Hosting a party at your house soon? While hosting can be a lot of fun, there’s also a lot of prep work that goes into getting ready for the big event. Having a specific cleaning plan can make this process easier and less stressful.
6 Tips for Pre-Party Cleaning
Cleaning – whether it’s before a party or after a party – is the least enjoyable part of hosting. However, it doesn’t have to be dreadful. Here are several simple tips to make the process of preparing your house for a party a much less stressful option.
1. Start By Decluttering
Nothing makes a house look dirtier than having stuff lying around on every surface in every room. You can instantly make your home feel more organized by getting rid of the junk you don’t need.
“The very first thing I like to do the day of a house party is pick up any clutter in each room of our house. I do this even for rooms that I don’t intend to use (guest room, den, nursery) just in case guests wander in,” home organization blogger Lindsay George writes. “Plus, it’s a good excuse to tidy up those spaces.”
Ideally, you’ll want to do this several days before the party to give yourself time to handle all of the other small tasks that follow.
2. Focus on the Main Living Areas
In all likelihood, your party guests will spend all of their time in the main living areas. That means bedrooms , rec rooms, the laundry room, and other side rooms don’t have to be deep cleaned (though they should be organized). Focus your energy and effort on the main living areas where people will spend their time. This usually means the foyer, living room, dining room, and kitchen.
When cleaning these rooms, start from the top and work your way down. This usually means dusting and then wiping surfaces (followed by sweeping, mopping, and/or vacuuming the floors). If you don’t already have a good vacuum that’s versatile enough to target all different types of flooring, now’s a good time to buy a new vacuum. It’ll make cleaning your house much faster.
3. Prep the Bathrooms
The bathrooms should get a lot of attention. Deep clean the toilet, the area around the toilet, the sink, mirror, cabinets, and shower/bathtub. Because even though party guests aren’t likely to take a shower, you better believe some nosy folks will take a quick glance inside.
Not only do bathrooms need to be spotless, but they should have anything a guest could need to be comfortable. This includes essentials like cotton balls, q-tips, mouthwash lotion, fresh washcloths, soap, and feminine products. You should also have plenty of toilet paper and a plunger. (Because people would rather climb out the bathroom window and go home than ask the host for a plunger.)
4. Be Thorough With Outdoor Living Areas
If the weather is warm enough to be outside, it’s always a good idea to have the party spill over into the backyard. But before doing so, make sure you’ve thoroughly cleaned all outdoor living areas where people are likely to congregate. This means wiping down chairs and surfaces where people will sit. You should also blow off leaves and debris, pick up dog poop in the yard, and carefully organize children’s toys and other outdoor items.
5. Get the Landscaping Right
You don’t have to go crazy with your landscaping, but you do want to clean things up enough to make a solid first impression when people arrive. At the very least, mow the lawn, but fresh mulch in flower beds, pull weeds, and blow off hard surfaces.
6. Have Some Fun
Don’t let cleaning stress you out. Have fun with the process and keep things light. Put some happy music on full blast, pour your favorite drink, and take things one step at a time. This might not be the most fun part about hosting, but it’s one of the responsibilities that comes with the process. Embrace it and your party will be here before you know it.
Ready, Set, Clean!
If you put your head down and get focused for a few hours, you can have your house in tip-top condition in no time. Recruit everyone in the family to do their part, and the experience won’t be nearly as frustrating. Alright – enough already – get cleaning!
