You just got home from the grocery store with all of the ingredients for a happy holiday meal. And although your kitchen sink is full of dishes, your dining room table is full of glitter and construction paper leftover from holiday crafts, and the guest bathroom has not yet been cleaned, you are feeling confident that all of these items will be checked off your to-do list before the end of the week.Then, you get a phone call. Grandma and Grandpa are back early from their trip to Florida and are asking to come a few days early.After you politely tell them you would love to have them earlier, you instantly spiral into panic mode, wondering how you will get all of your cleaning finished.Put down the paper bag and breathe normally. Here are some tips to help you clean in a hurry and have your home up to critical-relative standards in no time.1. Start from the top downIf you’re cleaning in a hurry, there’s no time to go back and redo areas that you’ve already cleaned. So, that means starting at the top of each room and working your way down. Clean your ceiling fans first, then dust the top of the bookshelf and dresser. Then vacuum up the whole mess as the dust floats to the floor.The Happier Homemaker recommends this method and has a whole bunch of other ideas for tidying up quickly.2. Start with public areasIf your holiday guests will only be coming over for a few hours or staying in a certain part of the house, then start cleaning that section first. You can always scoot that giant pile of laundry into your bedroom and shut the door. Just remember to turn the lights off when you leave the room and never open the door more than two or three inches when entering or exiting.3. Put the vacuum to good useIf your unexpected company is already on their way or you just don’t have enough time to deep clean, then your vacuum can be a great ally. Vacuuming up spilled cheerios, dog hair and Barbie shoes might just make a bigger difference than you think. You might discover that the rug you bought really is supposed to be white.4. Make dishes a priorityWhile you might have a few dishes or pans soaking in the sink after creating your holiday meal, it is a good idea to keep your sink clean and clear when you have guests. So, before you reorganize your sock drawer or fold the toilet paper into a perfect triangle, pull on your rubber gloves and get washing.5. What’s that smell?You don’t want your company to know that you have been cleaning right before they arrive, so diffuse the cleaning product smell with a delicious holiday aroma from your Scentsy or create your own potpourri with this stovetop recipe.
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Jessa is the Editor-in-Chief of Hooray for Family and the mom of three energetic children. She has a BA in Mass Communication/Journalism from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, and is a long-time resident of Central Texas. When she isn't writing and editing, she enjoys playing board games with her kids, teaching Sunday school and channeling her creativity into craft projects.
