I genuinely love hosting and holiday hosting is by far my favourite. Bringing friends and family together at Christmas is something I truly look forward to each year.
But hosting can be a lot of work.
There are ways to make it easier such as asking each guest to bring something. That alone will save a ton of time and money.
There is one thing that I think gets overthought when it comes to hosting.
Cleaning.
When it comes to cleaning before hosting, you honestly don’t have to go crazy touching every single surface.
If you try to keep your house tidy on a regular basis and clean regularly. Then it’s a doddle 😊
Here are things you may want to pay attention to:
Toilets. But really only the guest toilet.
Bathroom sink, counter, mirrors. A very quick wipe down.
Clean towels and full soap. Ok, this is not something to clean but I always ensure I have a few clean hand towels in the bathroom and that the soap isn’t empty.
Kitchen counters. I give a quick wipe down more just so they are clean as I start preparing food. Obviously clean if there is any raw meat that sits on an area. But after the initial clean, just recognize that it’s going to keep getting messy and there is no point in continuing to wipe it down.
Vacuum. Honestly, I only vacuum prior and a quick vac can make all the difference!
If you are stuck on time then these areas you may want to only do if you find you have a little extra time.
Showers. Why would anyone look or care about if your shower is clean? Unless you have overnight guests, skip this entirely or give it a quick wipe over.
Mopping the floors. They are going to immediately get a little dirty once people arrive, food starts being eaten. Nobody will notice and if anything, they will assume the dirt is new dirt from all the people.
Painting. Before talking to this friend, I would never have thought to add this to my list but absolutely under no circumstances would I advise painting in order to prepare for company. Add it to your summer to-do list.
House repairs. Unless it is something dangerous, take it off your list.
Windows. Nobody will notice.
Laundry. Don’t stress if you have piles of dirty laundry. Close the door. When we used to not have a laundry room, I would typically just put baskets of dirty laundry in the garage. Out of sight and out of mind for the day.
Any room or area that guests won’t be in. Close the door and don’t stress about it.
Remember, you are opening your home to friends and family and being the hub where celebrations will be had and memories made. I guarantee you they are grateful for you for that alone.
Cheers to a wonderful season of hosting!
