Tis the season for holiday celebrations, and that might mean a holiday celebration that you didn’t expect at your own house! It might be something your spouse forgot to tell you about, or a drop in guest, or even a last minute gathering you decided to have… but in any case, you have to get ready for your party and you have to get ready fast!
Here are some things you can do with only 30 minutes prior to people arriving to get your house ready quickly for holiday guests:
Remove the clutter. (5 min)
Pick a room with a door in the house that guests do not need to be in. Get a laundry basket or tub, and go around the house and gather up any clutter that’s on tables or counters. Clutter makes a house feel much more dirty than it may actually be. Take the basket(s) of clutter and put them in the room with the door and shut it.
Clean the bathroom. (10 min)
Do a quick wipe down of the sink, mirror, and toilet in the bathroom guests will be using, as well as a quick swipe of the toilet bowl. (See my blog post about cleaning supplies for what to use. http://www.sarahmohrpersonalconcierge.com/news/2018/11/29/these-are-a-few-of-my-favorite-cleaning-supplies) Take out the bathroom trash and do a quick vacuum or sweep of the bathroom floor. A clean bathroom is a must for guests.
Dishes (5 min)
If there are just a few dirty dishes, do them quickly. If there are lots, load them up in a tub or basket and take them somewhere else - to the garage, to the laundry room, or where ever they are out of the sink and out of the way.
Clean the Kitchen. (10 min)
Wipe down the counters and stove top, and then wipe out the microwave. Do a quick sweep or vacuum of the floor.
At this point, you’re probably approaching the 30 min mark. If you have any extra time, you could vacuum/sweep the rest of your floor, and maybe do a quick mop of any hard flooring.
No matter what, when your guest arrives, forget about trying to make your house perfect and just be present with your guest. We are blessed to have friends and family in our lives, and get to enjoy the time we have with them!
Bonus: Other Holiday Prep Ideas:
The next time you’re at the store, look for some easy-to-store gift and meal ideas that you can have on hand when an unexpected guest arrives. Frozen appetizers that you can unfreeze and heat up quickly will last in your freezer and are an easy go to when needed. You can also buy small things like small house goods (towels, magnets, fun kitchen gadgets), small snacks that last for a while (teas, chocolates, jams), or even gift cards in small amounts, so that you have a quick gift on hand if you need it. I also like to stock up on cards every once in a while too so that I have a last minute birthday card or holiday card if needed.
And if you don’t want to or can’t do any of these suggestions, call us and we can help you get that to-do list done before your guest arrives too! ;-)
Make this holiday season fun and joyful! You got this! :-D