How to Clean Your House Fast for the Holidays

The holidays bring merriment, cheer, family time, warm and fuzzy feelings, and, inevitably, some stress. Fortunately, the joy of the holiday season is greater than the weight and busyness, but most people can’t help but avoid certain aspects of holiday stress.

Whether it’s budgeting and shopping for everyone on your list, planning holiday meals and baking Christmas goodies, or decorating and making sure you hid your kid’s elf the night before, the hustle and bustle of the holiday season can get to you. On top of preparing and planning for a wonderful celebration, the stress of getting your house clean for guests is also likely weighing on you.

Instead of stressing about how to clean your house fast for the holidays, relax and make a plan to conquer this formidable task. With some planning and these useful tips, you can be sure to get your house clean quickly. If you find yourself still struggling, a call to TLC Cleaning may be just what you need to retain your sanity this holiday season.

Prioritizing might be the biggest cleaning house tip. If you are lacking the time and need your house clean in a hurry, it is essential to organize your tasks by urgency since you won’t be able to take the usual amount of time to do a detailed clean. Make a quick list of the main items you want to tackle. Certain chores can make a noticeable difference in your home, so start with those first.

Identify areas that are the most obviously in need of cleaning and complete them first. This method will give you a sense of accomplishment, and make the fastest difference in the look of your home.

One thing that can make even a clean house look messy is the accumulation of clutter and belongings everywhere. It can be hard to pick up after others in your home, but if company is coming, and you only have an hour, it’s time to power through and put things away.

Clear your surfaces of any unnecessary paperwork and miscellaneous items. Throw out anything redundant or that you’ve been hanging on to for too long. Make sure everything is in its proper place. Once your tables and countertops are free of clutter, you’ll already feel like your home is well on its way to being clean.

If you are short on time and have items that you can’t find a place for, consider placing them in a basket and leaving them in a closet until you have time to find a place for them.

A dirty counter can stand out like a sore thumb. Quickly disinfect and wipe down kitchen counters to remove smudges, stains, and crumbs. Make sure you do this before you sweep and mop, so anything that falls to the floor can be taken care of when you move on to that chore.

Wipe down appliances as well, if time allows. A fingerprint free fridge will look nice and help add to the overall clean look of the house. Don’t skip this cleaning house tip if you want your home to shine.

You certainly don’t want your guests using a dirty bathroom. If your guests are just coming for dinner or the afternoon, you won’t necessarily need to scrub down the entire shower. A quick wipe down will be sufficient, leaving you more time to focus on the bathroom counters and, of course, the toilet.

Don’t forget to clean the mirror and do a quick run-through with a mop. Your guests will appreciate a clean and fresh bathroom.

The last chore you should tackle is cleaning the floors. Vacuum or mop them last to ensure that any dust, cobwebs, or crumbs thrown on the floor during cleaning are taken care of. For a quicker mopping experience, consider spraying the floor with a floor cleaner and mopping after, instead of using the traditional bucket and water method.

If you are hosting a holiday meal, you’ll want to make sure the focal point of your gathering, the dining room table, is clean. Wipe down tables and chairs until they are free from anything sticky. A festive tablecloth will not only provide a holiday look for your dinner but can help hide any blemishes or stains on your table that you didn’t have time to remove.

If you were able to work through this list quickly and have any time left over before your guests arrive or your event begins, you can use this time to go over any areas you feel need it. Dusting can be time-consuming, and in a pinch, you can skip it. But if you have extra time after cleaning the prominent areas in your home, take some time to dust.

Windows are also a big job, but if you have the extra time, cleaning them will make the whole room seem brighter. Clean windows look amazing and make a noticeable difference in your home. If time allows, cleaning them will help make your whole house sparkle.

Any finishing touches you can put on your house cleaning will leave you feeling better about the condition of your home.

If the busy holiday season has you behind on your housework, don’t hesitate to reach out to TLC Cleaning. Start the holiday season off with one of our deep cleaning packages. Let us deep clean your house, so all you have to do is keep up with it. You’ll love our attention to detail and quality work, and you’ll avoid stress and save time for holiday fun.

You may even decide to treat yourself to a maintenance cleaning schedule throughout the holidays. TLC Cleaning can do your housework for you during the holiday season so you can rest knowing your home will always be looking its best no matter who drops by.

Spend the holidays with your loved ones instead of constantly working on cleaning your house. Reach out to TLC cleaning today.