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Getting the House Party-Ready in Time for Labor Day

Anthony Cuomo • November 25, 2014

Labor Day is just around the corner! Many people choose to host a Labor Day party or barbeque as the last hurrah of summer. After a busy season of going to the beach, going to the pool, going on vacation and spending time out of the house, though, your house might not be in what you consider “party-ready” condition! Does this mean that you shouldn’t host a Labor Day bash this year? Absolutely not! Here are some tips on getting your house in order without stressing out:

Put everyone to work
Gather up the help (in this case, your spouse and children, if you have them, or close friends if you don’t!) and give everyone a job to do. Just go through the house and surface-clean; no one is going to be rummaging through your closets or performing the white-glove test on your ceiling fans. Spend a few hours clearing off every surface and wiping them down, then replace the items that should be there. Put the items that shouldn’t be there in a basket, and at the end of your cleaning spree, return them all. Do the floors last, and don’t worry too much about them; as long as they’re swept clean and any big spots are removed, it’s fine. You’ll need to mop again after everyone goes home anyway.

Don’t forget about the outside areas... or the bathrooms
As long as the weather is nice, people are likely to want to hang out outdoors. Sweep off the patio, porch or lanai, and make sure the lawn is mowed. If you have fire ants in the yard, treat for them now. Trim back any bushes that are encroaching on the sidewalks and sweep the walkways if they are dirty. The other important place to clean is the bathrooms: Make sure everything is deep-down sanitized and scrubbed. If people will be scrutinizing your home, it will happen in the bathroom! Another hint: If you have a master bathroom, clean that too; despite your best efforts, chances are that someone will end up using it.

Mark some areas off limits
If you have a lot of clutter, don’t be afraid to post “do not enter” signs on a bedroom or two, and stash it all there. Refer back to the previous point, though; if you don’t have a way to lock the doors, it’s possible that a child or even a curious adult will take a peek!

Make sure you have the basics stocked
There are some things that are absolutely needed when you have a get-together. One is toilet paper. Stock the bathrooms with several rolls each. Leave an extra roll on the back of the toilet tank to avoid having guests rummaging through your drawers and under the sink! Also, make sure that you have an extra bag of ice. If the weather is hot, you’ll go through it! Be sure to have dishcloths and paper towels aplenty, in case of spills. If you have a pool or will be letting kids play in the sprinkler, have extra towels handy.

Finally, keep your sense of humor. In the end, it doesn’t really matter if there’s dust on your television set or a disorganized pile of shoes on the floor of the hall closet. You’re inviting people whom you like, presumably, and who like you, so they probably will not be judging your home or your housekeeping. Make sure things look sanitary, and don’t worry about the rest!

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