With the holidays in full swing, I know many of you will be hosting guests!!š¤© Wether it be for an evening dinner, or extended family staying at your house, we know it can be a stressful time preparing your home. It feels like you have a list, a mile long and you always feel like you're going to forget something crucialš
So, this week we are putting together a checklist for you, to ensure you don't forget a thing, as you prepare your home!! We don't want you wasting valuable time trying to remember everything that needs to be done!!š«”
At the bottom, there will be a link that you will take you to a simplified, downloadable PDF, so you can have a physical copy in hand as you take on this featš„°
Cleaning/Preparing
Cleaning is, obviously, one of the most important facets in preparing your home for guests. Here's our list of places you want to ensure you clean for the best appearance of your homeš Plus, some tips for cleaning each, of course!š
Dust All Surfaces: If you are in a pinch, just dust all surfaces in high traffic areas that are easily visible to the eyeš§, and the room they will specifically be staying in! Think shelves, tables, furniture, mantles, etc. This is a great task to allot to your kids. You can turn it into a game of who can dust most efficiently and quickly, to get all those surfaces sparkling in a flashā”
Useful Tools For Dusting:
Dusting Sponges (These sponges make dusting SO easy!!š¤Æ)
Dusting Extender (For tall ceilings, arches and corners!!)
Clean Windows and Mirrors: Ensure those windows are sparkly, clean when you have guests over! It is recommended to clean both the exterior and interior for best results, however, if you don't have time, it is perfectly reasonable to just wipe down the interior!āŗļø If you have taller windows, try wrapping a microfiber cloth around the end of a Swiffer to reach higher areas easily!!š§¹
Useful Tools For Windows:
Lint-Free Microfiber Cloths (Great for windows and mirrors to prevent streaks!ć°ļø)
Steamer + Accessories (This steamer comes with a window cleaning attachment to clean quickly and naturally!š)
Clean Furniture: Couches and chairs are where you guests will be sitting, so ensure they are dog hair and dust free!!šŖ Take a handheld vacuum to them to quickly remove any excess debris. For hard furniture, give it a good wipe with a disinfectant and microfiber towel. For upholstery furniture, you can launder couch cushion covers or go in with an upholstery cleaner!!š«§
Make sure any other furniture (coffee tables, side tables, mantles, dressers, TV stands, etc.) are decluttered and wiped down. This is another task you can allocate to kids!šØāš©āš§āš¦ Have them put away any personal belongings and if they don't know where something goes, have them put it in a basket so you can go room to room and put them away later!š§ŗ
Useful Tools For Cleaning Furniture:
Upholstery Cleaner (This little guy is magical on my upholstery!! Leaves my couches looking brand new every timešŖ)
Light Fixtures/Fans: Dust on light fixtures is one of the easiest things to spot! Use a lint roller to easily get off any dog hair or dust on lamp shades!šļø For fan blades, you can actually use an old pillow case!! Just wrap the pillow case over the fan blade, grab the blade through the fabric. As you pull off the case, it'll trap all the dirt and debris with it instead of all over your floor!š¤Æ
Clean The Bathroom: You will want to pay extra close attention to whichever bathrooms your guests will be using!! Scrub down the tub/shower, toilet, sink, etc.!šš½
Make sure to remove/put away any of your personal belongings; so they can have plenty of space for their toiletries and feel as comfortable as if they were in their own homeš„°. No guest wants to use a dirty bathroom during their stay!
Additionally, launder any towels and wash clothes so they have plenty of clean ones to use!! And don't forget EXTRA toilet paper so they have access to it all times.š§» (No grown adult should have to ask for toilet paper while on the toiletš)
Useful Tools For Bathroom Cleaning:
Electric Scrubber (A game-changer for easily cleaning you tub and shower!!šæ)
Shower Hose (To easily rinse off tub/shower)
Denture Tablet (I use these to clean the inside of my toilets!!š½)
Kitchen Cleaning: Assuming the guests are coming over for meals, the kitchen may be a place where many people gather or help out!š§āš³ Make sure all the appliances, and countertops are clean and ready to be used to ready and serve food. Put all the dishes away so they are ready to use and not taking up space in the sink!š° And you may want to clear out space in your refrigerator to store any food if necessaryāļø
Useful Tools For Kitchen Cleaning:
Microfiber Towels (Can be used to wipe off/dust any appliances or countertops!)
Scrub Brushes (Great for scrubbing the kitchen sink, backsplashes, grout, etc.!)
Bedroom Cleaning: For the bedroom, ensure you do all the things previously mentioned: dust, clean floors, wipe down surfaces, etc.! However, the bed should be the priority!šļø
Make sure all the linens are washed and the bed is made. And don't forget to vacuum or steam the headboard to rid any allergens right where their head will be!š¤§ See to it that they have plenty of blankets and at least two pillows per person! No one wants to have to awkwardly ask for more blankets because they froze all night longš
You also want to clear out/put away any personal belongings so they have room for their luggage! Make room in the closet so they have the option to hang up clothes, and make sure they have at least a dresser drawer to put away anything, if they so choose!š
Clear Entryway: Ensure the guests have a tidy spot to put all their belonging when they come over! Think coat hooks, a safe place for their purses and/or wallets and keys, and shoes!!š You want to make sure it is tidy and not strewn about so they can easily grab it again as they leavešŖ
Vacuum and Mop Floors: The floors get dirty the fastest and quickest. Ensure these are thoroughly clean before you have anyone over to create the best impression!š¤© I know how much of a pain cleaning the floors is, so try to focus on high traffic areas (kitchen, entryway, living room, guest bedroom, etc.) if you are getting overwhelmed!
If you are getting frustrated with your current floor cleaning device, check out our Vacuum Buying Guide to read our pro's and con's of each and see if any would make a good fit in your homeš„° We have a couple wet-dry vacuums on there that will cut your cleaning time in halfā³, as it mops and vacuums simultaneously!!
Useful Tools For Floor Cleaning:
Carpet Rake (Very effective for getting pet hair out of carpetsš¶)
Mopping Slippers (To wear while mopping, OR for guests to wear to keep the floor clean!š)
Additional Touches
Here are a few more additional touches you can prepare for you guests, aside from cleaning!!š§¼ These are obviously more optional (and primarily focused on guests who will be staying overnight!) but will help create an even more pleasant experience for your guests!š„°
Use air fresheners to create a pleasant scent before any guests arrive for a homey, welcoming environmentšÆļø
Write down the Wifi password in their room so they have access to it at all times, if they would like to use it!! š²
Place small snacks and water bottles in their room so they can have access to them, without having to feel awkwardly raiding your kitchen for a little late night snackš
Stock the guest bathroom with travel size toothpaste, soap, shampoo, conditioner, face wash, toothbrushes, floss, lotion, etc.šŖ„š«§ in case they may have forgotten anything! This adds a lovely, thoughtful touch for your guestsāŗļø
Have a luggage rack for them to be able to place their suitcases in their room! This makes it easier to unpack or access their suitcase without having to leaving it on the groundš§³
Ask your guests if they need/want any special drinks or food accommodations before they arrive!š±
Leave a power strip and charger by their bedside so they can charge their electronics, in case they forgot theirs!! The power strip is a nice touch as it allows them to use their own chargers for any other devices they might have as wellš»
For an extra special touch, leave out a robe or fuzzy slippers/socks for them in their bedroom!šš„æ
To get the simplified version of this list, click here! You can print this off so you can have it with you at all times. As you make your way through the list, simply check it off and keep track of all your preparations, all in once place.š¤©
We love hosting and these are all things we enjoy doing for our guests to create a welcoming environment for them!š„° But remember, friends and family are primarily there to see you! If you can't get around to all this, don't beat yourself up. Just enjoy the time with your loved ones. I promise, they won't mind if your home is not picture perfect, no one's home is all the time!!š
We hope you have a lovely holiday season with your friends and family!ā¤ļø
Happy Cleaning!āØ
See you next week!
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Great information!!!