It’s just about that time of year when everything turns green and everyone is Irish. If you’re planning a dinner at home with friends and family, you may want to think about how to keep your home protected before and after the fun.
Although it is nearly spring, and some days it can feel like we are that much closer, the truth is, it’s still March and winter continues to rear its ugly head as soon as we start thinking we can break out the shorts and sunblock. This also means that all of those family members and friends you have coming over for corned beef and cabbage could be bringing a winter cold with them.
Not only that, winter means snow, which means mud, and mud is your carpet’s worst enemy. Below are a few party planning tips for cleaning up your home before and after your St. Patrick’s Day party.
Pre Party Planning Tips
- Putting Away Valuables
Even if you are planning a quiet dinner, it is always best to take caution, especially on St. Patrick’s Day, the day known for green beer. This is also a really good idea if you are having kids over to your party.
Move all of the breakables or valuables to a room that is off limits. This will most likely be a bedroom; a safe space for things best kept away from guests and a place for you to escape when you need a break.
- Place to Wipe and Leave Shoes
You may not be able to protect your carpets from the inevitable spilled drink, but you can at least keep the mud, dirt, and snow out of your home by having a place to either wipe or leaves boots and shoes before entering the house.
Start by investing in one of those heavy duty welcome mats for your front door. People have a subconscious reaction to these rugs and should wipe their feet automatically. Second, get a shoe rack or tray and make sure everyone who enters removes their shoes before heading inside. You can buy a shoe rack or tray from any department store, but if you prefer the DIY method, here are a few ideas for shoe racks.
If your have hardwood floors, protect them by laying runners and area rugs in the place in your home with the most traffic.
- Seating for Everyone
Before your guests arrive, make sure you have plenty of seating. This is especially true if there will be a number of adults. No one over the age of forty is going to want to get down on the floor, so make sure you have enough couches, chairs, and ottomans so that everyone attending will have a place to sit. If you need more seating, borrow folding chairs or asks your guests to bring extra chairs with them.
- A Place for the Kids
Just like adults need a place to sit, kids need a place to play. Set aside a room or table or a small area where the kids can color, play games, or watch a movie. And, if it isn’t too cold outside, make up a scavenger hunt, bury a pot of gold somewhere in your yard, and let the kids loose! Here are some scavenger hunt ideas with printables and hints to leave for the kids to find.
Post Party Planning Tips
- Carpet Deep Clean
After your guests have left (and despite keeping shoes out of the living room) your carpet probably needs some love. Consider calling cleaning service or rent a deep clean vacuum from your local hardware store. But, if all your carpet needs is a dry clean, you can spend less on this DIY method.
- Clean Your Surfaces
As we mentioned before, cold season is still with us. After your guests have left, break out the hazmat suit and give your home a thorough, sanitizing scrub down.
If you prefer to keep it simple, get some Lysol wipes or make your own sanitizing spray, and wipe down everything that was touched or handled while your party went on. These would be things like doorknobs, toilet handles, the fridge handle, tables, and the TV remote.
- Get Your Plumbing in Order
While sanitization remains key to keeping nasty colds out of your home, consider having your plumbing cleaned. While all of those guests using the bathroom and with all of that heavy food going into your garbage disposal, your plumbing could end up suffering from clogs. If this happens, and you’ve exhausted your plumbing knowledge in an effort to clear the clog, call a professional to help.
- Take Care of Trash
Whether garbage day is tomorrow or in a few days, take your garbage out. You’ve just cooked and served a big St. Patrick’s Day meal that probably included corned beef, cabbage, and potatoes. These are not foods you want to have composting in your trash can.
Tie up your bag and put them in trash can outside. Use lids. There are animals that would love to get their claws on your leftovers. Don’t let that happen or you’ll have even more of a mess to clean than after your family left.