Handy Home Hints: The Great Christmas Clean Up

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Christmas is coming, and so are the hordes of friends and relatives keen to fill your home with gravy stains and tiny shreds of gift wrap. Coupled with parties, celebrations and shopping, the home is often neglected and the pre-Christmas clean up can seem a daunting task on Christmas Eve.

If you're prepping for a big Christmas day, here are some helpful tips to prepare your home and maintain your sanity!

PRE-CHRISTMAS BLITZ

You need only add a few extra jobs to your regular housework routine to get your house spick and span for Christmas.

Before the place becomes rammed with decorations, presents and people, have an extra clear up. Put away things that won't be missed in the living areas - leaving more space for cards, glasses and plates. Open the windows to ventilate, wipe down surfaces, run the vacuum and clean the bathroom.

PREPARE GUEST ROOMS

Chances are your spare beds will soon be filled, so take the opportunity to clear out spare rooms of unnecessary clutter, freshen the sheets and ventilate the room. If you're trying to make a good impression (on a potential mother-in-law, for example), put some fresh flowers in a vase and provide a few pretty toiletries.

CLEAN YOUR CHRISTMAS KITCHEN WARE

Don't leave it until the bird is due in the oven to drag the monster-sized roasting dish out of a cupboard and find it caked in last year's grease. Use washing-up liquid or cream cleanser to clean trays, gravy boats, coffee makers, cheeseboards, glassware - anything and everything that has been gathering dust since 2009.

PLAN TO KEEP ON TOP OF THE MESS

You may be planning to have too much fun to worry about housework, so keep these tricks up your sleeve to save you hassle in the long term.

Drape surfaces in white tablecloths to protect wood and metal from spills, mug rings and stains. The fabric of the tablecloth will mop up a spill as soon as it happens, so you don't flap around all night with a cloth in hand.

Place garbage bins strategically near eating areas and buffet tables. Or go one better and use plastic plates + cutlery (the fancy kind, of course!) to save on the big clean up later.

ASK FOR HELP

Never be afraid to ask for help. As they say, many hands make light work. Assign tasks to your friends or family so you can also kick back and enjoy the festive cheer.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of our Big Christmas Cleanup after the 25th December. Happy Holidays!

Adapted from this article.