Getting Your Home Ready For Christmas – Cleaning Tips
December is a bustling time filled with socialising, present-buying and cleaning tasks. It’s wise to start preparing your home for the Christmas season well in advance and the key to successful Christmas cleaning lies in creating a well-structured plan.
Creating Your Christmas Cleaning Plan
First, determine your cleaning style: Are you someone who can’t stand the slightest trace of dust anywhere in the house, or are you more relaxed, willing to leave some tasks for tomorrow? Knowing your preference will determine your workload in the coming weeks. If you fall into the former category, get ready for substantial work ahead, but if you belong to the latter, you’ll have more time to enjoy the festivities!
Where to Begin?
Recognise that it’s impractical to clean your entire house in the few days leading up to Christmas. Instead, distribute the workload over a couple of weeks. Start with areas that won’t receive visitors during Christmas, such as all bedrooms and ensuite bathrooms except the guest bedrooms. Devote the next two weeks to spring cleaning these spaces and they’ll still be in good shape for Christmas.
Next, focus on utility areas like the washing/drying room, kitchen cupboards, utility room, and playroom. Aim to complete deep cleaning in these areas at least two weeks before Christmas, with regular maintenance to follow. It’s also an ideal time to clean the windows and the front door.
Donate to Charity Shops
Take the opportunity to declutter and consider donating old toys and clothes to charity shops to make room for the new ones that will likely come during Christmas.
Deep Clean-Living Areas
About one week before Christmas, conduct a thorough deep clean of the living areas. This schedule may not suit everyone due to Christmas decorations, but doing the cleaning before decorating prevents cleaning around decorations.
Maintain the Cleanliness
From this point on, it’s about maintaining the cleanliness daily. Though it can be challenging to sustain this level of cleanliness throughout the Christmas period, the joy of seeing your beautifully kept home adorned with Christmas decorations makes it worthwhile.
For those aiming for a more minimal approach to cleaning, focus on completing the essential tasks a few days before Christmas. Concentrate on areas where guests will be, such as the living room, dining room, guest toilet, and guest bedroom.
Remember, your guests are there to see you, not to scrutinise your home!
Top 6 Christmas Cleaning Tips
1) Defrost your freezer at least a week before Christmas to make space for the holiday goodies and prevent any last-minute struggles.
2) Give your oven some well-deserved attention with a thorough cleaning – it will appreciate the TLC.
3) Clear out at least one food cupboard to accommodate the extra groceries typically purchased during this time.
4) Avoid having overflowing laundry baskets; keeping them manageable will save you from unnecessary frustration.
5) Don’t miss the bin collection days, especially for the green bin, as you’ll likely have lots of paper and cardboard to dispose of.
6) If you plan to use crystal, china, or cutlery that has been in storage, don’t wait until Christmas Eve to wash it, ensuring everything is ready for use.
Find out more about the housekeeping services that we offer at Christmas. If you would like to book a housekeeper in the greater Dublin area please call us on 01 8480444.  Follow us on facebook to find out about our special offers.
