How to Keep the House Tidy with Holiday Guests
Holidays are coming and with this cleaning is put on the agenda. There are two basic cleaning projects: before guests and after them. In order to have less areas to cover after the party is over, you should take measures during the very evening itself.
Check out some tips on how to keep your place tidy and organized during your guests’ stay without being so much time away from them.
Do you need help with cleaning?
First off, start by determining whether you want your guests to help you out with cleaning after the celebration is over. If it is going to be a family reunion, it is definitely going to be way easier since everybody has a role in the house. Some people love removing the leftovers, others will be glad to put the dishes into the dishwasher and then let it do the job. Some enjoy scrubbing and wiping. If your family has members of this kind, you don’t have to worry about the cleaning. Just let everybody take up a role and do their part of the task. Doing things together even if it’s cleaning, brings people closer. It may well happen as well that taking part in the household chores makes your guests feel at home.
If money is not an issue for you, you can also take advantage of companies that provide professional assistance such as butlers. They can come and take care of the mess, while you enjoy your friends’ company. If you can afford to have such an assistance, just go ahead, hire a service.
HOWEVER, if you don’t wish to let other people help you with the task, you will have to ignore the mess (at least the things that take more time) while your friends are still at home. If they offer to give you a hand, you will have to tell them to sit and relax. You can carry an abandoned glass or plate into the kitchen while you are occasionally walking around and chatting. This doesn’t mean that you can scrub pots, however, despite the inclination to keep things in order.
Get paid help for less money
If you can’t afford to have a butler to wait at the table, you can still get somebody’s assistance. For example, you can pay a teenager to help you clear the table from abandoned glasses and plates, as well as remove leftovers if necessary.
Designate a special place where the dirty plates will be stored
Pick up a counter where you will put the used plates after they are no longer necessary. This way you will manage to keep them organized and in order. Furthermore, you will avoid having dishes all over the place. Not to mention, this will make it easier to clean up after the party is over. Last but not least, having everything at one place will provide more room for the guests.
Do not put all the dirty dishes into the sink. You may need to use it for another purpose later in the evening but the pile of plates and glasses will be an obstacle. Besides, the sight of a sink full of used dishes is not really appealing.
Don’t forget why you have gathered together
The purpose of the gathering is to socialize with your friends and family. If the party you are throwing is the kind of casual one where plenty of people come and go, nobody will expect the place to be clean and tidy. Besides, if you spend most of the evening clearing stuff, this will make your guests feel uncomfortable and guilty for causing a mess.