When most people think of Thanksgiving, they think about food, family, and spending time together, which is what the holiday should be about. They might not think about the cleanup that’s required after hosting.
As guests come over to celebrate the holiday, there will be more cooking, dishes, spills, foot traffic, and cleaning before and after. Thankfully, with a little planning, you can make the cleanup more manageable and less stressful.
Let’s take a look at the best Thanksgiving cleaning tips and which tasks should be completed before, during, and after you host.
Getting the House Ready for Family and Friends
First, clear space around the front door so everyone has easy access as they come and go. Decide where guests should put their shoes or boots to help keep things a little more organized in your entryway.
If there’s rain or snow on the ground, it’s very likely that some of these boots and shoes will be wet. You’ll want to put a mat down to avoid all that moisture getting onto your floor.
Similarly, you’ll also want to make room for coats, jackets, and bags. If you don’t have enough hooks or a coat rack, you can make a closet available for guests to hang them up. If no closet is available, a large chair just inside the door can provide guests a place to put their jackets, provided they aren’t too wet.
Have the Kitchen and Dining Area Ready
Next, to prepare your kitchen, make sure all of your counters are clear, the sink is empty, and there’s nothing in the dishwasher. You’ll also want to clear some space in the refrigerator for leftovers and anything guests may bring, such as drinks, side dishes, or desserts that need to stay chilled and easy to access.
You’ll also want a separate drink station, ideally in the living room if space permits. If not, it should be as close to the kitchen door or entryway as possible. This keeps beverages accessible to your guests while also keeping them out of your way while you cook.
You’ll also want to plan out the seating arrangements in advance to make sure everyone will be happy. Setting the table early means there will be one less thing you have to do after your guests arrive. You can make place cards or personalize the setting for each person for a little bit of extra fun if you’d like.
Keep the Family Busy and the Mess Contained
Children love eating Thanksgiving dinner and all the delicious food, but they usually aren’t as excited during the parts that come before. Having games or activities set up to keep the kids entertained is a great way to make sure they have as much fun as the adults.
For the adults, there should be a dedicated area for drinks and lounging. Family members who haven’t seen each other in a while will want a place to sit and talk while the food is being prepared.
As much as we love our pets, their presence isn’t going to make the process of cooking and serving any easier. They should be kept to an appropriate area of the home, perhaps either the lounge area, the children’s section, or another part of the house, depending on what’s best for you and your family.
Thanksgiving is about friends and family, and you’ll likely have a few people who are happy to lend a hand. Giving some guests simple jobs, such as clearing plates or packing leftovers, can take some pressure off the hosting and let everyone pitch in.
Keep Cleaning Manageable While Everyone Is There
A good cleaning plan can make things easier once your family and friends are settled in. Setting up designated areas for recycling, garbage, and dishes will help keep things organized.
Any spills should be handled as soon as they happen to avoid any stains setting in.
A tray or tub is a great way to keep dirty dishes together and prevent a sea of plates from collecting on various surfaces throughout the home.
Having a few strategically placed waste bins will be more convenient and help avoid a situation where the only garbage can starts overflowing.
Make Cleanup Easier Once Dinner Is Done
The gathering doesn’t have to end immediately after dinner, but some cleaning tasks shouldn’t wait. You can prepare for them by having containers for leftovers easily accessible nearby to make sure the food doesn’t spoil. Stubborn pots and pans should be soaked as soon as possible to avoid heavy scrubbing later on.
As soon as dirty dishes come in, they should be loaded into the dishwasher so they don’t pile up. Whether you load them in yourself or ask your guests to put their own plates in is up to you.
For the table itself, a disposable tablecloth is an excellent and low-cost investment. It can help things feel more festive while also making sure that any spills don’t stain your kitchen table. After the meal, you can place the garbage onto the tablecloth and throw the whole thing away.
It’s Okay to Leave Some Cleaning for Tomorrow
Thanksgiving can be a very long and stressful day, so don’t worry about making sure the entire home is spotless before you go to bed. Some things can be left until the next day, especially the deeper cleaning.
As long as dishes, spills, food, and anything that can cause stains or bad odours are taken care of that night, everything will be okay. Hosting a holiday can be stressful, but you should enjoy it as much as you can instead of ending the night with hours of deep cleaning and scrubbing.
Less Cleaning, More Time Together
The Thanksgiving holiday can be overwhelming at times to host, but it doesn’t have to be. With the right plan in place, you can spend more time enjoying the company of your loved ones instead of worrying about cleanliness.
Prepare the most important areas first, which are the ones where your guests will be spending most of their time. If guests won’t be spending time in the garage or guest bedroom, those areas don’t need to be perfectly clean.
Once your guests arrive, stay ahead of small messes before they get the chance to become big messes. You can save the important cleanup until later, or, in most cases, the next day. As long as it won’t stain or smell, it can wait.
With these simple Thanksgiving cleaning tips and a little planning, you can make hosting less stressful and spend more time with your loved ones.
We hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving this year with your family, friends, and loved ones!
Need a Hand Cleaning this Thanksgiving?
The holidays are a busy time, especially when you’re hosting. If you need a hand, get a one-time cleaning before or after Thanksgiving dinner with UrbanMop. We’re ready to help take some of the cleaning off your plate during busy weeks, special occasions, seasonal resets, and post-holiday cleanup. If you’d like a break after spending time with family, book a cleaning and let us take care of the mess.