How to Clean for a Party: 6 Easy Hacks

With the holidays just about here, chances are you might be hosting more people than normal and need some tips on how to clean for a party.

We love to have people over for parties and gatherings, but the cleaning prep can be a little stressful. With three kids, our house is very lived in. No Pinterest perfect rooms here. 🙂 Just real life.

After hosting dozens of dinners and parties, I have learned a few simple tricks on how to clean for a party. Check them out:

Gather in a box or basket

Baskets and boxes are great for wrangling when you don’t have much time and need to make the clean up happen fast. Designate a basket and gather everything that is ourt of place or doesn’t have a home. Your home will get cleaned up quickly. A friend told me that she uses a laundry basket for this task, but my laundry baskets are never empty!

Swiffer your floors

If your floors need a quick cleaning, nothing gets the job done better or faster than a Swiffer. We use the Wet Jet and the Swiffer vac all the time on our hardwoods and tile floors. The best part? My kids love using the Swiffers too, which teaches them responsibility and gives them the opportunity to contribute to the party prep. (For more kid cleaning tips, read this post.)

Use a Swiffer Duster

The Swiffer Duster makes dusting go super fast, permanently trapping the dust. It’s so efficient and you don’t have to bust out a bunch of cleaning supplies. This is another good chore for the kids to do.

Remember the bathroom

Be sure to wipe down counters, your mirror and clean the toilet. Also, empty the trash can and be sure to have a fresh hand towel and full roll of toilet paper available. If the roll is only half full, I typically will put a fresh one on before having a large gathering. It only takes a few minutes, but cleaning this room well is critical before a party.

Make the house smell amazing

The scents of home will make your guests feel warm and comfortable. Whether you choose to burn a candle, diffuse some essential oils or get started with the cooking, know that these scents will help make a difference in your home’s atmosphere — physically and literally. I always light a candle several hours before guests arrive so that the fragrance has wafted through the whole house by the time guests arrive.

Don’t stress

Here’s the thing. I can think of countless examples where something wasn’t perfect and I was stressed about it. What if they judge me for that stack of papers? Oh no, those toys didn’t get put away.

No one cares.

And if they do care, that is their issue, not yours.

The next time you have the opportunity to host a gathering, be it large or small, I hope these tips help you to stress less about the cleaning. Hospitality is always a gift — even if things aren’t perfect.

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