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It's that time of the year again and we're helping you clean up!
December 31 will be upon us very, very soon.
And those of us planning on throwing a house party are probably fretting already!
So much to take care of, so little time -- the food, the drinks, the music… and oh, getting the house in order!
If you've been following our Food section, the first two items on the list shouldn't be a big deal.
Getting the house in order, now that's another ballgame altogether isn't it?
But don't fret! Here's how you can get your home party ready in no time at all!
Just follow these simple hacks!
The key here is to pretend you're a guest.
Think of all the spots you are likely to go if you were visiting your house. And clean them up first!
1. Start at the main door
Unless you're staying in a posh housing society, chances are the common area (right outside your main door) is probably in need of some attention.
Since that's the first thing your guests will see, try to clean it to the best of your abilities.
Clean out the cobwebs, request your neighbours to put away their garbage bins and footwear for the day and if you can, brighten it up with a string or two of rice lights.
2. Clean the fans
It's winter so the chances of your leaving the fans on are remote.
The thing about turned off fans is that they reveal just when they were last cleaned.
So buckle up and clean out all of the t-h-r-e-e ceiling fans you may have in your home.
Ditto for glass surfaces!
Use a glass cleaner and a microfiber cloth to make your job easy.
3. Clear out the clutter
Your clothes, your newspapers stack, other little things that you so love to leave lying around must go!
Call your raddiwallah and get him to take away all your old newspapers and magazines you don't need.
Now, we know you're probably running short of time, so here's what you do with the rest -- put it away in your wardrobe and l-o-c-k it up!
Dust the seating areas thoroughly so a cloud of dust doesn't emerge every time someone sits down.
4. Toilets
You cannot escape cleaning your bathroom and toilets. They will be used and your guests will expect them to be clean. And preferably dry.
So either get it done from someone or do it yourself!
After cleaning, dry them out so you're not fretting over your guests' shoes leaving behind marks on your bathroom floor. :-)
Next step: Light a scented candle.
5. Clean up the kitchen
Here's a secret: you will be judged by the way you keep your kitchen!
So buckle up and make it spanking clean!
Start by clearing out all the open surfaces -- your platforms, top of the refrigerator etc.
Do the dishes -- you probably have a domestic help anyway so chances are that the only ones left in the sink are from your previous meal; don't be lazy, clean them, dry them, put them away!
Clear out your refrigerator; you will need all the extra space you can create.
Next step: Keep all the stuff you've bought for the party -- chips, alcohol, drinks, food, disposable cutlery etc -- accessible so you don't have to go hunting for them when you need them.
6. Clean linen
There are few bigger turn offs than dirty linen.
So either vacuum clean your curtains or better still run them on a quick spin cycle in your washing machine.
And instead of putting them out to dry on the clothesline, let them dry on the curtain rod itself! Genius right?
Pity you cannot do that to your bed sheet. So we suggest just gift your bed a fresh one!
7. Put out the garbage
All this cleaning up will result in some amount of waste -- leftovers from the refrigerator, the dust from your cleaning up, pieces of paper and knickknacks that you'll want to do away with.
Do yourself a favour and put out the garbage -- not outside the door where you'd usually keep it and expect it to be picked up the next morning but away altogether at the nearest roadside bin.
8. Don't throw your alcohol bottles away!
Yep you read that one right.
Alcohol bottles make for wonderful lighting.
Drop a string of rice lights into each of them and place strategically. The effect will be magical!
If you have a few clear glass jars or bottles, use them to the fullest. A couple of strings of rice lights are enough to brighten up an average sized living room.
Leave them in a bottle or let them run along the length of the room. You won't need your ugly tube light! Trust us!
Lead image used for representational purposes only.
Photograph: Victor Casale/Creative Commons