some fresh towels so your guests can easily dry their hands. Also, make sure there’s a brand-new roll of toilet paper, so they won’t risk running out of it in the middle of an important deal.
Step 7: Aim for more comfort.
Guests are less likely to notice messes as long as the home feels comfortable. So yes, go and fluff those pillows, stack any blankets, and make sure your guests feel welcome.
Step 8: Make the house smell good.
Ultimately, make your home smell good, and for that, we will obviously recommend another one of our articles! If you don’t have time to dig into the whole deal with essential oils, just burn a holiday candle. A great smell will give the impression that your home is cozy and clean.
Step 9: Wash the windows
Even if your nieces and nephews might leave their handprints behind, you can still use a powerful glass cleaner to remove all the additional spots, dust, and whatever else might get caked on inside and out.
It will make it easier for your family members to admire your beautiful holiday decorations and not focus that much on dog nose art. If you have a couple of spare minutes, you can spray on a water repellent.
I know it might take some extra time, but it will also prevent water spots from forming later.
Step 10: Arrange the mail in one spot.
Keep all the mail in a tray or bin in a particular spot, then empty that tray once a week when you take care of the bills. This way, you will keep everything you might need in one spot instead of just scattering them around the house.
Step 10: Keep up on trash and recycling.
Take out the trash, and then empty the recycling bins every other day. When you make a habit out of this, you will prevent having garbage and recyclables pile up. Sometimes, they can become quite overwhelming. Make sure you respect the recycling plastic numbers!
How do I have control over the clutter?
If you’re looking for ways to make more space, then you need to start using all the spaces you haven’t thought about using before. From doors to walls and even ceilings, here are a couple of useful tips that might help you:
Clothes storage ideas
All you need are two metal closet brackets and a length of closet rod. If you already have a closet rod a minimum of 66 inches from the floor, there’s already enough space to add a second rod below and still hang some shirts and slacks.
Locate the studs on the back wall of the closet with a stud finder, then carefully attach metal brackets to them. You can also use a level to align the brackets along the top.
Elastic cord tool holder
You can use elastic cords (if you don’t have any, here’s a good deal) to make a portable tool organizer. What you need to do is fasten one end of the cord to a 1×8 with an electrical staple, lay the cord straight without stretching it, and then staple it to the other end.
You can add staples every 3 inches to make new holders, leaving the staples just loose enough so the cord can easily move. Then fasten the 1×8 to the wall.
Gutter bins
If you’re looking for clever ways to use leftover gutter parts, well, you can build small bins with the scrap gutter lengths, end caps, and all the other corner pieces.
Then, you can mount the bins to a wall or even a workbench edge to hold the parts. Alternatively, you can screw the downspout sections to a board and mount it on the wall to store wood dowels, bar stock, and any other long, thin item.
Cord control
This is a matter of finesse, but some people are actually bothered by that cord jungle under their desks. You can tame the cord jungle under the desk with a length of 1/2-inch foam pipe insulation (if you don’t know where to get one, well, here’s our suggestion).
Then, you can paint it the color of your wall, and next thing you know, you won’t see those cables anymore!
If you enjoyed reading this article, we also recommend reading: 9 Things You Should Definitely Keep Out of Your Garage
