Having Family Over? Better Finish This Cleaning Checklist…

Having Family Over? Better Finish This Cleaning Checklist…

Whether it’s only a few times a year or every other weekend, having the family over can be stressful, no matter the frequency. Having family over tends to bring out the inner clean freak in many of us. No one wants to look messy and disorganized in front of their parents. Because of the need to appear neat and organized, a little cleaning is usually in order before the relatives drop by. If you are doing the cooking, activity planning, cleaning or even a combo of all three, having a checklist will always work in your favor. We have taken a little work off your plate and compiled a checklist of the essential tasks that should be completed before the family visits. So bust out that feather duster, heat up the oven and plan some activities that will get the relatives out of your hair for a little while.

1) Do the Dishes

This one should be done on a regular basis, but all of us are guilty of leaving behind a dirty dish or two. Excuses may vary, we’ve all heard I’m using it later, the dishwasher was full or I’m in a rush and will do it later. While these excuses may seem logical at the time after awhile procrastination will turn into a long chore no one wants to take on. Drop some soap on a sponge and take care of those pesky dishes before you have a pile full of excuses sitting in your sink.

2) Dust Smarter, Not Harder

Ideally when you dust you go over every square inch of your homes space. However, if you are expecting family over soon this can fall to the bottom of your priority list. Luckily, all you really need to dust is anything your houseguests may come into contact with while visiting such as countertops, shelves, and furniture.

3) Wipe Down the Bathroom

Depending on how dirty your bathroom is, cleaning it can take all day. If the family is coming to visit soon you may not have half a day to commit to scrubbing down your bathroom. Do a quick once over wipe on the counters, toilet, and shower then you will be good to go.

4) Showcase Your Great Taste with Great Smells

Unpleasant smells are like family, they will enter your home at some point and might linger for much longer than expected. Showcase your best smelling candle and get rid of those unwanted smells.

5) Watch Out for Pet Hair

We all love our pets, but the pet hair that follows is a different story. Not only is pet hair a struggle to clean up, but it clings to whoever and whatever comes close. Before having family over, be sure and vacuum or lint roll your couches. Believe us when we say you would rather have your pet’s hair in the trash than on your mother’s expensive bottoms.

6) Plan a Day of Family Fun

Not a cleaning task exactly, but still important! Having family over is fun at first but after all of the welcoming and formalities are out of the way the fun can start to run dry. A great way to keep the “fun” in family fun time is to have some activities planned for the day. Doing things such as going for a walk, challenging others to a game of bowling or going to a museum will give everyone a break from trying to make conversation. These activities don’t necessarily require you to leave your house, something simple such as playing cards or a board game can spruce up any family visit.

7) Clean Your Floors Quickly to Get Back to What Matters

Remember that pesky pet hair we were talking about earlier? Unfortunately, pet hair doesn’t just cling to the couch, it finds a way to scatter itself around floors too. Cleaning the floors is an absolute must before having family over because it’s not a mess you can throw a rug over and be done with. Lugging out the broom, dustpan, and mop is not only time consuming but also tedious. Take the struggle out of cleaning your floors and sweep your troubles into an EyeVac. Just sweep up dirt and pet hair next to the Touchless Vacuum and let the EyeVac do the rest.

In short, prepping your house for a family visit can be a lot of stress, but by running through a simple checklist such as this you can manage your time cleaning and spend more time enjoying your company. While having family over can initially bring a lot of stress, the memories you make with them always outweigh any amount of preparation you had put into their visit.