The holiday season is coming up and I am starting to prepare my home for visitors. I always start from the top down so that the last thing I do is vacuum and mop. I’m super lucky to have a guest room and bathroom that my guests can use. Even with a dedicated space, preparing my home for the holiday guests takes time and planning. Some of the prep for holiday guests take only a few minute and some of them take a lot longer. My key advice is to start preparing your home for the holidays now.
Prioritize Decluttering
If you want to declutter your home, you have to start weeks before your family arrives. Do not start the day before! Start by Decluttering guest rooms and public areas like foyer, kitchen, living room, and dining room. Remove anything unnecessary from countertops, coffee tables, and ottomans. I don’t want to see anything on the counters or tables unless it is decorative.
If you run short of time, put the clutter in bags and throw it in the garage or even your trunk if you are not going to be using your car. I haven’t done this yet, but I am sure that I will some day. I am really working on declutter over the long term so this is not a problem.
Safety Lighting
Make sure that all the lights in the house and outside are working. Add some plugin lights or motion activated lighting from the guest room to the kitchen and the bathroom.
Child proofing
If children are coming, you should try to child proof before guests come. If you do not have children, ask the guests to bring childproofing of their own. Baby gates, cabinet locks, and outlet covers. Make sure to transfer toxic cleaners and medicines from lower cabinets to high cabinets.
Bathroom storage
Bring toiletries like paper towels, bath, hand and towels, and toiletries out of hiding. Put them on selves and baskets so that your guests can find them without having to hunt.
Cleaning the Floors
Since I have a pet and wall to wall carpet upstairs and some throw rugs down stairs, it is extremely important that the house is clean for my guests. I do not want my house to smell like dog. I have been using the BISSELL ProHeat 2X Revolution Pet 1548. It takes the hassle out of deep cleaning.
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What tips do you have for getting ready for guests this holiday season?
Vacuuming is the first step to a clean house. Every step you take on a dusty, dirty carpet sends all kinds of stuff into the air.
We try to keep a clean house by doing a little everyday. Once we get the entire house clean by tackling it room by room, we go through nightly to keep it up. Vacuuming and doing dishes and laundry nightly help.
I use a yearly cleaning schedule so a little gets done each day and I don’t have to spend weeks in the spring cleaning. [email protected]
Dust before you vacuum. Also, keeping up with things like vacuuming and dusting and wiping down counters keeps things from snowballing into a horrible mess.
I try to get a little done daily..try not to take on too much or you’ll burn yourself out..I work in one room at a time..
My favorite tip is to clean a little bit every day
One of my tips is , I usually slide my furniture in the center for of the room and vacuum around the borders and then going over it with a wet cloth, this just helps to get rid of any dust..
vinager can clean everything and is organic!
Favorite spring cleaning tip: encourage the rest of the family to join in the fun of house cleaning. Offer a fun activity or lunch out, if everyone joins in, usually works. jslbrown2009 at aol dot com
My favorite Spring cleaning tip is to start at the bottom and work your way down make sure to get those curtains and blinds as well!
Have family help you, makes the chores go by faster!
My favorite tip is to remember to clean the clean the refrigerators condenser coils.
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We like to do 10 minute cleans every single day. We turn on some music and set a timer and all work every single day. The 10 minutes really adds up and gets everything clean!
set rooms apart start with one and finish before goin on to next or else it will be a mess everywhere
We regularly put stray items in a basket when cleaning, then each person puts away the items that belong to them.
I love to add a lil smelly vacuuming powder before i vacuum. Leaves everything smelling nice!
My favorite spring cleaning tips are to dust and disinfect everything first before sweeping and or vacuuming. Plus have fun music playing! It makes cleaning a lot more enjoyable. Email: [email protected]
My favorite spring cleaning tip would be cleaning my blinds in the bathtub with a little bit of ammonia. It makes them super white and its super easy. No scrubbing!
My fave spring cleaning tip is to pull a little bit of orange oil in your cleaner.
Start high, finish low. Do one room at a time.
Do one room at a time so you don’t overwhelm yourself.
my tip is to pull everything out so you dont get lazy and only go half way
Start with your closet — go through and be ruthless about throwing out anything that didn’t get worn in a year but is still in wonderful shape and good for a charity. Once you have done this and feel good about helping someone else and enthusiastic about moving on to other areas of the house! [email protected]
My best advice is to clean one room at a time.
My favorite spring cleaning tip is to not ignore your washing machine. Al ot of people do not clean the inside of this appliance assuming it is always clean, because it does the cleaning- but not so. In your washing machine detergent and (especially!) fabric softener builds up a residue. Run an empty cycle with bleach or vinegar in the washer and do not forget to clean your dryer vents!!
My fav spring cleaning tip. PURGE! Value Village gets everything!
Get rid of all clutter ,give it away bare is beautiful
I make a list for sure! First thing I do is get rid of things I dont need and then dust!
My tip is to not forget your kitchen cabinets. sohamolina1969 at gmail dot com
start from the top and work your way down
Donate anything you haven’t touched in six months. It feels good to donate and to unclutter.
Don’t let anything wait until spring, lol.
My favorite tip is to put on some music and open up the windows when I clean (even if it’s cold out)! I’ve found when I’m cleaning that shaking up all the old dust really gets my allergies going… I need that fresh air to circulate through.
Mine is start in one room and completely finish that room from ceiling to floor before moving to the next! Trisha Burgess [email protected]
My tip is to start early and don’t get too overwhelmed. Do things at your own pace until it’s all done.
My tip is to make sure you are by yourself when you clean other people tend to have too much advise especially when they do not have to do the work
Break the cleaning into daily goals. Small bites are easier to accomplish
Clean your whole house on Sundays! A fresh start for the new week.
every spring i try to declutter .. my rule is if i havent used it in a year that i should donate or get rid of it
start early, don’t wait until it’s nice spring weather outside. Thanks for sharing.
My number one tip is open the blinds let the sun in and get to moving once it nice and sunny!
Open the windows, crank up the music and knock out one room a day.
Get rid of things you don’t use after a year of not touching them.
My tip is take your time(don’t expect to get everything done in a day or two), completely finish one room before moving on to the next, declutter and organize.
Be sure you start at the top and work down and I mean those heater vents and those fans. Clean them suckers good as they have circulated the same dirty air all winter.
Get that garage cleaned. It great to drive into a clean garage.
When washing windows, wipe up and down when inside and left to right when outside. That way if there is a streak, you can easily figure out if it is inside or outside and tackle it.
Deep clean the Carpets before the Holidays! I always do this to give my carpet a fresh smell when having guests over for the Holiday gatherings.
one of my spring cleaning tips is to clean all drains in the house with 1/5 cup baking soda, then 1 cup of vinegar. Put the plug in and let sit for 15 minutes or so. Then flush with a ton of hot water.
Found this on a site that said this is Canadian too. Hope so.
I love to take all my blankets, comforters, and lamp shades outside and let them air out. Get the dust off the lamp shades. Love the fresh smell the blankets get.
So as to not get overwhelmed, I make a list of things that I want to clean and break it down in a week or two, with something to do each day. kymom13 at gmail dot com
My favorite spring cleaning tip is to do some small things in rooms that need a lot of work first, like making the bed and doing the dishes, so that you slowly get going and feel accomplished right off the bat!
My tip is to do a little bit each day. I always try to do extra cleaning a little bit each day.
Take one room at a time, and get it completely done, so there is a sense of accomplishment 🙂
Get your family involved & a bottle of wine never hurts.
Tackle one room a day and start laying in supplies. Cleaning supplies, toilet paper, tissues, food and drink, holiday decor, everything you will need. I hate having to rush around like a chicken with its head cut off at the last minute. I have pets, so I need to keep furniture and floors clean.
I always start with the kitchen. If my kitchen looks good, I want the house to look good! Get the kids to help and don’t be afraid to bounce around!
I start at the top & work my way down.
ncprincess96 at yahoo dot com
for the most part I try to keep my cleaning as natural as possible by using environmentally safe products. I like to use vinegar and baking soda to remove stains off of counter tops and it works like a charm……….. [email protected]
I start with one room and move everything and then move on to the next with help from the kids. [email protected]
I help the kids sort through their clothes and toys and prepare for garage sales!
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Start with one room at a time and deep clean!!! [email protected]
My spring cleaning tip is just do it. I’m basically lazy and have a hard time getting motivated. I’m okay once I start. I try to get one room at a time.
I take it one room at a time and start from the top and work my way down to the bottom. Floors last.
Don’t get overwhelmed take it one room or section at a time. I like to make goals and work on one room a day.
I actually don’t do Spring cleaning per say. I keep my entire house clean all year long.
I find that when I have a big job like Spring whole house cleaning to do it helps if I set a timer and do it in small increments of time. aliasr2 at gmail dot com
Open up the windows and let your house “air” out while you’re cleaning. [email protected]
I used to get so overwhelmed by spring cleaning and tried to get it all done in one weekend. I have learned that that is a excruciatingly painful way of doing spring cleaning. Now I do one room on a weekend and then I do another room the next weekend until I am completely done. Of course some cleaning and tidying is required during the week. I guess my best advice is that one shouldn’t overdo or you get burned out very quickly.
We try to start in the rooms we use more often, and then go from there. It helps us to work on a few rooms a day.
Get your family involved & a bottle of wine never hurts.
I try to start with one room and completely finish one before moving on. I do not do more than one room at a time. Overwhelming is not spring cleaning. Thanks for the chance! [email protected]
I use vinegar to mop my floors. [email protected]
Mr. Clean Magic Erasers save time and effort. Use them on countertops, walls, floors, and even siding.
I use a diy citrus vinegar to clean with — it really cuts the grime!
I do my weekly cleaning every Sat as well as clean as I go the rest of the week. But also do room cleans once a month and either toss or donate items & products we don’t need. This way less clutter!
My very best tip is to declutter! The fewer things you have to clean, the easier it is!
Vacuum frequently with pets
start from the top down
I take a room at a time til it is completely cleaned
gmrichhicks at gmail dot com
I start one room and then go in a circle around the house
I do one room at a time. Also, wine and music helps tremendously ! =)
Clean the windows as soon as you can
Enlist your family to help and offer up a fun evening for their efforts.
I like using apple cider vinegar to clean it’s very effective.
I do a room at a time. I like using Clorox wipes daily to help keep rooms clean.
cshell090869 at aol dot com
To remember to check the air filter intake every month & replace it with a new one. My biggest spring cleaning tip about this is if you spray a little lemon furniture polish on the filter it will attract 90% of the dust particles on the filter instead of it recycling into the house. Works like a charm!
If you have pets it is best to clean your windows with vinegar.
Open up all the windows as soon as possible, and clean those curtains!
I don’t do spring cleaning I do areas of the house every day in 15 minute cleaning blocks.
My Spring cleaning tip is to think about what you have. If you forgot about it for more than six months, and it’s not a holiday decoration, donate it.
once a year i turn all my hangers backwards, then the same time the following year, anything that is still backwards I have not worn in a year, and it gets donated. The only exception is dressy clothes – I don’t need to dress up for work, but I obviously need to own dressy items for weddings / funerals / and other special occassions.
Hire someone else to do it!!! contestuff @ gmail.com
My cleaning tip is simple. Open the windows and dust everything. Can you tell I don’t like to spring clean.
I was already logged in yesterday when I commented. So, I’m leaving my e-mail today, just in case!
I do spring cleaning with the windows open, music up, & coffee;) when guests come over i de-clutter like crazy! I mean if I don’t want it seen, it goes in a tote & put in the basement; ) I sort it out later.
Jmatek AT wi DOT rr DOT com
I love Spring cleaning. We start back in the kids rooms and work our way to the front. It is easier for us to do that. chasnpon48 at yahoo
I love to start early and take one room at a time.
bredanielle at hotmail dot com
I love spring cleaning, there is just something so relaxing and inviting about a clean house! I like to do it room by room.
I wipe my windows clean with newspaper, instead of paper towels to prevent streaks.
I always start with the messiest room first and go from there..it gets easier! lol my email is [email protected]
Do one room at a time,also make a list and strive to do so much a day.
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My Spring/Holiday cleaning tip is to break it up over about a week. Then make a list of a room or area for each day and and list below of the actual tasks for each. This helps me to not feel overwhelmed and know that on a certain day everything will be nice and clean and organized. 🙂
angela eagle @pixee1
Having a dog and 3 cats I can really appreciate this masterpiece of a vacuum
My spring cleaning tip is to be organized; take one thing at a time, and don’t let the thought of cleaning the entire house become overwhelming. People that come to visit should be coming to visit you, not inspect your house — enjoy the day!
Gosh my spring cleaning tip is open all the windows before cleaning. Wow, prize bundle is fab. &
splendid. 2 fingers snap. It is tight, fly & off the chain. Thank you
for the awesomeness, the contest, and generosity. 🙂 Pick me, pick
me!
My advice for spring cleaning is to take break down the cleaning process into smaller, more achievable tasks. Everything doesn’t have to be cleaned in one day. Divide it up and progress towards the bigger goal.
Pretty cool
I like to clean one room by room so I don’t get overwhelmed.
I use a vinegar solution for most of my cleaning! It works great, and costs less!
Don’t forget to disinfect!
Always vacuum then dust. Trust me it helps.
A non scratch sponge and Dawn dish soap cleans almost anything! [email protected]
I use rubbing alcoholic on my stove top. jill190 @ yahoo.com
clean one room at a time, it’s always easier for me!
Get rid of clutter. That alone will make a house look cleaner.
lemon water with a touch of vineger makes glass shine
Save used lemon halves for multiple uses like shiny faucets, cutting mineral deposits on shower doors, and polishing copper or brass.
to clean glass and mirrors use coffee filter as they are better to use than paper towels and dont leave any streak, and try vinegar and water as a cleaner for the bathroom
lemon water with a touch of vinager makes things shine
Thanks so much for the contest. And, the easy entry form. Everybody has an equal chance to win. There aren’t 100 hoops to jump through. Love it!
Every time I clean I throw out 3 items, even if they are just an old magazine, it helps to reduce clutter!
Limit clutter throughout the year to cut down on the amount of work you have to do in spring. We go through clothes each season and throw out what doesn’t fit.
Hire someone to do it for you! lol
My tip is to make a list of what you hope to get cleaned and then schedule it in to your calendar…that way it is broken down into something that looks doable.
I wait to do my cleaning till i have several days off in a row then I go room by room because I usually tear it all apart and start all over
I try to box up items to donate while I clean.
My favorite tips are don’t forget to dust the blinds and wash window treatments!
wonderful!
Deep clean one room at a time.
A mixture of water and vinegar cleans nearly every surface and it’s not full of harsh chemicals. Thanks bunches?
I’m very chemical sensitive. I use vinegar to clean whenever I can. Are the photos of your house? If so, I’m envious. It looks beautiful!
My tip is to start with something that makes a noticeable difference to keep motivated.
Sorry…[email protected]
take your time – do one room at a time
brendawitherspoon at hotmail dot com
Tackling one room at a time is the best tip when cleaning the house!
I like to tackle and room at a time, otherwise I am all over the place and distracted!
Containers. I have found i can organize and make a “home” for everything. The more stuff that is hidden away … the more sleek and clean the room looks
make a list of what you want to get done each day.and check each item off as you finish them.and when you get to your closets purge items that dont fit or you dont wear and donate them.
One room at a time I think is the best approach! Upbeat music also gives me more energy to go on and on and on.
Didn’t realize you used DISQUS, put down “MNS” as the name I used to comment.
Spring cleaning tip, honestly, nothing really new haha I think everyone below covered everything. Go through one room at a time and make “snap judgments” about tossing stuff otherwise you will linger and find some way to remain attached to an item. Seriously, throw out tattered and torn and set stuff on the street for others to take (if permitable).
clean each room at a time,
We try and clean one room at a time in a team effort. It goes a lot quicker. [email protected]
I agree, start at the top and move downward. It makes no sense to sweep then dust
I vacuum every night we have terrazzo floors and they get dirty when you go in and out of the house..my tip is just clean a little bit everyday and it will never pile up..
One room at a time is always the best
My favorite cleaning tip is to double sheet the toddler bed. When I am done washing Aiden’s sheets I put a fitted sheet on his mattress like normal, but then I flip the mattress and put a fitted sheet on the OTHER side as well. This way if there is an accident in the middle of the night I can just take off the wet sheet and flip the bed! No fumbling around for a sheet! 🙂 mattandbranson @ gmail.com
I save the occasional paper towel and foil tubes & use them as one off vacuum attachments for under and behind appliances.
start the hard stuff, first then the easy. or via versa
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Start with purging and decluttering. It makes it easier to clean and and keep clean.
I make a list and try to tackle one thing a day
I like to gather and re-stock all my cleaning supplies before I start cleaning.
Make it a week long process and tackle one room a day!
Put on some awesome music and just go for it. Make a list, start at one end and just go for it.
do one room a day. that way you get everything and don’t get burned out on cleaning
start at one end of the house and work to the other
Ha ha…I am not the one to give Springtime cleaning tips. My adivce would be…go outside, clean up your garden if you have to clean. It’s SPRING!
The only way to get it done is to start at one room at a time and just go for it.
De clutter first! Then you don’t have to clean around or move a bunch of stuff you don’t need!
I really need one of these! With 2 dogs we sweep up a lil puppy a week, and that’s just the floors!
I don’t really have any cleaning tips. When I’m in the kitchen, I clean as I go, and by the time food is ready, the kitchen is pretty much clean. Whatever works.
Fresh air!! Open the doors!