It’s the festive season and if you’re big on Christmas, we’re 100 percent certain guests will start knocking on your doors starting from the 20th or thereabout. Some will plan to stay through till the new year while others who are just about the Christmas day jollof rice will be out of your face by evening of the 25th.
A number of us love this special season but dread welcoming guests because our homes are mostly in a mess and we’ve grown comfortable managing our own mess. It’s hard to explain to friends and family so we’re burdened with the task of cleaning up just in time before their arrival.
Well, with these 5 quick tips, you won’t have a lot of explaining to do as your guests will be walking into a clean, fresh space when they arrive:
- Declutter: Say goodbye to items that you’ve had no use for all year long. It’s simple: If you haven’t needed it since the beginning of 2017, then you probably do not need it now, so let it go. You’ll be needing space for your Christmas tree, gifts and whatnots so clear out redundant items. Read our 6-step guide to decluttering your home here.
- Do a major laundry: Your bedding, towels and curtains have accumulated dust since you last washed them so now is the time to get them to the laundry. The aroma of fresh bedding sends a special welcome message to your guests when they finally hit the bed at night. Also, the cleaner the curtain, the brighter the home.
- Wipe all surfaces: All the build-up of dust, grease and stains will need a thorough cleanout this time. So you should go from your centre table to your dining table, your oven top to your kitchen shelf and refrigerator and even your windowsill. Wipe them all out till they sparkle and subtly repeat the process everyday until the year ends.
- Clean your carpets: A lot more goes into this than merely cleaning your carpets and rugs. If they’ve taken in dust all year long, then you may need to get a professional cleaning service to do the job for you as you don’t want your dust-allergic guests passing out in your home. If your home is tiled, you can mob and scrub by yourself and make sure to scrub your bathroom shower, sink and toilets as well. We cannot overemphasize how important that part of your home is.
- Invest in fragrances, scent diffusers and scented candles: Once your cleaning is done, you can perfect your work with a few scent diffusers and sprays to give that enviable aroma that will linger with your guests even after they’ve left your home.
Happy holidays!