Christmas clean-up mistakes – 5 things to avoid for a smoother-running household

No one wants to think about doing chores over the holidays, and while we can get away with skipping some tasks over the most special days, we have to get back to our routine eventually to stop our homes falling into chaos.

Given the altered routine, influx of guests, and the general chaos of hosting, it can be difficult to get back into the swing of things, leading to some common Christmas clean-up mistakes that are making our holidays harder than they need to be.

Here, professional cleaners share the most common home cleaning mistakes to watch out for after Christmas to make resetting your home a little less stressful.

Christmas clean-up mistakes to avoid

Even if you have already worked through a host of pre-Christmas cleaning tasks, Christmas dinner, gathering guests, and unwrapping gifts will quickly contribute to mess that can grow out of control if left unchecked.

1. Trying to clean before tidying

Houses get messy at Christmas – there is no way around it.

Between food and drink, gift wrap, and gathering family things are bound to be out of place by the end of it. Trying to clean before dedicating some time to home organizing is only going to make your life harder.

Polya Petrova, cleaning expert at Fantastic Services says, ‘Decluttering before cleaning can make your life easier. Start small by focusing on one room or area at a time. Organize items into different groups: items to hold onto, to give away, and to get rid of. Use labeled boxes for a quick and organized process.’

You should also use this time to find homes for Christmas gifts so they don’t end up as floating clutter around your home in the new year.

2. Working alone

Splitting chores with a partner or motivating your family to clean is a must during the holidays. Chores should never fall on one person, urges Ashley Matuska Kidder, cleaning expert at Dashing Maids. ‘Divide and conquer with your roommates, partner, and kids if you have any.’

You might be surprised how many guests are willing to pitch in to help, too, helping to keep your Christmas cleaning social.

3. Neglecting ‘high dirt’ spots

You need to clean kitchens and clean bathrooms every week – and it doesn't stop for Christmas, especially if you have had a lot of guests over and have cooked a large Christmas meal. That's why you skipping high-traffic areas in your post Christmas cleaning is a mistake.

Bethany Skorik, etiquette expert and lifestyle coach at The Charming Diplomat says, ‘For the bathroom, at the very least you should clean the toilet seat and bowl, and clean the bathroom sink to kill bacteria. Wiping the floor around the toilet and sink will also instantly spruce the space up. For a finishing touch, remove dirty clothes and towels and empty the trash.

‘In the kitchen, load the dishwasher straight away after dinner to avoid piles of smelly dishes. Wipe down the sink and cabinets, not forgetting to disinfect countertops and take out any overflowing trash to prevent odors and pests.’

It is highly advisable that you also clean an oven after Christmas, but this can be left for another day in the week so you can still enjoy Christmas Day and Boxing Day. We suggest cleaning an oven without chemicals, cleaning with vinegar, or using the best steam cleaner to melt away grease, for the best results.

4. Leaving everything for one day

It can be easy to say ‘I’ll do it tomorrow’ during the Christmas break, until all the days all start to blend into one. Before you know it, it will be the day before work and school starts and everything will still be a mess.

Trying something like the different day, different room housekeeping schedule can help you restore your home to normalcy without piling the stress on one day.

Alternatively, if you don’t want to sacrifice your daytime relaxation, Ashley Matuska Kidder, cleaning expert says, ‘Put the house to bed with a closing shift routine. At the end of the day, before you crawl into bed, tidy up the home. This will look different for everyone but it should not take more than five to 15 minutes and will make all the difference in your mood when you wake up the next day.'

Matuska suggests doing the following regularly throughout hosting season so it doesn't pile up on you:

• Empty the kitchen sink or run the dishwasher.
• Wipe down the kitchen and bathroom counters.
• Tidy your home and put miscellaneous things away where they belong so the surfaces are cleared.
• Sweep kitchen floors.

5. Forgetting about laundry

Of all the tasks over Christmas, doing laundry is probably one of the easiest but potentially most loathed. Be it stripping guest beds or refreshing well-worn aprons and Christmas jumpers, avoid letting linens pile up.

Elizabeth Sheilds, professional cleaner and operations manager at Super Cleaning Service Louisville says, ‘Nobody’s impressed with a mountain of laundry, be it on your couch or bed. It instantly makes the whole room feel messy. Grab all the stray clothes, even the socks hiding under the coffee table, and toss them into a hamper or basket.’

Running just one cycle every other day can help work through the mess so you are not left with an overwhelming task in January. A laundry organizer such as the 90-liter Tota Trio Joseph Joseph one from Amazon will cut down the difficulty futher.

Cleaning as you go on Christmas day will help you avoid these common Christmas clean-up mistakes so the energy you replenish over the break isn’t wasted on all your chores.