Boy, it was a fun party last night! You wake up the next day in the afterglow, only to be reminded of the after-mess! Here are some pro-tips for a quick after-party clean up.

Before you even get started, remind yourself that you gave your home a thorough cleaning before the party, so you are now getting your home back to “home state” from “party central.” Think tidy and surface clean over deep cleaning, because you already did that.

Step one – be like a tornado, picking up everything

The first phase is all about clearing the room before you can do any cleaning. Grab three critical tools to bring into each room populated by your party:

Garbage bag

On every surface is a little something that someone left behind when they couldn’t find or didn’t bother to locate the garbage during the party. All trash and food lying around go into the trash. Bring a couple of bags if you are recycling and separate glass and plastic along the way.

Tray

There will be several things that need to be washed instead of discarded, and you need a vehicle to transport them. Your tray will hold everything you need to carry back to the kitchen to clean. These items include glasses, plates, serving dishes, and cutlery.

Laundry basket

Objects in your house have a way of traveling around the house during a party, especially when kids join the festivities. Use the laundry basket to transfer objects from their current location to their permanent home.

Step two – clean

The first part of step two is addressing the glasses and dishes you collected in phase one. Go ahead and put those in the dishwasher before you do the next pass through the house.

For this phase, you need a clean rag (or three) and some all-purpose cleaner. If you prefer paper towels, bring along another garbage bag along the way.

Now that your surfaces are clean, it’s time for a good wipe-down. As you’re wiping your surfaces, take note of any stains you need to address, from glass rings on wood to stains on upholstery and the carpets. Straighten up pillows, picture frames, and any other décor you discover askew along the way.

Check our blogs this year for tips on how to clean some of those stains you discover:

• OUT dang spot
• O-My-Mayo

Don’t forget to take a peek in your bathrooms and give the surfaces a quick wipe to reclaim them as “family ready” again.

Step three – floors

This part is the easiest because you already did all of the heavy lifting in the first two phases. Pull out your vacuum to grab all of the crumbs and debris left behind. On the hard floors, walk around looking for sticky spots and address those with the appropriate cleaner for that surface.

Number one easiest alternative – schedule Maid to Glow

You do so much to prepare for the party, why not allow yourself a break afterward? Think ahead and schedule the pros from Maid to Glow to arrive the next day. You can bask in the afterglow while they get your home back in shape for you and your family.