The key is to concentrate on the areas that guests are most likely to visit and enlist the help of your family members.
The moments leading up to a party or gathering always seem to pass in a flash.
With food preparation, table setting, and final decor touches taking priority, cleaning tasks often get postponed until the last minute. If your guests are on their way and you haven’t had a chance to vacuum or scrub, there’s no need to worry.
By focusing on a few impactful cleaning tasks, you can make your home ready for company in just a few minutes. Continue reading to discover the essential areas to clean before guests arrive and learn some efficient tricks for completing each task.
You may even find this routine useful for giving your home a quick clean at any time.
Tips for Engaging Early Arriving Party Guests
How to keep them occupied while you complete your tasks.
Delegate Tasks: Prepare a couple of tasks in advance for your early arriving guests to help with.
These tasks can include:
Uncovering the platters of hors d’oeuvres
Opening bottles of wine or other beverages
Taking out platters from the fridge
Arranging cold items on a crudité board
By involving your guests in these tasks, they will feel useful and contribute to the preparations.
Water Service: Ask your early guests to fill up water glasses on the table.
It’s a simple and quick task that can be done while they wait for the party to begin. Provide them with a pitcher of water so they can easily refill the glasses.
This way, you won’t have to spend time standing by the sink.
Candle-Lighting Adventure: Give your guests the responsibility of lighting candles throughout the party area.
Provide them with lighters or matches and create a fun scavenger hunt for the candles. Remind them to check for tea light votives, candles in the bathroom, and at the entryway.
It adds a playful element to their involvement and helps set the ambiance.
Extra Set of Eyes: Enlist the help of your early guest to inspect the table setup.
Have them review each place setting and ensure that there is a fork, knife, cocktail glass, and water glass at each spot. If you want to be extra prepared, pre-arrange some additional place settings so that your guest can easily add them if they find any missing pieces.
Bathroom Inspection: Sometimes, in the midst of hosting, we might overlook checking the main bathroom.
Before the guests arrive, ensure the bathroom is clean and well-stocked. However, ask your early guest to do a final check to make sure everything is in order.
Soap, toilet paper, an extra roll, and clean towels should all be in place.
Provide Distractions: If you prefer to have your guests entertained while you attend to your final preparations, set out photo albums, the latest catalogs, magazines, or beautiful recipe books for them to peruse.
You can also place a shelf with captivating items that catch their attention. Consider having a cute party trick postcard or a sign that directs guests to your party preparations.
These distractions will keep them occupied and allow you to focus on your finishing touches.
With these strategies in place, you’ll be ready for unexpected early arrivals.
Remember to take a deep breath and relax. They are likely just eager to see you and enjoy the party.
Give them a task, finish up your remaining tasks, and create a memorable event for everyone to enjoy.
Tasks to Being Ready for Guests to Arrive
Enhance the appearance of your entryway by ensuring it is clean and welcoming.
Begin by removing any clutter near the door to create space for guests to hang coats and take off their shoes.
You can sweep the floors with a broom or vacuum them. Alternatively, take out the rugs and give them a good shake to remove loose dirt, dust, and debris.
Make your kitchen tidy and presentable.
Since guests tend to gravitate towards the kitchen, it’s important to create an impression of cleanliness.
Clear off unnecessary items from the countertops and put away any dishes in the sink. Consider using a damp microfiber cloth or a cleaning wipe to wipe down the counters, and don’t forget to vacuum or sweep up any visible crumbs on the floor.
Prioritize high-traffic areas when vacuuming.
Deep Cleaning the Floors and carpets might not be feasible in a short amount of time, but running a vacuum quickly can make a noticeable difference.
Focus on the areas that will receive the most foot traffic during the event, such as the Living Room and connecting hallways. Also, pay attention to spots with visible dirt or debris, such as pet hair.
Using a cordless vacuum can save you time and make it easier to move from room to room without dealing with tangled cords.
Perform a swift cleaning of the bathroom.
Dedicate a few minutes to clean the bathroom that your guests are likely to use.
To save time, start by applying toilet bowl cleaner, allowing it to sanitize while you clean other surfaces. Use a glass cleaner to remove smudges and water spots from the mirror, and wipe down the countertops and sink using an all-purpose cleaner.
If you’re in a hurry, a damp microfiber cloth can suffice. Once the other surfaces are clean, give the toilet bowl a quick scrub with a toilet brush and flush.
Lastly, ensure fresh hand towels are available, and make sure there’s plenty of soap and toilet paper.
Swiftly declutter your home.
Simplify the main gathering areas of your home with a simple trick: Grab a laundry basket and gather any items that don’t belong in the room.
If you don’t have time to put everything in its proper place, temporarily store the filled basket in a location where guests are unlikely to look, such as the primary Bedroom Closet or the laundry room.
Revitalize your living room furniture.
Give your living room a polished appearance by refreshing the furniture.
Begin by straightening and fluffing the cushions and pillows on the sofa. To create a plump look for the pillows, employ a karate-chop motion on the top, which gives them crisp corners and makes the middle appear fuller.
Neatly fold any throw blankets or drape them over the armrests. The skillful arrangement of pillows or throws can also help conceal any spots or stains you didn’t have time to clean.
If you have a moment, go over the sofa with a handheld vacuum or use a lint roller to remove any crumbs or dust that may have settled into the fabric.
Dust surfaces in common areas.
Eliminate unsightly dust from easily visible surfaces, such as coffee tables, baseboards, and lampshades.
You can skip less noticeable areas like the top of the refrigerator or ceiling fan. When time is limited, a handheld microfiber duster can quickly tackle this task without the need for spraying and wiping every surface.
Consider getting one from your local Target store for around $7.
*The information is for reference only.
