The most wonderful time of the year can quickly feel like the most stressful time of the year when the holiday hosting responsibilities fall on our shoulders. Entertaining guests, be it for a number of hours or a multi-day visit, often makes us want to put our best housekeeping-foot forward—even with (and in some cases especially for) family. A number of tried and true strategies can provide the Christmas Miracle we need, getting our homes sparkling clean just in time for the holidays.

The magical spirit and overwhelming joy associated with Christmas can sometimes put a bit of unhealthy pressure on us to ensure that everything is picture-perfect for those we love. Setting a clear and organized pre-Christmas cleaning schedule dissolves that pressure and affords us the peace of mind we need to experience the holiday we’re hoping for. But where to start?

An Outside Eye

Consider what the entertaining flow is going to be like and imagine your home through the eyes of a visiting guest. Likely, the entryway, kitchen, bathrooms, and possibly a den space will come to mind as the areas that will see the most foot traffic. Already, the chore list might seem overwhelming, even without spare rooms and bedrooms involved. Take a deep breath! The easiest way to rise to this challenge is to spread cleaning needs over the course of 7-10 days, depending on the size of the house and the amount of work that needs to be done. Begin by formulating a customized plan and you will get it all done.

Get your Alexa, Google Home, Pandora station, Spotify, CD’s, cassettes, records, or playlists loaded with Christmas classics and have fun with the process! Sometimes, I even put a classic Christmas movie on in the background when tidying an entertainment space, which is just as effective in adding some holiday cheer to the process and making the cleaning less of a drag.

Planning

When creating your pre-cleaning plan, imagine the spaces you have to clean and try to divide them into even chunks. Note that guest bathrooms and the kitchen are typically areas that require more time and dedication, so “even chunks” may not be a conventional split with one room targeted on each day. In each work zone, start by stowing away unnecessary clutter. This might mean putting away clothes rather than leaving them slung on a chair, or it might mean finding a space in the closet for toys and other unneeded accessories.

Since your home is going to be sheltering more people than usual, creating excess space ahead of time is invaluable. A room arrangement that feels spacious for the typical occupants of the house may quickly feel tight with the addition of guests. For everyone’s comfort, don’t be afraid to seriously declutter—even if the changes are temporary. A lack of excess objects makes for the fresher, cleaner, less stressful environment we need when surrounded by our guests. You may also want to safely secure away any breakable items if some of your guests will be children, who often become curious and like to touch and move things.

All of the rearranging (plus any changes you may need to make to accommodate a tree and/or decorations) may expose areas of your home that have not seen much cleaning in some time. After decluttering and rearranging, pay special attention to the corners, walls, and carpets or other flooring surfaces that have become exposed.

A Deeper Clean

You may want to set aside some time to deep clean your flooring, particularly if you have lots of carpeting and rugs, which trap dust, dirt, odors, and other debris over time. Hardwood floors can be cleaned gently with water and a light dusting agent, in lieu of steam cleaning. Although it’s not everyone’s favorite chore, all flooring should be vacuumed, as well (especially after countertops have been cleaned). Canister vacuums make this task less of a hassle; their lightweight nature makes them a great choice for an extended cleaning project, like holiday cleaning.

Even after a thorough cleaning of floors and washing of linens, our homes may still have odors, pollen, dander, and other airborne pests floating about. This is especially true if family members smoke indoors, use harsh chemicals often, or have pets. I’m all for fur babies as bona fide members of the family, but it’s still nice to be courteous to guests who may suffer from congestion, allergies, or sensitivities to smells, regardless of their origin. Consider running a great air purifier throughout your home in the days leading up to your guests’ visit; this will help combat these issues and ensure that the only smells gracing your guests’ nostrils are from delicious Christmas food and hot beverages!

Now that we’ve decluttered, cleaned the countertops, and deep cleaned the floors, most of the general “every room” work is done. If any of your guests are prone to wistful Christmas gazing through the windows, you may want to break out the glass cleaner. Most of the surfaces in our homes can also use a good dusting, which can be done easily with a re-washable microfiber cloth, a Swiffer, or an old sock or t-shirt. Remember that dust collects quite heavily around light fixtures, ceiling fans, lamps, and other objects that we don’t frequently have reason to move or inspect at length.

High Traffic

Since cooking, drinking, and eating are major gathering activities for the holidays, it’s understandable that the kitchen and the bathroom are the areas that will likely see the most foot traffic. These two zones will most likely require the most amount of effort to prepare, but the results are well worthwhile. Consider including in your plan that these areas are tackled closer to the actual date of guests’ arrival so that your hard work only needs some basic touch-ups when the time comes.

In the kitchen, think not only about typical cleaning chores, but also about the appliances that will be in use. Ice bins and sink drains are two notoriously skunky areas that can be cleaned and deodorized ahead of time. If you have a garbage disposal, sling your old ice down there and run the blades to naturally sharpen them. Utilize your preferred chemical or natural solution for drain stink, and let your ice bin fill up from scratch.

Steam clean your microwave, set the oven to self-clean, and wipe down any grease from the range and hood cover. Check along the way that all of the culinary tools you will need are available and functional. Don’t forget to pay some serious attention to the refrigerator, which is another culprit for foul smells, aside from the fact that it will likely need to have space ready inside for extra holiday food.

The Loo, Darling

It’s a fact that loads of people, when left to their own devices (say in a locked bathroom), will snoop, if for no other reason than innocent curiosity. Don’t forget to thoroughly vet your medicine cabinet, linen closet, and any other accessible storage areas. To encourage less snooping and provide a classy level of comfort, create a basket with commonly needed items such as pain reliever, mouthwash, floss, tampons, pads, lotion, and emery boards. If your guests are staying for a longer period of time, a spa-like feel can be created through mini soaps, shampoos, and an array of long-term goods such as razors, shaving cream, toothbrushes, etc.

Many stores have great sales on cute holiday towels which can add another level of comfort to the bathroom space. Shifting away from aesthetic decisions, be sure that the surfaces beneath your gracious offerings are also squeaky clean! Bathroom corners tend to collect heavy amounts of dust along the baseboards, and any toothpaste spots in the sink or on the mirror can be off-putting to see while trying to wash hands clean. The toilet should also get a good scrubbing, including underneath the seat. Finally, the shower or tub can get a nice once-over to avoid issues with mold, water residue, soap scum, or loose hair.

Silent Night

The holiday deep clean often goes above and beyond our regular routine, but it doesn’t have to be a stressful experience that leaves us screaming and frantic the night before we have company. Give yourself ample time to segment the workload into manageable chunks, and don’t be shy to get other members of the household involved. Understandably, you may want to handle certain tasks yourself, but everyone can pitch in with usable value in one way or another. Everyone who contributes to the mess can contribute to the cleanup. After all, it’s Christmas!

Resources— HouseBeautiful, TidyMom