The Cleaning Routine You Should Cut Corners On During The Holidays

Between hosting obligations, decorating, and shopping, the holidays are stressful enough, and the last thing you need is to fill your plate with unnecessary tasks. If you're entertaining friends and family in your home, then you've probably got a million different things to check off your cleaning list before hosting for the holidays. But ask yourself, are all of those to-dos really that important? Probably not. So instead of stressing yourself out during a time that's meant to be jolly, try cutting corners on your holiday cleaning routine by skipping the deep clean.

Unless you're dealing with obvious stains or a massive, long-neglected buildup of dust bunnies, there's really no reason to deep-clean your home from top to bottom before the holidays. In fact, you'll likely encounter several messes during the hustle and bustle of Christmas anyway, so it makes more sense to save your deep cleaning until afterwards. Skipping this routine gives you time to focus on cleaning areas that will be seen and used during your holiday party. You can even skip cleaning entire rooms if your guests won't be seeing them during your get-together.

If you're unsure about deep cleaning vs regular cleaning and when to use each method, it's pretty simple. Deep cleaning is done occasionally throughout the year and tackles areas that you don't encounter every day, like baseboard and under your oven. Regular cleaning refers to the daily tasks that keep your house running, like wiping counters and vacuuming the floors. During the holidays, it's best to focus on regular, surface-level cleaning that everyone can see and appreciate, as this will have a more impactful effect and will save you time and stress. Trust us, your guests aren't moving the stove to see if you swept the dust from under it.

Other items and spaces you can skip cleaning include your pantry, your bedroom closet, the windows, underneath large furniture or appliances, and any other off-limit areas your guests won't be entering. Instead, focus on small but impactful cleaning tasks like wiping down counters and dining tables, making sure the bathroom is sparkling (though you can probably skip the shower if you're not hosting anyone overnight), tidying the entryway, and washing any linens or extra bedding you may need. After the holidays are over, you can use this deep cleaning checklist to make every room in your home sparkle for the new year.