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Hello, Saturday Morning! It’s Sarita Wynder here. As the holidays approach, I know what many of us are feeling. It’s not just the excitement—it’s that quiet dread of the big clean. We want our homes to be warm and welcoming, but the pressure to make everything perfect can steal our joy.
My philosophy? The holidays are for connection, not perfection. Let’s reframe the “holiday clean” from a massive chore into a simple act of preparing our space for laughter and love. Here are my favorite tips to get your home ready without losing your festive spirit.
1. Tackle the ‘Guest’s-Eye View’ First
Forget scrubbing the grout in the back bedroom. Start with what your guests will actually see. Put on your favorite playlist and spend one afternoon on the “Big Three”: the entryway, the living room, and the guest bathroom. Clear the entryway clutter (coats, shoes, mail) to create a welcoming first impression. In the living room, focus on surfaces—declutter the coffee table, fluff the pillows, and fold the throws. In the guest bath, a quick wipe of the mirror and counter, a fresh set of towels, and stocking the toilet paper is 90% of the battle.
2. The ‘Four-Box’ Declutter
Before you can clean, you must declutter. Grab four boxes or bags and label them: Keep, Donate, Trash, and Relocate. Move through your main living areas and sort items quickly. Don’t overthink it. Getting the clutter out of sight is an instant visual win and makes the actual cleaning twice as fast.
3. The 20-Minute Tidy-Up
Don’t try to clean your entire house in one day. Instead, set a timer for 20 minutes every evening for a week. One day, tackle the kitchen counters. The next, dust the living room. Another, wipe down the fridge. Breaking it down into small, manageable bursts prevents overwhelm and maintains your progress.
4. The ‘Panic Clean’ Kit
For those last-minute, “they’re 15 minutes away!” moments, have a small basket ready. Keep a multipurpose spray, a microfiber cloth, a lint roller, and your favorite room spray or a candle in it. Do a quick wipe of the kitchen island and bathroom sink, lint-roll the sofa, light the candle, and dim the lights. It’s not about being clean; it’s about feeling fresh and cozy.
Remember, your friends and family are coming to see you, not to inspect your baseboards. Do what you can, then let it go and pour yourself a cup of cheer. Happy holidays!
