During the holiday season, it's easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle especially once the month of December comes around. While we all inspire to have beautifully decorated houses, matching wrapping paper under the tree and a Martha Stewart sized spread on the table, most of us will settle with keeping our homes neat and tidy.
Prioritize
When the holidays arrive our to-do list seems to be endless and finding time to do the usual house cleaning can be difficult, to say the least. Prioritizing cleaning tasks that are of greater importance can help prevent you from becoming overwhelmed. Start with the simple things and concentrate on one task at a time. Get your family involved and make tidying up a group effort, dividing up the tasks until the whole house is conquered.
Planning
The holidays always seem to go a little bit smoother when you take the time to do some planning.
Send out party invites well in advance.
Create your holiday menu and write a groceries list.
Make a cleaning checklist and plan a time to get it done.
Schedule to have your carpets cleaned
Kitchen
The kitchen is usually where a lot of the holiday magic happens, so remembering to detail clean the kitchen first is always a good idea.
Wipe down everything in the kitchen from top to bottom.
Clean your refrigerator, stovetop, oven, flat surfaces, and stove top grates.
Wipe down appliances.
Clean and disinfect your kitchen sink.
Clear appliances from countertops that are not currently in use.
Get out the holiday dinnerware and table settings
Freshen up
Fresh herbs like lavender or chamomile can be used to naturally freshen your home during the holiday season. Lavender is a natural way to reduce stress and promote relaxation and lavender essential oil can be used as a linen spray to freshen guest bedrooms and other furniture.