One of the best things about hosting a party is getting to
spend time with friends and family. However, that dinner
or holiday party can hardly feel worth it if you end up with a day’s worth of
cleaning afterwards. You may be thinking this situation is unavoidable, but the
truth is, with a little pre-party planning and coordination, you can have your
space back to its former glory in no time!
Set Yourself Up for Success
A day or two before your next big soiree, you’ll want to consider
setting up your space in a way that is cohesive to your goals. Here are a few
things to consider while prepping:
● Cleaning
Products: Consider all the cleaning products or tools that you may need for
immediate spot cleaning
and after-party tasks. Be sure to keep them in a place that is easily
accessible but out of sight, and away from children. Items you may want to have
on-hand include: all-purpose cleaners, rags or
micro-fiber clothes, rubber gloves, sanitary wipes, floor cleaner, and sponges,
as well as your vacuum, broom, and mop.
● Coasters: Be sure to place
coasters on every table and surface in rooms where your guests
will be spending time. You might even consider using tablecloths and
furniture covers for extra protection against spills and stains.
● Food Storage: Keeping resealable
bags and plastic containers nearby is a
convenient way to make sure your guests can easily take home leftovers. Everything else
can be quickly stored in the fridge.
● Garbage and
Recycling: You’ll want to set up at least one bin each for garbage and
recycling in convenient and easy-to-locate places. Depending on the size of
your party, you might consider setting up multiple trash stations so that you
aren’t forced to change the bins out halfway through the event. Pro-tip: Labeling each bin as either
recycling or garbage can save you a lot of sorting
time!
● Designated Party
Areas: While you don’t want guests to feel herded or stuck in a
particular area of your space, it’s totally understandable that you would want
to control the flow of traffic towards designated areas. Doing so means that
you will have fewer rooms to clean once the party
is over. Be sure to lock any doors that lead to rooms you’d rather guests stay
out of. Pro-tip: If you have
multiple bathrooms, you can limit the use to only one, which will save you
another room to clean.
Mess-Management During the Party
It’s your party, so by no means would we recommend you spend the night
cleaning. You have people to see and fun to have! However, it’s important to
know that staying on top of a few tasks can go a long way when it comes to
end-of-the-night cleaning. You don’t need to go crazy but if you happen to see
a few empty glasses on your way to refill the chip
bowl, it can’t hurt to take care of them.
Immediately After Guests Leave
Once you’ve said your goodbyes and everyone is on their way home, it’s time to
start on the tasks that are most
time-sensitive.
● Leftovers: Whatever
food didn’t go home with guests should be quickly discarded or stored in
either the fridge or in airtight containers. Any item that is considered a
“finger-food” should be thrown away to prevent the growth of germs and
bacteria.
● Dishes: Be sure to
collect all the dishes, glasses, and silverware from around the house or event
area. Scrape any leftover food or waste into the garage bin and simply place
your dishes in the sink or
dishwasher for the night.
● Garbage: Instead of making
multiple trips to the garbage bin with handfuls of trash, simply carry the bin
or a garbage bag around with you to throw things
away as you go!
● Spot Clean: It’s probably
late and you're tired from a long night of socializing, but when it
comes to sticky spills and crumbs, it’s best to wipe these up right away to
avoid inviting pests, like ants, into
your home. The rest can wait until the morning.
The Morning After
Waking up after a nice night with
friends and family to find that a lot of the cleaning and prep work has
already been done can feel like a huge weight has been lifted off your
shoulders. With that being said, there are still a few tasks to complete before
your home is back in tip-top shape.
● Air Circulation: First things
first, open some windows. After a party, it’s likely that there are lingering scents - whether it be
food, garbage or otherwise. Letting in some sunshine and fresh air can help put
you in the mood to clean as well. Why not
blast some music while you’re at it?
● Re-organizing
Your Space: Oftentimes during a party, there will be a need to rearrange furniture
for better flow or for additional seating to accommodate your guests. Now’s the
time to start putting the furniture
back, removing tablecloths and coverings for a wash, and tidying up your
space. The same idea will apply in places like your kitchen or anywhere else
your guests have occupied.
● Countertops and
Surfaces: At this point, you’ll want to go through and wipe down all the
surfaces in the space. Be sure to use either an all-purpose cleaner or a cleaner
that is safe on each individual surface to avoid damage.
● Dishes: Dishwasher or
not, it’s likely that there are still dishes to be done. Maybe you found some
extra plates or silverware while tidying up, or perhaps you have items that
aren’t dishwasher safe. Now is the time to finish them up.
● Bathrooms: You probably did
a deep clean of your bathroom
before the party started, so hopefully this step won’t take too long.
In here, you’ll want to start with wiping down all surfaces and handles with
disinfectant. Once that’s completed, you will want to clean the basin of your
sink and your toilet, including the bowl, base, and seat. Then, change out the
garbage. You might also consider sweeping and mopping at this point, but you
may want to wait and complete that chore all at once. Remember to replace any
hand towels that were in the
room the night of the party.
● Outdoor Areas: Don’t forget to
check your outdoor seating areas,
as well as your lawn, for garbage and debris. After you reconfigure any
misplaced furniture, a quick wipe down of any surfaces should just about wrap
it up.
● Floors: You’re almost
there! The last chore to tackle is going to be your floors. We recommend
sweeping and vacuuming each floor in the home all at once and then you can do
the same with your mopping. After a
party, it’s likely that your floors are going to be extra dirty. Be sure to
use a strong cleaning solution to get rid of those stubborn or sticky messes.
Now that your post-party clean-up is complete, enjoy your
downtime! For more party related tips and tricks, check out the link below!
