Getting your home ready for holiday guests
Guests see a handful of rooms. Here is how to spend your cleaning time where it shows, without a last-minute scramble.
Start early, finish light
The most stressful way to host is to clean everything the day before. Split it instead: the deep work a week or two out, and a light refresh on the last day. By the time guests arrive you are tidying, not scrubbing.
One to two weeks before
- Book a deep clean or do one yourself: baseboards, door frames, inside the microwave and a detailed bathroom scrub.
- Clean inside the oven if you will be cooking for a crowd.
- Clear out the fridge to make room for holiday food.
- Declutter the rooms guests will use. Our guide to decluttering one room at a time keeps it manageable.
- Wash guest bedding and towels.
The rooms guests actually see
The entry
First impressions start at the door. Clear the floor, shake out the mat and make space in the coat closet or on hooks for guests' coats and boots.
The guest bathroom
This is the room guests notice most. Clean the toilet, sink, mirror and shower, put out fresh hand towels and a spare roll of toilet paper where guests can find it.
The kitchen
Wipe cabinet fronts and handles, clear the counters and empty the dishwasher before people arrive, so there is somewhere for dirty dishes to go.
The living room
Dust surfaces, vacuum, and clear clutter from tables so there is room for drinks and plates.
The guest room
Fresh sheets, a cleared surface for a suitcase, empty hangers in the closet and a little drawer space go a long way.
The day before
- A quick pass over bathrooms and kitchen surfaces.
- Vacuum the main floors.
- Empty all the bins.
- Do a final walk through the front door as if you were a guest.
After they leave
Strip the guest bed, run the towels through the wash and give the kitchen and bathrooms one more clean. Then enjoy the quiet.
Hosting without the scramble
A deep clean a week or two before guests arrive, or a regular clean just before, takes the biggest jobs off your list. Tracy's Tidy Homes sees each home before giving a price, so request an estimate early in the season while there is still time to book.