Whether you have guests coming over for a party, staying for the holidays, or just want to spend less time cleaning this Christmas season and more time enjoying all the festivities then this Ultimate Holiday Cleaning Checklist is for you.
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There is nothing like the holiday season, from the twinkling lights on the tree to the snow falling outside, the scent of pine in the air, and the sound of Christmas carols everywhere. It’s without a doubt the most magical time of the year.
However, it can also be the busiest and most stressful. Between the shopping, cooking, baking, and everything else on our list. It leaves very little time for the things that we need to get done such as our holiday cleaning.
As much as I would love to just forget about the cleaning, I know that being prepared ahead of time will make for a much more relaxing and enjoyable holiday season. That is why I have decided to create a Holiday Cleaning Checklist to share with you.
The goal is to be able to get your holiday cleaning done early this year, so you have more time to focus on all the fun Christmas activities and baking all those yummy Christmas cookies.
Need to clean your home fast because holiday guests are on their way over?
Write down all the things you are thankful for this holiday season with my 30 Day Holiday Gratitude Challenge.
Ultimate Holiday Cleaning Checklist
Be your Guest
The first thing you should do before you start cleaning your home is to look around. Walk into your home as if you are the guest. What do you notice first? Are your counters cluttered with appliances you’re no longer using? Is there dust on the back of your dining room chairs? Smudges on the windows?
Focus on the things people will see first. Add these places on your Holiday Cleaning Checklist if they are not already listed.
You may like:
- 90 Places People Forget to Clean in Their Homes
- 20 Quick Cleaning Hacks When You Hate to Clean
- 14 Daily Habits to Keep Your House Clean
Pick up Clutter
I always recommend that before you start cleaning anything in your home, you should always spend a few minutes picking up the clutter first.
This doesn’t mean completely decluttering your home before Christmas. Of course, if you want to you can but if the goal is to get things done now to enjoy time with family watching Christmas movies and drinking hot cocoa, then wait until after the new year to start those decluttering challenges.
Learn more ways to Declutter your home:
- How to Declutter When You Are Overwhelmed
- 10 Things in Your Home to Declutter in 10 Minutes
- 16 Decluttering Mistakes to Avoid
Are you ready? Let’s start cleaning!
Entryway
- Remove scuff marks on doors
- Clean door handles/ light switches
- Wash rugs
- Sweep/Vacuum
Kitchen
- Wipe all appliances down
- Clean pantry- pull out any expired items and try to organize like items together. Then, take an inventory of what you have on hand and what you need to make room for those baking supplies. You can find a list of frugal pantry staples here to keep on hand.
- Wash any holiday linens or dishes.
- Clean the stovetop and oven
- Wipe down the refrigerator and clean out the freezer if you plan to get a jumpstart on your holiday baking.
- Disinfect garbage cans
- Wipe down the outside of your cabinets.
- Clear off your counters to make room for a hot cocoa bar for your holiday party or space for that air fryer that is on your Christmas wish list.
Looking for some easy and delicious air fryer recipes?
-
- 25 Must-Have Air Fryer Recipes for Beginners- easy and quick recipes when you are just starting out with your air fryer.
- 20 Best Air Fryer Tips for Beginners- learn everything you need to know about this versatile small appliance.
Livingroom
- Dust surfaces
- Vacuum flooring/carpet
- Vacuum furniture
- Clean and fluff decorative pillows
- Wash blankets and throws
Have pets and want a better way to keep your home clean?
Bathroom
- Wash shower curtain
- Clean mirrors
- Wash rugs
- Scrub shower and/or bathtub
- Clean toilet
Cleaning routines are the best. Learn how they have helped me keep my bathroom clean in just 5 minutes every day.
Are you having guests over this holiday season?
Guest room
- Wash linens
- Vacuum/Dust
- Fill a basket with essentials they will need while they are staying
Remember, these holiday cleaning tasks don’t have to be done all at once. You can tackle these jobs a little at a time or over a couple of weeks, whatever works for your schedule. I like to break up my tasks into manageable chunks so I don’t get overwhelmed.
Don’t let cleaning overwhelm stop you from having a clean home:
Keep in mind that this doesn’t have to be deep cleaning, I have a fall deep cleaning checklist that can be done or you can wait until after the new year and use my spring cleaning checklist to get your house back in order.
The goal of this holiday cleaning checklist is to give attention to areas of your home that might have been neglected over the summer and fall to get your home presentable for the holiday season.
You May Like:7-Day Christmas Cleaning Challenge
You also need to remember that depending on when you choose to do your holiday cleaning you will need to continue to maintain it leading up to the holidays. Using a weekly cleaning routine is a great way to do this. You can simply print out my free cleaning checklists to stay on top of your cleaning this season.
Here are the cleaning routines that I use to keep my home consistently clean:
- Quick 5-Step Morning Cleaning Routine
- Easy Nightly Cleaning Routine for Stress-Free Mornings
- Easy Monthly Cleaning Schedule
Want to keep things simple? Try my Simple Daily Cleaning Schedule You Can Stick To.
Next year, you can make your life easier by decluttering your entire home beforehand. Here are 106 things you can declutter in your home to get started or you can start my 30-day home decluttering challenge.
Still unsure where to begin decluttering?
A little bit of effort will result in a clean and tidy home for the holidays. Plus, it will allow you to focus on the more important part of the holiday…spending time with friends and family.
Don’t forget to print out your Holiday Cleaning Checklist below.
Click here for your Free Holiday Cleaning Checklist Printable
Love all things Christmas? Me too! Here are some ideas to make Christmas more magical and less stressful for you this year:
- How to Have The Best Christmas on a Budget
- Fun Christmas Money-Saving Challenges
- 60 Best Stocking Stuffers for Teenage Boys
- Ultimate Gift Guide for Teenage Boys
- 40 Fun Gift Ideas for Teenage Girls
- 35 Gift Ideas for Busy Moms
- 30 Gift Ideas for Dads
Do you love free printables? You can sign up for my Free Resource Library where you will find planners, cleaning schedules, and wall quote printables. All free to print and enjoy.
Don’t forget to follow me on Pinterest for more cleaning motivation.
