We all know how fast a house can get messy; I mean people live there right? (Even though we often set a ridiculous goal to present it to guests as though no one actually does.) We have come up with some easy tips for how to keep your house clean through Christmas.
It’s hard enough with work and taking care of a family to find the time to maintain your home, when you’re wedged between wanting to spend quality time with your loved ones and making sure your home is a tranquil oasis for maximum relaxation. Now throw Christmas and school holidays into the mix and you’re fighting an uphill battle.
Is there anything quite like getting the house cleaned only to have a small child dump the toy box and smash crackers into the sofa? Or our wonderful man children, who leave random things lying around and never remember to put the scissors back where they found them? Kids will be kids and short of throwing the whole (man)child away, we can’t get around that, but luckily we really do have great tips and tricks for making staying on top of the mess and retaining your sanity easily achievable this silly season.
- Make a list and check it twice. Having a plan is key to getting things done and having a well thought out plan is even better. Make your list of all the things you want to accomplish and then review it to get it in order of most – least import. A helpful idea is to do a walkthrough of your home and pick out details you would notice as a guest. Another great strategy is to make an estimate of time it would take you to complete each task, you may have a less important task that would take 45 minutes, where 3 x 15 minute tasks could have rather been done. Having a rough idea of times for tasks also allows for an easy pick of what to do when you may have a spare 10-15 minutes in your day.
- Set a timer! Perhaps one of the simplest but most underrated strategies for keeping a house clean. Select an amount of time that doesn’t seem overwhelming – you would be surprised at what you can accomplish in 15 minutes. Do this every day at a time that works best for your family. The best part is you can involve the kids and make it a bit of a game by proclaiming whoever does the most in that time gets to pick the Christmas movie to watch that evening. Did somebody say Elf?
- St Nick. Decluttering your home is key to making it easier to maintain. Knowing you’re going to have a new wave of toys, clothes and other gifts take up residence in your already seemingly overflowing home can be overwhelming. It’s a fantastic time of year to do a toy clear out with the kids while giving them a teachable moment on the gift of giving, gratitude and helping those less fortunate.
Tis the season of giving after all! - Don’t be afraid to delegate! We often take on too much, get stressed out and forget that many hands make light work. Now we wouldn’t recommend having your 3-year-old clean the oven or the gutters but giving your little helpers a feather duster or damp cloth at the very least keeps them occupied and while they’re cleaning, they aren’t making a mess so that’s a win in our book. Telling your partner exactly what you need done is also effective to prevent our sweet well-intentioned heroes from cleaning the attic or the shed where we are most certainly not hosting Christmas lunch.
- Christmas Elves. Just like the elves working year round to get the job done, adopting a clean as you go method is really where you’re going to see the most benefit. Never leave a room empty handed, if you see something on the ground pick it up, ask your little ones to put toys away before they start playing with a new one and we all know those pots and pans don’t really need to soak.
- Lastly learn to accept that a house is meant to be lived in, guests won’t notice the little things that you do. Christmas memories made with a few bits and bobs out of place will always be worth more than trying to maintain an unreasonable standard. Light that beautiful pine scented Christmas candle and enjoy the holidays.
We want to thank all our amazing clients for your support throughout 2023 and we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year. We look forward to seeing you all again when we return on the 8th of January 2024.
