Hosting a big event at your home—whether it’s a birthday party, holiday gathering, or dinner celebration—is exciting. But the stress of preparing your space can quickly overshadow the joy if clutter takes over. The good news? You can declutter effectively by focusing on guest areas like your living room, dining area, and entryway, quickly gathering and storing away personal items, magazines, and daily clutter into baskets or boxes that you can tuck away into a closet.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through proven strategies to get rid of clutter before your big event so you can enjoy a stress-free celebration.
Why Decluttering Before An Event Matters
Removing clutter from surfaces like coffee tables, kitchen counters, and patio areas helps you avoid having easily breakable or expensive items ruined. But beyond protecting your belongings, decluttering creates a welcoming atmosphere for guests and reduces your stress levels significantly.
When your home is organized and tidy, you’ll feel more confident as a host and can focus on what truly matters—spending quality time with your guests.
Start With A Strategic Timeline
Make a cleaning schedule that breaks down tasks leading up to the event so you will be organized and less stressed when the time comes.
Here’s an effective timeline to follow:
2-4 Weeks Before The Event
Give your home a thorough clean, including dusting high and low (moldings, fans, blinds, baseboards), washing cabinets, doors, and trim, cleaning interior windows, vacuuming upholstered furniture, and scrubbing the oven so it is ready for cooking.
1 Week Before The Event
Give your whole home a good basic clean including cleaning the bathrooms (toilets, tubs/showers, sinks, and vanities), dusting the furniture, vacuuming and washing all the floors, and doing your linens and laundry.
Day Of The Event
Focus on final touches and making sure everything is in its place.
The Fast Declutter Method: Use Baskets And Containers
One of the most effective quick-decluttering strategies is the basket method. Keep a basket at the bottom of the stairs while you’re cleaning and while you’re decluttering each room, throw items into the basket—whether it’s mail that you haven’t gotten to yet or a kid’s toy—and focus on the quick clean for now, organize later.
Just minutes before your guests arrive, take the basket to the master bedroom. This simple trick creates an instantly tidy space without requiring you to properly organize everything beforehand.
Focus On High-Traffic Guest Areas
Work one room at a time, and work quickly focusing on obvious clutter-busting—not deep clutter-busting—because now is not the time to purge your closet or cabinets, but rather getting rid of the junk that’s in your line of sight.
Living Room & Dining Area
- Clear coffee tables and end tables of unnecessary items
- Remove stacks of magazines, mail, and paperwork
- Put away toys and personal belongings
- Arrange throw pillows and blankets neatly
Kitchen
- Clear countertops of small appliances you won’t use
- Wipe down cabinet fronts
- Empty the dishwasher so it’s ready to be filled right away when the time comes.
Entryway
Make room for bags or coats in the entryway or nearby coat closet, clear your entry space of any shoes, backpacks, or more that may be blocking the entrance, and store them safely away from the door while you are hosting.
Bathroom
Give it a quick clean before hosting, and double check that it is sufficiently stocked with necessities like toilet paper, hand soap, and hand towels.
Set Up For Easy Cleanup During The Party
Decluttering, emptying trash cans, and doing a quick clean sets you up for success. But you should also prepare for the party itself:
- Take out the trash, and start placing trash bins out in plain sight so guests can easily find and use them—stashing a trash can near the bar is a great idea, too.
- Place rolls of paper towels in rooms where guests will be gathered as just-in-case measures for when spills inevitably happen.
- Keep cleaning supplies accessible but out of sight
Tackle Outdoor Spaces Too
If your event includes outdoor areas, don’t forget to declutter your yard and patio:
- Make sure your yard is clear of any debris by mowing your lawn and sprucing up your plants, and trim any extra long branches from trees and hedges, so your company can safely and efficiently make it to your home.
- Clear outdoor furniture of items and give surfaces a quick wipe
- Create designated seating areas free of clutter
Additional Quick Tips For Last-Minute Decluttering
- Use the “One In, One Out” rule: If you bring something new into a room for decoration, remove something else
- Vertical storage is your friend: Use wall hooks, shelves, and hanging organizers
- Create temporary storage zones: Designate a room (like your bedroom) as a temporary holding area
- Enlist help: Ask family members to tackle their own spaces
- Don’t aim for perfection: Your guests are there to see you, not inspect your home
When To Consider Professional Help
Consider hiring professional house cleaning services if you’re hosting a large gathering or a high-profile event, as professional cleaners will ensure that every area of your venue is immaculate and are equipped to handle the scale and specific needs of big events.
Organizations like the National Association of Productivity & Organizing Professionals (NAPO) can help you find certified professionals in your area if you need expert assistance.
Final Thoughts
Decluttering before hosting a big event doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By starting early, focusing on guest areas, and using smart strategies like the basket method, you can create a welcoming, clutter-free environment that lets you enjoy your celebration stress-free.
Remember: A great party is a chance to put your phone down, relax, do a little dance, and enjoy good company—it’s your party, after all!
References
- Party Pro – Event Clean Up Tips: Before and After
- How to Nest for Less – 10 Quick Cleaning Tips Before Hosting a Party
- Daisy Maids – How to Clean Your Home Before and After a Party
- Camille Styles – 9 Tips for Hosting a Large Party Without the Dreaded Clean Up
- 1-800-GOT-JUNK? – Yard Clean Up Tips for Outdoor Hosting
