The Only Holiday Cleaning Checklist You’ll Ever Need To Prep for Guests

When it comes to cleaning for the holidays, it’s easy to let the chore turn into your own personal Nightmare Before Christmas. After all, there’s already so much else to do, from gift shopping to shoveling the driveway. But there is good news: With this thorough holiday cleaning checklist and some simple tips and tricks, you can have your home in hosting shape in no time — so you can relax and enjoy time with your family and friends, which is the whole point of the season, after all.

Holiday Cleaning Checklist by Room

Keep this holiday cleaning list with you as you make your way through your home with your trusty vacuum, multipurpose spray, and paper towels. While there’s no wrong order to go about cleaning the rooms in your home, we suggest cleaning the rooms a guest is most likely to see and use first, but that will vary depending on what kind of hosting you’re doing. If you’re having overnight guests, prioritize cleaning the guest room and the nearest bathroom, while if you’re having friends over for dinner, you’ll want to make sure the dining room and kitchen are clean first. And of course, don’t forget the entryway, which is the first spot any guest will see.

1. Bathroom Holiday Cleaning Checklist

The bathroom is one of the most-used rooms in the home, so be sure to thoroughly disinfect it and check off this holiday cleaning list before having guests over.

• Clear off surfaces, putting anything back in the drawers, closets, and medicine cabinets where they belong.
• Use the “top-down” method to clean the room, meaning starting with the highest surfaces and working your way down — that way any debris can fall to the floor, and you can clean it up later: Mirrors, sinks, toilet, showers, tubs, then floors.
• Stock with clean towels and toilet paper. (Pro tip: Set out a box of disposable hand towels so guests don’t have to guess which towel to use!)
• Replenish your supply of guest essentials. (Q-tips, floss, toothpaste, an extra toothbrush in case they forget theirs, etc.)
• Add a room spray, a holiday candle, and a box of matches.

2. Kitchen Holiday Cleaning Checklist

If you’re cooking a big meal or doing any hosting this season, you’ll want a kitchen that’s clean and decluttered. Here’s how to do that.

• Declutter your fridge, tossing expired food or old leftovers (you’ll need the space for all of those delicious holiday meals!), then take everything out, wipe down the shelves and consider your kitchen organization as you put everything back in.
• Make room in the freezer (whether that means tossing, consolidating, or reorganizing).
• Clear off the counters and wipe them down with a disinfectant spray.
• Clean the inside of the sink.
• Use a stove cleaner to get your range sparkling.
• Spray and wipe down your appliances.
• Depending on how grimy it is, give the inside of your microwave a good clean, too.
• Vacuum and mop the floors.
• Wash any serving dishes and glassware you plan on using.
• Put out your holiday dish towels for some festive flair.

Remember to dust before sweeping and mopping the floors to avoid having to sweep again.

3. Dining Room Holiday Cleaning Checklist

• A few touches can go a long way in making a dining room feel ready for the holidays — follow this holiday cleaning checklist to get it ready for the occasion.
• If you’re planning to use a holiday tablecloth/runner or cloth napkins, make sure they’re laundered and wrinkle-free.
• Dust/polish any pieces of wooden furniture, like china cabinets or buffets.
• Set out hosting essentials, like coasters and wine glass charms, so people don’t have to ask for them.
• Vacuum and mop the floors.

4. Living Room Holiday Cleaning Checklist

Whether you’re watching a Christmas movie or doing a puzzle, the living room is a hub during the holidays. Make it feel extra cozy with a few holiday cleaning tips and tricks.

• Dust any surfaces, like your fireplace mantle or entertainment center.
• Wash throw blankets.
• Fluff your pillows (and “chop” them for a luxe look!).
• Vacuum/lint roll couches (especially if there’s any pet fur on them).
• Wipe down the TV and remote with a multipurpose spray.
• Use a microfiber cloth to wipe off lightbulbs (and swap them out for warmer-toned bulbs if needed).
• Light a cozy holiday candle.

• Vacuum and mop the floors, or spot clean carpet as needed.

5. Guest Room Holiday Cleaning Checklist

From a freshly made bed to a bottle of water, the guest room just needs a few holiday cleaning tasks to get it in shape. Trust me, your overnight guests will thank you.

• Launder all bed linens.
• Wipe down mirrors with glass cleaner.
• Dust all surfaces, like nightstands and dressers.
• Set out a luggage rack or designate another spot for a suitcase.
• Put a carafe or bottle of water on the nightstand.
• Create a basket/bin of mini guest essentials (Think: Deodorant, sheet mask, contacts lens solution, phone charger, etc.).

6. Entryway Holiday Cleaning Checklist

• It’s easy to forget about the entryway, but it’s the first impression of your home for any guest (or even just for yourself!). Tick off these holiday cleaning tasks to make it sparkle.
• Pick up any clutter that’s collected in the entryway.
• Put out a festive welcome mat (or give your current one a good vacuum).
• Clear plenty of space on the coat rack/closet and shoe shelf for guests.
• Vacuum and mop the floor.

Buying some flowers or a poinsettia plant is one of the most fun items on a holiday cleaning checklist — it makes your home smell good and feel festive!

Bonus: Miscellaneous Holiday Cleaning Tips and Tricks

As you go through your holiday cleaning, there are a few tips that can help make the job easier and more fun. Try these:

• Disinfect high-touch surfaces around your home as you go, like door knobs and light switches.
• Put away all children’s toys or pet toys — even small items can create a lot of visual clutter.
• Open the windows. Even if it’s for a few minutes, letting some fresh air into your home will help it smell nicer (and then you can light that warm vanilla-scented candle).
• If you have ceiling fans, dust each one (try using a pillow case to keep the dust contained).
• Carry a laundry basket with you from room to room, collecting items that don’t belong there as you go. Put them away as you reach the room they belong to!
• Put on some music you love (maybe some holiday classics?!) to make the process more fun and festive.
• Buy a bouquet of fresh flowers or a poinsettia plant as a treat for all of that cleaning, and to make your home sparkle.

Holiday Cleaning — FAQs

Q: How much to give a cleaning lady for the holidays?
A: Tip your housekeeper however much they would charge for a day, if they clean your home each week, according to Town and Country Mag. If they come daily, tip what you would pay them for a week. Adjust that rate if they come more or less frequently, and take into account your relationship, too.

Q: What is holiday cleaning?
A: Holiday cleaning is the act of tidying and deep cleaning your house before the winter holidays kick off (like Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, and New Year’s). The goal is to ready your home for any holiday guests you’re hosting, entertaining you’re doing, and for yourself before the New Year.

Q: What is the 80/20 rule for house cleaning?
A: Also known as the Pareto Principle, the 80/20 rule says that 20 percent of your efforts yield 80 percent of the results — otherwise known as working smarter, not harder! For instance, using the “top-down” method when cleaning means you can knock all of the debris to the floor when cleaning higher surfaces, then clean the floor just once. Another variation on the 80/20 rule for house cleaning is the guiding principle for decluttering that says you should only take up 80 percent of the space in your home with belongings, while leaving the other 20 percent empty.

Q: What is the 12 12 12 rule for decluttering?
A: The 12 12 12 rule is a decluttering challenge where you go through your home and find 12 things to throw away, 12 to donate, and 12 to return to the room/spot where they belong. It’s not a tactic for thoroughly purging your home, but rather an effective blitz to tidy up and declutter a bit, which is perfect for holiday cleaning.

Q: How can I clean my house for the holidays?
A: All you need to tackle a big task like whole-house holiday cleaning is a foolproof system. Start by classifying what needs to be done by scope and importance, then use this holiday cleaning checklist to systematically work your way through your home.

Q: What should I clean before the holidays?
A: The last quarter of the year is a good time to deep clean your entire house, but especially those social areas where you’ll be entertaining and spending most of your time from the moment Thanksgiving preparations start and until you say hello to the new year.

You can store extra stuff in a PODS portable storage container to make room for your guests — and use it as a staging area for decluttering after the holidays.

Make Room for Holiday Guests With PODS

Once you’ve ticked off every box on your holiday cleaning checklist, you might just have some extra stuff with nowhere to put it. Make room for your holiday guests with a PODS portable storage container, which you can use to stash away your belongings for a while, and even use it as a staging spot for decluttering after the holidays are over if you don’t want to move all that stuff back into the guest room and other common areas.

To rent a storage container for your holiday cleaning or decluttering needs, visit PODS online for a free quote or call 877-350-7637.

_{*This article was written on behalf of PODS Enterprises, LLC (“PODS”). PODS does not warrant the completeness or accuracy of any information contained in this article and disclaims any liability for reliance upon the content herein.}