The holidays are crazy, hectic times, but most of us agree that they are well worth the momentary insanity. However, while you run around town finding the perfect gifts, stocking the liquor cabinet and wine fridge, and dancing from party to party, your home can start to look a little neglected.

If you’re planning to be one of the hosts for holiday celebrations, you want to be sure that your home is holiday ready. Here’s a complete holiday cleaning checklist to ensure you don’t miss a spot.
Declutter
As all your holiday décor makes its way into your home, you might find your space feeling a little “tight.” This is the perfect opportunity to declutter, so you have a neater home that is easier to manage during the holidays. We recommend following these steps:
- Start with your highest traffic areas and weed out anything you don’t need, like old toys (soon to be replaced by bigger and better toys) and old magazines, for example.
- Tackle the kitchen and free up space for festive food by tossing anything past its due date or not likely to be used any time soon.
- Clear out your main hall closet or the area where you hang coats to make sure there is a place for your guests’ belongings.
Anything else you’re ready to part with that is still in good condition can go to charity. The holidays are the perfect time to share your blessings with less fortunate people. Contributions such as coats, scarves, hats, gloves, and boots (not to mention toys in good condition) are always appreciated.
Have a Guest-Receiving Plan
If you’re throwing a party this holiday season, have a guest-receiving plan in mind.
Consider the following:
- Make sure your guests have a mat to wipe their feet and place wet boots.
- Display a basket for hats, scarves, and gloves, so they don’t get lost.
- Add more hangers to your hall closet, or more hooks to your wall.
If you don’t have a spot in the entryway, choose a bedroom where guests can lay their coats. That way, your plan avoids any confusion as guests arrive and helps keep things organized.
Deep Clean
With all the clutter out of the way, you have a clear path to do a deep cleaning of your home and get rid of a year’s worth of germs, bacteria, and general gunk. Deep cleaning is very thorough, covering the following areas:
- Scrubbing light switches and door knobs
- Vacuuming and mopping floors
- Wiping baseboards
- Tidying clothing
- Dusting counters, table tops, picture frames, etc.
- Cleaning mirrors and polishing ornaments
- Tidying sofa seating
- Cleaning under and behind furniture
- Vacuuming sofa seating
- Clearing air vents
- Polishing holiday silverware
- Cleaning holiday linens
- Laundering or vacuuming window coverings
- Shaking out and vacuuming area rugs
Call Fireplace Maintenance
If you have a wood-burning fireplace, schedule a maintenance call to make sure that everything is in good condition and safe. A gas fireplace maintenance call ensures that all the connections are safe and all the controls are in working order.
Tackle the Kitchen
The kitchen is the heart of the home, and this is never more true than during the holidays. People gather, share stories, prepare traditional snacks and dishes, and mix festive cocktails in the kitchen.
It is also a breeding ground for germs, so a good, deep cleaning will reduce the risk of anyone getting sick on your watch. Deep clean the following:
- Dishwasher
- Microwave
- Stovetop
- Fridge
- Backsplash, countertops, cupboard fronts
- Sink
- Organize your pots, pans, and baking supplies
- Stock the pantry with baking staples and ingredients that can be used quickly during the holidays
- Stock up on paper products such as napkins and paper towels
- Stock up on kitchen-cleaning products and trash bags
Create a Guest Room
Whether you’ve invited people to stay for the holidays or end up with unexpected guests who indulged in a little too much holiday punch, creating a guest room ensures there is a comfy spot to sleep. The room should include the following:
- Fresh towels and bed linens
- Personal hygiene items like shampoo, soap, toothbrush, and toothpaste
- Extra pillows and blankets
- A nice tableside lamp for reading
- Holiday chocolates on the pillow, or a little basket of holiday snacks on the nightside table
Dust and vacuum everything so the room is inviting and fresh. The idea is to make sure their stay feels like a welcome event, not an inconvenience. Another nice touch is to set up some holiday-themed movies and books they can enjoy during their stay.
Holiday Up the Bathroom
It’s nice to add a holiday touch to the guest bathroom. Put out your best or festive towels. Add a nice bathroom spray and hand soap with a holiday scent. Make sure there is an ample supply of toilet paper, and empty the trash. Clean the bathroom from top to bottom, including:
- Bathtub and shower enclosure
- Inside, outside, and behind the toilet
- Lights, mirrors, sink, and countertops
- Vacuum the ceiling fan cover
Set Up a “Stain” Station
With everyone enjoying the season, there’s a good chance someone is going to spill something. Set up a stain station with everything you need to tackle common stains, from spilled wine to gravy, so you can act fast before the stains set in. Your station can include:
- Clean rag or paper towels (for blotting)
- Bristle brush
- Scrub brush
- On-the-go stain-removal pen
- Basic stain-removal gel
- Lemon
- Table salt
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Baking soda
- Vinegar
This gear will have you all set to save the day or, more likely, the carpet or ugly holiday sweater.
Create a Wrapping Centre
If your holidays include exchanging gifts, you want to keep everything organized and wrap presents stress-free. A wrapping centre should have items that include:
- Scissors
- Wrapping paper, gift bags, and boxes
- Tape
- Pens
- Name tags
- Ribbons
If you live in a small home, you have no need to worry. Just place everything in a handy bin. That way, you can pull items out whenever you need to wrap something. Also, consider keeping a few generic gifts at hand, just in case someone unexpectedly gifts you, and you didn’t get them anything. This can include the classic candle, box of chocolates, or even a pretty holiday ornament.
If you want to get your home holiday-ready, Maid4Condos offers the top-notch cleaning services in Toronto that you need to make the holidays shine bright. For more information, call us at 647-822-0601 or contact us online.
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