Christmas cleaning preparation needs are, well, no different to everyday cleaning needs really. However, it is a time of year when you’re more likely to be hosting celebrations and welcoming guests into your home. Get your house ready for the Christmas season to stay on top of the clutter!
Embrace the Christmas mess, just be prepared…
1- Prioritise your Christmas cleaning preparation
You know where people will be eating, sleeping, and, um, taking care of other business. Focus on these spots and shut off the rest of the house. It helps keep the sanity. After all, if you spend all your energy in preparations for the season, you wind up unable to enjoy it!
2- Declutter while you can
Christmas brings new stuff. Toys. Kitchen utensils. Loads of wrapping paper. Decorations. It’s a parade of presents. Make space now. Get rid of stuff you don’t use and things that are broken. If you don’t have time to sort things out properly then box up the excess bits and pieces just to clear it away for now.
3- Christmas cleaning preparations is not just about cleaning. It’s also about stocking up for your guests
Guests are going to use things. Toilet paper. Sprays. Tissues. Be prepared so you don’t get caught out. Have cleaning supplies and toiletries ready to go. Extra bags, buckets, or boxes will probably come in handy too. After all, everyone is going to have stuff they’ll want to cart around too.
Don’t forget those every important spare batteries. Different sizes are handy too. While this isn’t strictly a cleaning tip it is something that comes in handy!
4- Box it as you go
Christmas means presents. This means wrapping paper, empty boxes, plastic wrap, string, ties, instructions, and all sorts of bits and pieces. Have a box (or a shelf) set aside for instructions to be placed. This ensures you don’t lose them and they don’t get mixed up with the rubbish. Have two big boxes for the wrapping paper, plastic, and other bits and pieces. Once for recyclables and one for rubbish. Drum it into people to toss it in as they unwrap. Don’t let the mess build up.
5- Have a contingency plan
It’s all very well and good to make a decision to clean and maintain your home. It’s another thing entirely to consistently follow through. Emergencies come up. Kids get sick. You have last minute shopping dashes to make. You know, there’s always something. Just in case you can’t stay on top of everything as you go, it can help to have sorting buckets ready. This can be a place to plunk a bunch of dishes to soak in and keep off the bench. It can also mean having bags or boxes ready for people to stack their gifts into so that they don’t end up spread all over the floor as you go.
6- Clean clothes
Keeping your clothes clean is an endless job. Make sure you’re up to date with the cleaning before guests start arriving. If you need to ensure you’ve got extras of the essentials then get ready with them now.
Have two washing baskets. One for essentials/urgent cleans. One for cleans that aren’t as urgent. That way you can ensure that things like underwear and little Billy’s favourite t-shirt are being washed as soon as possible, even if the rest of the stuff sits there for 3 days before there’s time and room to get to to them.
7- Disposables
Don’t hang the messenger! There are two types of disposables. The plastics that you use, break, and toss, or more environmentally friendly wooden or plant based disposables. The latter one will cost you a lot more for the convenience of cutting down on cleaning requirements. But it is an option.
8- Kid distractions
Once you’ve cleaned the kids will make a mess. It’s inevitable. So plan ahead. Have a messy corner for them to colour in, paint, build, and play. Or perhaps you can stock up on fun Christmas shows that keep them dancing instead of throwing toys around. Of course every family has their own unique way of doing things and every child has their own… eccentricities. It’s all very well for a stranger on the internet to tell you to keep them distracted, it can be an entirely different story when it comes to the reality.
Whatever you do, just do what works for your family.
9- Organise a professional clean up front
The cleaner your home is, the easier it is to keep clean. When the home starts off clean people are more likely to feel the need to keep it clean. In a similar vein, as soon as mess starts to build, people will add to that mess.
In a similar way everything that’s going to get heavy use will function better if it’s had a good clean before hand. Get your oven spruced up, as well as that microwave. Ensure your amenities are prepared and get those couches crumb free.
It’s getting close to Christmas already, so now’s the time to jump in and book your cleaner.
10- Remember it’s Christmas. Do Your Christmas cleaning preparation, so that you can enjoy it!
There will be some mess. You may end up with glitter all over the floor. If you’ve got a live Christmas tree then pine needles are part and parcel of the deal. Toys will be spread all over the floor at some point. Food will be spilled. People will tread dirt through the house.
