The festive season brings joy, guests, decorations… and clutter. But don’t stress.
Follow my Christmas cleaning tips for a calm clean and organised space, so you can relax and enjoy the magic.
Glitter wars
Glitter is my nemesis. How does it spread so far? I’ll still be vacuuming it up in June!
One year, I declared a glitter ban. I even opened Christmas cards on the doorstep, and at the first sign of glitter, the whole thing went straight in the wheelie bin. Yes, I know, I’m a bah humbug!
Thankfully, friends and family took the hint, and I’m no longer having nightmares about glitter explosions. But Christmas can still bring its own sparkly chaos. Here are my Christmas cleaning tips for coming though smiling.
Start early
Whether your decs go up on the first of December, or Christmas Eve, they’ll be even more sparkly in a clean space. So now’s the time to sweep dust and cobwebs from surfaces, ceilings and skirtings. Vacuum carpets, floors and upholstery thoroughly. Clear away accumulated clutter to make space for that dancing Santa (and the tin of Quality Street).
Moving furniture around to squeeze in your tree? Keep your vacuum handy to deal with uninvited dust bunnies – they love a good hiding place.
This way, your space will have that fresh, just-cleaned feeling, allowing you to enjoy decorating even more.
Guest prep
If you’re expecting overnight guests, your future self will thank you for a bit of forward planning. Give your guest bedroom a thorough clean and check you have batches of bedding and towels laundered and ready to go.
Deep-clean your bathroom now to save time later. A quick wipe around the basin, shower and loo before guests arrive will restore the sparkle, and you’ll be confident everything is clean and hygienic. Tidy and clean your hallway so it’s fresh and welcoming when your guest first arrive.
Kitchen confidence
Your kitchen is going to see some serious action over the next few weeks, so let’s get a head-start. Before the food shopping arrives and the prepping begins, here’s my checklist to get your kitchen ready for the big day.
- Empty the fridge – and don’t forget the veg drawer (we both know there’s something suspicious lurking in there).
- Throw away out of date food and those jars from last year’s Christmas hiding at the back of the shelf. Wipe shelves, compartments and inside the door with a solution of bicarbonate of soda or white vinegar, dry and put everything back. Get my tips on how to clean your fridge like a pro here.
- Clear your kitchen surfaces and wipe with hot water and your favourite kitchen cleaner. Give high traffic areas like cupboard fronts and handles the once-over for extra shine.
- Give your sink a thorough clean, especially around the taps, plug and drainer.
- Vacuum and mop the floor.
- Pro tip – treat your oven to a professional clean. It will save you loads of time and the results are sensational. Plus, did you know that a clean oven gives you a more efficient cleaning experience.
Calm Christmas
Once the big day arrives, just embrace it. Yes, there will be mess. There’s be wrapping paper, glitter (gah!), and Lego everywhere. Relax and enjoy the moment. Pop on your favourite Christmas playlist, pour yourself a drink and unwrap another chocolate. The cleaning can wait.
The aftermath
Once your guests have gone and you’ve eaten the last turkey sandwich, it’s time to slowly reclaim your space.
When you’re taking down your decorations, take a minute to sort through any you didn’t use. If they’re broken, throw them away now. If they’re just not your style anymore, pack them in a separate box to donate next autumn.
Sort and recycle gift packaging, and donate any unwanted items (or save them to regift next year).
Wash and put away guest bedding, towels along and table linen.
Now you can vacuum and dust. And if you find pine needles in places you didn’t think pine needles could reach – welcome to the club.
Pro Christmas Cleaning
If all this makes you want to lie down in a darkened room (preferably watching a Christmas movie), why not call in the professionals? Book a cleaning service to take some of these tasks off your to-do list, and give you more time for the fun stuff. Don’t leave it too late though – it’s a busy time for cleaning pros too!
Whether it’s deep cleaning your bathrooms, or a pro fridge or oven clean, a helping hand with the Christmas cleaning is the best gift you can give yourself.
