If you are anything like me, then Christmas brings you the happy feelings of Yay – Trifle, Wine, friends, family and fun quickly followed by the “Arghhhh, it is my turn to host Christmas this year and my house is a mess” feeling.
There can be real pressure around making sure your house is “fit for the family”. Here are a few tips that can help remove some of that pressure from your Christmas season as well as that judgement from your Mother in-laws eyes!
1. De-clutter! De-clutter! De-clutter!
This is the perfect time of year to get things in order. Not only are there numerous health benefits to decluttering, it will also make your regular house cleans easier and can help others in need.
Go through all of those kids toys that are no longer used much or that they have outgrown. Not only will this clear up some much needed space, there are also a number of charities across Melbourne who would love these donated at this time of year. And let’s face it, it’s not like the kids aren’t about to get a whole bunch of new toys from Santa, Grandma and fun Aunty Vanessa!
2. Work out the areas that are most commonly going to be used
These are the areas that you want spend the most time concentrating on. There is no point spending hours that you don’t have, cleaning areas that no one will go into. It goes without saying that you want everywhere to be neat, tidy and presentable but some areas – i.e spare bedrooms, don’t need the same level of attention that other areas need.
Areas like the Lounge room, Dining room, Bathroom and of course the Kitchen should be focused on.
These areas should be de-cluttered, but also concentrate on those areas that are generally missed in your quick every day surface cleans, but are always noticed by guests. Areas like spot cleaning walls, skirting boards, window sills and light switches are easily missed and the first to be noticed. Doing this will also ensure that those pesky little hairs from your domestic pets are removed and anyone with allergies will be safe.
3. Pay attention to the everyday use items that often get neglected
When was the last time your oven was given a good clean? There would be nothing worse than poor Aunt Shirley opening up the oven to pull out the roast, being blasted by a cloud of burnt old grease smoke and burning herself.
Clean out and organise your fridge. Not only is this is going to make it so much easier when your kitchen is buzzing, everyone is working at a hundred miles an hour to get things ready and things need to be done quickly, but it will also ensure that no one is subjected to that rotten old tomato in the back of the crisper and the 3 month old sauce stain.
You don’t even need harsh chemicals to achieve these objectives. Being eco-friendly is at the fore front of most people’s minds these days and there are some really good environmentally friendly ways to clean your oven and fridge, leaving them sparkling without having to rely on dangerous chemicals.
4. Complete your general clean
Once all that is done it is time to complete your general clean. By completing the steps above this should be relatively easier than usual and leave your house sparkling. Bathrooms, toilets, floors and surfaces are all that is left to be done.
5. Eat, Drink and be Merry
Now that you have been completely exhausted by the lead up to Christmas, it is time to relax, eat too much, drink too much (responsibly of course) and genuinely enjoy the time spent with loved ones. After all, tomorrow is a new day and the mess from today’s festivities need to be cleaned!