How to Clean Up After a Home Party

Home parties are great because everyone can be most comfortable to enjoy, play, socialize and have a memorable time together. Being the host of a home party, however, you have to clean up the place after all the guests are gone. It may look daunting, but remember that a major post-party cleanup is a good indication that your event was a huge success. Here's a cleanup strategy that will help you quickly and easily--put your home back in order after a party.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Trash bags
• Paper towels or washcloths
• Floor mop

1. Get help. You don't have to clean the house alone. Designate a cleanup crew and deploy them to perform specific tasks.

2. Carry a large garbage bag and collect all the non-recyclable trash from all the rooms of the house. Pick up all party clutter and disposable plates, cups and utensils.

3. Collect all recyclable trash like cans, glass bottles and plastic containers.

4. Bring all glassware, china, flatware and leftover food to the kitchen.

5. Address urgent matters like spills and stains on the carpet, table linens and sensitive furniture. The sooner the spills and stains are attended to, the easier they are to get rid of.

6. Check all leftover food and drinks; refrigerate or discard promptly.

7. Use the dishwasher. Load the heavy and oversized china and serving platters so you won't have to hand-wash them.

8. Soak the remaining soiled dishes in the sink for the next morning's load. Soaking will keep them from crusting up or developing unpleasant odors overnight.

9. Wipe off any major spills or stains from the kitchen floor before going to bed. You don't want to slip and fall before your first cup of coffee.

10. In the morning, put all the clean dishes and glassware away, clean and disinfect the kitchen counters, mop the floors and then start planning for your next home party.

Tips & Warnings

• Much like having a designated driver, have a designated cleanup crew for the party. When done as a group, cleanup can actually be fun.

• It's best that the major cleanup is done immediately after the party to prevent post-party mishaps, minimize odors and remove potential lures for pests. Detailed cleaning can be done later on.

• Be sure to load only dishwasher-safe dishes and utensils in the dishwasher.

• Secure all trash to minimize odors and control pest activity.

Resources

• Food and Wine: Entertaining & Home
• FoodNetwork.com: Entertaining