Friday, December 3, 2004

Quick and Dirty for the Holidays

CHAOS: Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome.

That is a term coined by The Fly Lady who has a fabulous site about cleaning.

Are you just getting off the phone with some unexpected guest who are less than a half an hour away?

Here is a super short and sweet way to pick up quickly in a pinch. Or at least until the cleaning lady arrives. :)

On Your Mark...Get Set...

1) Grab a shopping bag (if you are from Seattle I know you have tons of those big handled Nordstrom bags stashed somewhere) or two garbage bags and go around the living room and put trash and obvious carpet content in one bag (eliminates vacuuming) and clutter that does not belong in the living area in the other. Stash the clutter in a back bedroom or closet for later and empty all the dust bins, especially the one in the bathroom, and take out the trash.

Estimated time: 5 minutes.

2) Grab your duster of choice, and cleaning cloth or paper towels and a bottle of glass cleaner. Windex Multi-Purpose is handy for this step. Personally I like the orange stuff.

Dust as you go, and only wipe the portion of the surface area that is dirty. NOT THE ENTIRE SURFACE. Hit the fingerprints on the mirrors, the back splash on the bathroom or kitchen sink and any smudges on the windows or on any glass table tops. In the bathroom, give the toilet a quick wipe. Don't worry about streaks. We want presentable, not perfection.

Estimated time: 5 mins.

3) Too many dirty dishes? If the dishwasher is full, quickly empty it and throw as many of the dirty dishes that you can in the dishwasher in this very important order: silverware, glassware, bowls, plates, storage containers, pots and pans.

If you run out of room for storage containers, do the old stash and dash trick. Put them in a plastic bag and put them under the sink or in the pantry. Same thing goes for pots and pans, stuff them in the oven. Unless your going to cook, no one will ever know they are there!

Estimated time: 8 minutes.

4) Sweep the floors in bathroom and the kitchen and the front areas where guests will enter. Spot clean with your glass cleaner.

Estimated time: 4 minutes.

Happy Entertaining!