Turkey, stuffing, and sides may be front and center but behind the scenes, what makes for a seamlessly-hosted Thanksgiving gathering is the preparation that comes beforehand.
We’ve got some good hosting and cleaning tips to keep in your back pocket along the way. Don’t leave everything to the last minute — break up the tasks into manageable chunks divided by room over the course of 3 days so you’ll leave enough time to tend to the green bean casserole and tackle the turkey on Thanksgiving day.
Here’s a checklist to ensure you’ll be ready for your guests:
3 Days Before Thanksgiving: Declutter Your Space
Walk through the common areas where guests will be mingling and declutter the space. Use your laundry hamper to store away all the miscellaneous odds and ends floating around or stacked up around your home. Tuck the laundry hamper away and out of sight in a laundry room, closet, garage, or basement.
Mop the floor and dust between all the small nooks and crannies and dusty corners. Be sure not to miss harder to reach spots like under furniture and fragile items on the top of bookshelves and around fan blades.
Good Tip: Break up tasks and enlist your family members to make cleaning more manageable. This goes for any of the days leading up to and including Thanksgiving day. Cleaning is more enjoyable when it’s a team activity! Kids can be enlisted to help the adults with their own sized “broom” set.
2 Days Before Thanksgiving: Clean the Bathroom
Give the toilet bowl a good scrub down.
Arrange and organize any loose bathroom items around the sink and neatly arrange your toiletries in the shower.
Do a deep clean of the shower or bathtub.
Squeegee the shower walls and mirrors.
Refill your bathroom soap dispensers.
Good Tip: If you have a medicine cabinet, tuck away anything you want to keep from curious uncles or aunts (we all have at least one!) who may be tempted to snoop.
The Day Before Thanksgiving: Prepare the Kitchen
Clean out the fridge! Throw out any old takeout or expired items to make room for all the food you’re preparing and also accommodate any desserts that guests will be bringing.
Same goes for the freezer—purge frostbitten, forgotten items to make room for ice because the key to a good party is ice. Fill your ice cube trays.
Give your kitchen surfaces and appliances a wipe down with household cleaner
Get into all the nooks and grooves around your sink and under the grates of your stovetop with a good brush and scraper set.
Vegetables need cleaning too. Take some of the food prep load off on Thanksgiving Day by cleaning your veggies the day before.
Make sure all of your soap dispensing dish brushes and scrubs are filled with soap.
Start chilling your white and rosé wines in the fridge.
Take out your garbage and recycling.
Sweep around the kitchen
Good Tip: Tie a string around your best bottle opener and tie to a drawer handle so it doesn’t walk off during the festivities. People forget to return the bottle opener and this way you won’t be asked about the location of the opener by every member of your family.
The Big Day: The Finishing Touches
Using household cleaning solutions give all the surfaces in your living room, bathroom, and kitchen a final polish.
Line your trash cans and recycling bins with fresh liners and label them with post-its or masking tape so guests know which one is which.
Hang fresh towels in the bathroom.
Leave glassware out on the counter so guests can help themselves.
Cut lemon and lime wedges for cocktails.
Set the table and focus on food and drink preparation.
Good Tip: A dishwasher can handle volume but a dish rack that can hold its own will come in handy, especially for items that are not dishwasher safe. As a rule of thumb, anything with sharp blades should be washed and dried by hand. When your dishwasher or dish rack aren’t enough to hold the influx of inbound dishes, it’s time to call in the back-up! Pull out a drying mat for drying larger dishware and bakeware.
How are you planning to prepare for Thanksgiving? We think stocking the freezer with a few freeze-and-bake dishes will make hosting a little easier.
Having said that our teams of professional cleaners are ready to take care of the hard work for you. Book a clean today and leave the rest up to us – Treat yourself and your home! Tidy Up Angels has been providing residential cleaning service to the Overland Park area since 2008. Trusting someone to clean your home can be a little unnerving. If this is your first time hiring a cleaning company, we want you to know that you can relax with Tidy Up Angels. Our company is fully insured and bonded; safeguarding your most personal possessions. Honesty, integrity, and good work ethics are the back bone of our company. We aim to meet all your expectations and we hope to exceed them during each service. Let us know how we can help with your house cleaning services in Overland Park and how we can help you – contact Tidy Up Angels LLC at 913-642-2006.
In the Kitchen & Bathroom
-Clean your kitchen grout.
-Clean your bathroom grout.
-Clean your refrigerator coils, if applicable.
-Clean under your refrigerator.
-Clean the inside of your dishwasher.
-Clean and condition the wood of your bathroom and kitchen cabinets.
-Clean your oven.
-Wash and disinfect all the garbage cans.
-Seal and/or polish granite countertops.
In the Bedroom (and Closet)
-Refresh bedding that isn’t regularly washed (comforters, pillows, etc.).
-Vacuum and flip mattresses.
-Put cold-weather linens on the beds.
-Switch out seasonal clothes.
-In the Living Areas
-Vacuum upholstered furniture.
-Vacuum under your upholstered furniture cushions.
-Polish your wood furniture.
-Wash artificial plants.
-Dust living plants’ leaves.
-Wipe down your screens (TV, computer, etc.).
-Clean all keyboards and remote controls.
All Around the House
-Wash your walls.
-Wash your windows, window sills, and all the window groves.
-Clean your washer and dryer.
-Clean your doorknobs, doors, and lightswitch plates.
-Vacuum under all beds, couches, and other furniture.
-Dust the tops of doors and door frames.
-Spot clean carpets and rugs.
-Clean floors underneath area rugs.
-Wash curtains or have them cleaned.
-Remove and rinse your window screens.
-Wash your washable vacuum cleaner filters.
-Clean your baseboards.
Tackle Some Seasonal Maintenance
-Change your HVAC air filter.
-Replace your fire alarm batteries.
-Condition your leather furniture.
-Dust your ceiling fans and set them to turn so air circulates upward.
-Sweep the chimney and/or have it checked.
-Clean out rain gutters.
-Check weather stripping and replace as necessary.
Treat yourself and your home! Tidy Up Angels has been providing residential cleaning service to the Overland Park area since 2008. Trusting someone to clean your home can be a little unnerving. If this is your first time hiring a cleaning company, we want you to know that you can relax with Tidy Up Angels. Our company is fully insured and bonded; safeguarding your most personal possessions. Honesty, integrity, and good work ethics are the back bone of our company. We aim to meet all your expectations and we hope to exceed them during each service. Let us know how we can help with your house cleaning services in Overland Park and how we can help you – contact Tidy Up Angels LLC at 913-642-2006.
The end of summer usually means warm temperatures and, therefore, running the air conditioning a bit more than usual. It also means we’re just a few months away from crisper air and possibly running the heater. Now is the perfect time to cross a few healthy home maintenance to-dos off your list to make sure the air is circulating properly and everything is in tip-top shape.
1. Change Air Conditioning Filters
Plus, changing your filter at the start of every season helps protect and maintain your system.
2. Review Hot Water Heater Settings
Set hot water heaters at 120 degrees Fahrenheit or below to avoid potential scalding.
3. Clean The Stove
Over time, grease can build up around the stove, increasing the chances of a fire.
4. Look For Cracks
Inspect the floor, walls and foundation of the home for cracks. Jot them down on your home to-do list, and fix them before they lead to deterioration and wood rot.
5. Check Weatherproofing
Sometimes it’s rubber which loses shape or sometimes wood doors and windows expand and contract. Check to see what kind of shape it’s in and replace it before it rains.
Treat yourself and your home! Tidy Up Angels has been providing residential cleaning service to the Overland Park area since 2008. Trusting someone to clean your home can be a little unnerving. If this is your first time hiring a cleaning company, we want you to know that you can relax with Tidy Up Angels. Our company is fully insured and bonded; safeguarding your most personal possessions. Honesty, integrity, and good work ethics are the back bone of our company. We aim to meet all your expectations and we hope to exceed them during each service. Let us know how we can help with your house cleaning services in Overland Park and how we can help you – contact Tidy Up Angels LLC at 913-642-2006.
The shortest and obvious answer for when you should start fall cleaning is to start when fall begins. Fall starts on the autumnal equinox which lands on or around September 22nd. It lasts until the winter equinox which is in late December.
The better answer is to assess your current home situation and start when it’s the best time for you.
To help you make your assessment, I came up with a few questions and tips you may want to keep in mind…
What Fall Cleaning Do You Need To Do?
Creating a good fall cleaning checklist is a must. It helps you to plan ahead and stay on target. It helps you keep track of what you complete and what you will still need to do. Plus it is satisfying to check things off a list!
To create a fall cleaning checklist walk from room to room through your with a notebook. Take note of what needs deep cleaned, organized and repairs that you need to make.
As you look around pay attention to:
Inside drawers
Behind furniture
Closets
Windows
Fans and lighting
Crown molding
Under furniture and cushions.
Draperies, blinds, and valances.
Pantry
Coat Closets
Electronics
Fire Places
Furnace and utility rooms
Do the same for the exterior of your home. Inspect:
Siding
Roof
Gutters
Garden areas
Garage
A/C or Heat Pump
Sidewalks
Driveways
Porches
Deck
Outdoor Furniture
Other Landscaping
Weatherstripping
Be sure to think ahead. Some things need cleaned and maintained now. Some will need to be done later in the fall. Also, think about weatherproofing your home for the upcoming winter.
Treat yourself and your home! Tidy Up Angels has been providing residential cleaning service to the Overland Park area since 2008. Trusting someone to clean your home can be a little unnerving. If this is your first time hiring a cleaning company, we want you to know that you can relax with Tidy Up Angels. Our company is fully insured and bonded; safeguarding your most personal possessions. Honesty, integrity, and good work ethics are the back bone of our company. We aim to meet all your expectations and we hope to exceed them during each service. Let us know how we can help with your house cleaning services in Overland Park and how we can help you – contact Tidy Up Angels LLC at 913-642-2006.
It’s back to school time once again, a time many busy parents use to catch up on some much-needed cleaning that can be hard to accomplish in a full house. As a preferred house cleaning service in Kansas City, we have pinpointed some of the most common areas in which parents can get behind. See how you can get your home back in order after a long summer.
Go Through Outgrown Clothes
You’ve probably already gone school clothes shopping. Now, their closets and drawers contain both the new and the old. Sit down with the kids and examine every article of clothing they own. If it’s something they have outgrown or never wear, throw it out. It’s likely you could also cut back in your own closet. You’ll cut back on laundry and save storage space for clothes that actually get used regularly.
Establish a Shoe Station
As the season progresses, you can count on rain, ice, snow, and more. It’s inevitable that dirt, mud, and other residues will cling to the shoes of everyone in the home. Take 30 minutes to establish a shoe station on the front and/or back porch where shoes are to be removed. You can even get creative and place a sign at your shoe station(s). Make it fun – you can have an areas that says “Lose the Shoes.”
Helpful Tip: If you have hardwood floors, lay a rug in your shoe station to catch dirt before it makes contact with the wood floor.
Designate Chore-Time and Make It Fun
You’d be surprised at how willing the kids will be to join in at chore time when you make it fun. First, designate a time during which everyone will participate. This establishes a routine and gives everyone a better sense of overall organization and structure. Try making a list of everything that needs to be done. Write each chore on a piece of paper, slip it in a hat, and have participants draw chores. It’s always more fun when you play upbeat music in the background.
Soak After Dinner
Nobody wants to waste their time scraping dried cheese, sauce, and other residues as they clean up after dinner. You’re full, and you’re probably ready to sit down and relax! Before dinner is served, fill up the sink with hot, soapy water. Have everyone rinse their plate and put it in the sink to soak when they’re done eating. It’s a small step that only takes a minute or two that can save even more time and energy later.
Small Steps Go a Long Way
Most of the tips listed here don’t require much of your time or effort. However, they all make life easier and are simple to get the whole family involved in. With everyone working as one, you can enjoy a school year with a home that’s easy to keep in proper working order.
Treat yourself and your home! Tidy Up Angels has been providing residential cleaning service to the Overland Park area since 2008. Trusting someone to clean your home can be a little unnerving. If this is your first time hiring a cleaning company, we want you to know that you can relax with Tidy Up Angels. Our company is fully insured and bonded; safeguarding your most personal possessions. Honesty, integrity, and good work ethics are the back bone of our company. We aim to meet all your expectations and we hope to exceed them during each service. Let us know how we can help with your house cleaning services in Overland Park and how we can help you – contact Tidy Up Angels LLC at 913-642-2006.
Pool Noodle for Your Car Door and Garage Wall Your garage might be a tad too small, and your car door is getting the brunt of it. That’s no good. Cut out half of a pool noodle and screw it into the wall at the length that your car door tends to hit the garage wall.
Squeegee for Unwanted Pet Hair
Squeegees aren’t just for cleaning windows! You can also use them for cleaning up all that cat or dog hair that sits too easily on your carpets or couches and sofas.
Rotating Your Ceiling Fans
This hack is one that most people don’t really think about. If you correctly rotate your ceiling fans, you can save on your air conditioning costs. You just need to alter the motion of the fan. Remember to clean those blades. 🙂
Blow-Dry Stickers Away
Next time you need to remove a sticker, just heat it up with a blow dryer. The heat will then loosen the glue and allow you to peel the sticker off with ease. Then you will easily keep that dishwasher clean by taking care of those stickers.
Treat yourself and your home! Tidy Up Angels has been providing residential cleaning service to the Overland Park area since 2008. Trusting someone to clean your home can be a little unnerving. If this is your first time hiring a cleaning company, we want you to know that you can relax with Tidy Up Angels. Our company is fully insured and bonded; safeguarding your most personal possessions. Honesty, integrity, and good work ethics are the back bone of our company. We aim to meet all your expectations and we hope to exceed them during each service. Let us know how we can help with your house cleaning services in Overland Park and how we can help you – contact Tidy Up Angels LLC at 913-642-2006.
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