12 Days of Holiday Cleaning – How to Clean Your Home Before the Big Day

12 Days of Holiday Cleaning – How to Clean Your Home Before the Big Day

he holiday season can get hectic. There are gifts to buy, parties to attend and if you’re hosting this year, getting the house ready can be a real stressor.

Day 1: Get the Guest Bedroom Ready
If guests are staying overnight, get the guest bedroom ready first so you don’t have to worry about it later. Dust surfaces and baseboards, vacuum, wash linens and make the bed and put out any extras to make their stay more comfortable, such as towels and wash cloths, and any welcoming gifts.

Day 2: The Laundry Room
You’ll be doing a lot of laundry over the holidays so now is the time to get the laundry room prepped and ready for battle. Wipe down shelves and appliances, organize the cabinets and make sure you’re stocked up on supplies.

Day 3: Kids’ Bedrooms
Next, tackle the kids’ bedrooms. Get your kids to help with putting toys and books away and throwing out any trash. Vacuum and dust, put laundry away and make the bed. To get them to keep their room clean throughout the season and help relieve some cleaning stress, offer an incentive such as a family movie night.

Day 4: The Front Closet/Mudroom
Make sure all items have a place to hang and boots and shoes are in their proper bin. Mop the floors.

Day 5: The Master Bedroom
When the holidays get stressful, you’ll want a place where you can retreat and relax, so make sure your bedroom is clean and tidy. Vacuum and dust all surfaces, change the bed linens and make sure all laundry is picked up and put away. Declutter horizontal surfaces.

Day 6: The Hallways
Make sure the hallways are vacuumed or swept and wipe down the walls if needed. Touch up any paint and make sure artwork is dusted and hung properly.

Day 7: The Master Bathroom
Get out the cleaning supplies and spend some time cleaning the master bathroom. Wipe down the walls, mop the floors and wash rugs and towels. Sanitize the counter and sink and scrub the shower and toilet.

Day 8: The Kitchen
Since people like to congregate in the kitchen during Christmas, make sure your kitchen is ready. Take the time to wash down the walls and cabinets and clean appliances, including inside the refrigerator and oven. Make sure your dishwasher is working properly so it’s ready for all those dirty dishes. Sanitize countertops and organize the pantry.

Day 9: The Living Room
Declutter the living room and make sure all trash is picked up. Recycle newspapers and magazines. Water plants if needed. Dust all surfaces and wash curtains or wipe down blinds. Vacuum or mop. Treat any stains on fabric or carpet.

Day 10: The Dining Room
Make sure you’ll have enough seats at the table for Christmas dinner. Dust surfaces and mop floors. Wash tablecloths and placemats. Make sure you have enough wine glasses, plates and flatware for the big meal.

Day 11: The Main Bathroom
Now is the time to make sure all other bathrooms are ready. Sanitize the sink and countertop and scrub the toilet and shower. Mop the floor and wipe down walls. Make sure the bathroom is stocked with toilet paper, towels and any other toiletries guests may need.

Day 12: Christmas Clutter
Have a plan for all that Christmas clutter that seems to multiply before your eyes. Put recycle bins in an easy-to-access spot, have trash bags ready and have a designated spot to keep all those gifts before they’re placed under the tree.

Taking the time to clean ahead of time will help you enjoy the cooking and socializing without being stressed or embarrassed about your housekeeping.  Looking for a BETTER & EASIER Way to Clean Your Home?  Using our cleaning service in Kansas City, you can count on our skilled staff to take care of any loose ends throughout the week. Call us today to our teams of professional cleaners are ready to take care of the hard work for you. Book a clean today and leave the rest up to us – Treat yourself and your home! Tidy Up Angels has been providing residential cleaning service to the Overland Park area since 2008. Trusting someone to clean your home can be a little unnerving. If this is your first time hiring a cleaning company, we want you to know that you can relax with Tidy Up Angels. Our company is fully insured and bonded; safeguarding your most personal possessions. Honesty, integrity, and good work ethics are the back bone of our company. We aim to meet all your expectations and we hope to exceed them during each service. Let us know how we can help with your house cleaning services in Overland Park and how we can help you – contact Tidy Up Angels LLC at 913-642-2006.

Thanksgiving Cleaning Checklist

Thanksgiving Cleaning Checklist

Not only does Thanksgiving require hours of cooking, you have to clean the house for guests too! You’ll be too busy to clean every corner, closet, and bedroom. Plan ahead and tackle big projects first, then focus on cleaning the rooms that your guests are going to see and spend time in. Here is our thanksgiving cleaning checklist:

Two Weeks Ahead: Tackle any organizational tasks or things that will stay relatively clean for 2 weeks

  • Clean the refrigerator to make room for Thanksgiving food. Be ruthless! You’ll need the space.
  • Clean out a coat closet if you plan on hanging guest’s coats there
  • Do any outdoor chores: raking leaves, etc.
  • Wash any serving dishes or utensils that haven’t don’t get used regularly
  • If you are using special china or glassware, wash and polish
  • If you have any cluttered areas you don’t want guests to see, organize them now
  • One-Week Ahead: This is the time to do a really deep cleaning so that the house will be just need a quick touchup the day before

Thoroughly dust, paying extra attention to window sills and other places guests might lean and talk Vacuum, and sweep:   

  • Use a brush attachment on the sofa and other upholstered furniture. Have a microfiber couch? Clean it up.
  • Clean windows in dinning room, kitchen, living room and any glass in the front door.
  • Wash and iron any tablecloths and napkins that have been stored for a while. Deep clean bathrooms guests will be using- sink, toilet, shower, tub, mirrors, and floors.
  • Thoroughly clean the oven and stovetop and exhaust fan- you’ll want to have a clean range for all the cooking you’ll be doing.

The Day Before Thanksgiving: Touchup Time

  • Touch up the bathrooms- wipe mirrors, the top of the toilet, an the faucet
  • Touch up dusting, vacuuming and sweeping- it shouldn’t be too bad since you did it a week ago
  • Run and empty the dishwasher
  • Set the table- if you don’t need to use the dinner table for cooking preparation, set it the day before so it will look nice for arriving guests and you’ll have one less thing to do
  • Put out any candles or decorations

Thanksgiving Day:

  • Put out fresh towels in bathrooms
  • Take out the trash before guests arrive- it will be full after all the cooking
  • Wipe down the stove
  • Clear away countertops- guests congregate in the kitchen

While Thanksgiving is a lot of work, it is also very rewarding to spend time with friends and family in a festive atmosphere. Taking the time to clean ahead of time will help you enjoy the cooking and socializing without being stressed or embarrassed about your housekeeping.  Looking for a BETTER & EASIER Way to Clean Your Home?  Using our cleaning service in Kansas City, you can count on our skilled staff to take care of any loose ends throughout the week. Call us today to our teams of professional cleaners are ready to take care of the hard work for you. Book a clean today and leave the rest up to us – Treat yourself and your home! Tidy Up Angels has been providing residential cleaning service to the Overland Park area since 2008. Trusting someone to clean your home can be a little unnerving. If this is your first time hiring a cleaning company, we want you to know that you can relax with Tidy Up Angels. Our company is fully insured and bonded; safeguarding your most personal possessions. Honesty, integrity, and good work ethics are the back bone of our company. We aim to meet all your expectations and we hope to exceed them during each service. Let us know how we can help with your house cleaning services in Overland Park and how we can help you – contact Tidy Up Angels LLC at 913-642-2006.

Messy Kids Alert: Trick Or Treating Tips for Parents

Messy Kids Alert: Trick Or Treating Tips for Parents

It’s basically a guarantee that if you’re a parent, you have messy kids. Like, what kid isn’t messy? But on Halloween, the mess can get to a whole new level. You’ve got kids hyped up on sugar and excited about the holiday brandishing melted chocolate bars and gooey caramels and sticky lollipops, oh my!

But don’t feel like you have to be the wicked witch to avoid disaster. Instead, be prepared before messes happen. Catching messes and stains as soon as possible is one of the keys to removing them.

While you’re trick-or-treating, bring Lysol wipes and hand sanitizer (germs, am I right?) as well as paper towels. If stains happen while you’re trick-or-treating, dab or scrape as much of the offending sweet off the clothing as possible. This will help prevent the stain from setting and help you remove it more easily when you get home.

And when you get home with that pillowcase full of candy, make sure it doesn’t get dumped out on the carpet. Instead, clear a safe space for candy, and lay down a garbage bag or old towel, so nothing gets stained.

Candy Stains
They come in all shapes, sizes, and colors: candy stains! They’re sticky, and they’re gross, but don’t let them defeat you.

Pick off as much of the candy as possible and dab with a paper towel. Get all the candy and colour off that you can before moving to the next step.  Mix vinegar with warm water and rinse the stained area thoroughly.  If you have a stain remover or pre-treater solution, soak for five minutes.  Wash in cold water as you normally would.  If your garment is still stained, soak in oxygen bleach for 30 minutes, then rewash in cold water.

Mud Stains
So your kids and their friends tracked mud all over your carpet after trick-or-treating. What the heck do you do now?!

Wait until the mud is dry. Then vacuum over it thoroughly, removing as much mud as possible.
Make a solution of one part dishwashing soap and two cups of warm water. Sponge the stain with your cleaning solution and blot until the liquid is absorbed. Repeat this step until the mud is gone.  Sponge with cold water to remove any excess mud and cleaning solution.  You can even use these tips for your little dog, too… when they track mud all over your new rug.

Red Wine Stain Removal
So maybe the adults at your Halloween party are a little messy too. You’re going to need to know how to get red wine out of a carpet, just in case.  Blot the stain with a paper towel, absorbing as much wine as possible.  Pour a small amount of club soda over the stain, just enough to cover.

Clean Up After A Party
Cleaning up after a party can feel overwhelming. So before the party starts, remember that preventative measures are essential.

Put out SO MANY COASTERS. More coasters than you have people coming. Cover your entire home with coasters! OK, maybe don’t go that far, but having ample coasters available will encourage your guests to use them, which could save you from dealing with drink rings on your furniture. If you do end up with dreaded wet rings check out our article on Wood Furniture Cleaning Secrets.

Have paper towels handy to deal with any spills on the spot. And remember, the biggest part of cleaning up will probably be dirty dishes, so make sure you have an empty dishwasher at the beginning of the party. Then, if you have time, load your dishwasher throughout the night, saving you some clean-up in the morning.

Looking for a BETTER & EASIER Way to Clean Your Home?  Using our cleaning service in Kansas City, you can count on our skilled staff to take care of any loose ends throughout the week. Call us today to our teams of professional cleaners are ready to take care of the hard work for you. Book a clean today and leave the rest up to us – Treat yourself and your home! Tidy Up Angels has been providing residential cleaning service to the Overland Park area since 2008. Trusting someone to clean your home can be a little unnerving. If this is your first time hiring a cleaning company, we want you to know that you can relax with Tidy Up Angels. Our company is fully insured and bonded; safeguarding your most personal possessions. Honesty, integrity, and good work ethics are the back bone of our company. We aim to meet all your expectations and we hope to exceed them during each service. Let us know how we can help with your house cleaning services in Overland Park and how we can help you – contact Tidy Up Angels LLC at 913-642-2006.

Back To School Cleaning Tips and Tricks

Back To School Cleaning Tips and Tricks

It’s back to school time once again, a time many busy parents use to catch up on some much-needed cleaning that can be hard to accomplish in a full house. As a preferred cleaning service in Kansas City, we have pinpointed some of the most common areas in which parents can get behind. Here is our back to school cleaning tips to see how you can get your home back in order after a long summer.

Go Through Outgrown Clothes

You’ve probably already gone school clothes shopping. Now, their closets and drawers contain both the new and the old. Sit down with the kids and examine every article of clothing they own. If it’s something they have outgrown or never wear, throw it out. It’s likely you could also cut back in your own closet. You’ll cut back on laundry and save storage space for clothes that actually get used regularly.

Establish a Shoe Station

As the season progresses, Kansas City residents can count on rain, ice, snow, and more. It’s inevitable that dirt, mud, and other residues will cling to the shoes of everyone in the home. Take 30 minutes to establish a shoe station on the front and/or back porch where shoes are to be removed. You can even get creative and place a sign at your shoe station(s).

PRO TIP: If you have hardwood floors, lay a rug in your shoe station to catch dirt before it makes contact with the wood floor.

Designate Chore-Time and Make It Fun

You’d be surprised at how willing the kids will be to join in at chore time when you make it fun. First, designate a time during which everyone will participate. This establishes a routine and gives everyone a better sense of overall organization and structure. Try making a list of everything that needs to be done. Write each chore on a piece of paper, slip it in a hat, and have participants draw chores. It’s always more fun when you play upbeat music in the background.

Soak After Dinner

Nobody wants to waste their time scraping dried cheese, sauce, and other residues as they clean up after dinner. You’re full, and you’re probably ready to sit down and relax! Before dinner is served, fill up the sink with hot, soapy water. Have everyone rinse their plate and put it in the sink to soak when they’re done eating. It’s a small step that only takes a minute or two that can save even more time and energy later.

Small Steps Go a Long Way

Most of the tips listed here don’t require much of your time or effort. However, they all make life easier and are simple to get the whole family involved in. With everyone working as one, you can enjoy a school year with a home that’s easy to keep in proper working order.

Schedules are busy though, and most of us could always use an occasional boost in keeping their home presentable. Using our cleaning service in Kansas City, you can count on our skilled staff to take care of any loose ends throughout the week. Call us today to our teams of professional cleaners are ready to take care of the hard work for you. Book a clean today and leave the rest up to us – Treat yourself and your home! Tidy Up Angels has been providing residential cleaning service to the Overland Park area since 2008. Trusting someone to clean your home can be a little unnerving. If this is your first time hiring a cleaning company, we want you to know that you can relax with Tidy Up Angels. Our company is fully insured and bonded; safeguarding your most personal possessions. Honesty, integrity, and good work ethics are the back bone of our company. We aim to meet all your expectations and we hope to exceed them during each service. Let us know how we can help with your house cleaning services in Overland Park and how we can help you – contact Tidy Up Angels LLC at 913-642-2006.

BACK TO SCHOOL CLEANING CHECKLIST

BACK TO SCHOOL CLEANING CHECKLIST

Back to school time usually makes parents jump for joy. It’s a time when kids are out of the house, so you have time to give your home a good cleaning, without your munchkins under foot. To make cleaning organized and efficient, here is a checklist you might want to use before getting out the mop and bucket.

PurgeGo through your things and get rid of items you don’t need or use anymore. Sell them at a garage sale, give them to friends who could use them, or donate them to charity. Every home has some of these items. Keeping a house clean is easier when clutter is non-existent.
Start in the Kids’ RoomsLet your children help out in their own rooms. Giving them choices as to how they would like to organize their stuff may entice them to keep their spaces relatively clean. Make sure everything they need in the morning is at the ready, so there’s no excuse for being late.

Mudrooms and Coat ClosetsSchool means backpacks, lunch packs, sports gear, and new shoes need places to be stored. Making space in your mudroom and coat closet will give these things a place where they can always be easily found.

Kitchen, Laundry Room and Eating SpacesGive the countertops in your kitchen a good scrub. Do the same for your microwave and oven, there may be residue from too many pizzas and pizza pops. Clean out the fridge and get rid of any old items that are past their due dates. Scrub out the washer with vinegar water and wipe out your dryer drum. If you don’t enjoy cleaning appliances, then you may want to hire someone for a one time house cleaning.

Doormats Keep Dirt at BayUsing mats at entranceways will reduce the amount of dust and dirt that’s tracked into your home. Make sure to give them a good shaking out and vacuuming every so often. Place a shoe rack beside the mat, and insist your family members leave their shoes at the door.

Your free time is precious. For an extra hand around the home to help with all your spring cleaning – our teams of professional cleaners are ready to take care of the hard work for you. Book a clean today and leave the rest up to us – Treat yourself and your home! Tidy Up Angels has been providing residential cleaning service to the Overland Park area since 2008. Trusting someone to clean your home can be a little unnerving. If this is your first time hiring a cleaning company, we want you to know that you can relax with Tidy Up Angels. Our company is fully insured and bonded; safeguarding your most personal possessions. Honesty, integrity, and good work ethics are the back bone of our company. We aim to meet all your expectations and we hope to exceed them during each service. Let us know how we can help with your house cleaning services in Overland Park and how we can help you – contact Tidy Up Angels LLC at 913-642-2006.

The Best Room Cleaning Checklist for Back to School

The Best Room Cleaning Checklist for Back to School

With summer and the kids home possibly all day every day, they took over. And now that schools right around the corner the kids will soon be out of the house during the day, cleaning and organizing the indoors is the last thing anybody wants to do. But it’s time to reclaim your space. And this time, you’re not doing it alone – you’re going to get the kids involved! Here’s a room cleaning checklist to get you started.

ROOM CLEANING TIPS STEP #1: PREPARE SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT
The best way to prevent everyone from giving up before you’ve started is to make sure there are enough supplies, and that the supplies are out and ready for use. Don’t give anyone an excuse to wander off in defeat. Make sure you have enough glass cleaner and disinfectant, paper towels, sponges, dusters, brooms, mops, and that the vacuum is empty and ready to be filled. Use bins to help organize toys and crafts. Depending on how young your kids are, you may need to show them how to use all this stuff, so be prepared for a tutorial if necessary.

ROOM CLEANING TIPS STEP #2: MAKE IT FUN!
We know that housework doesn’t have to be boring. One of the best room cleaning hacks is to make it fun for everyone. Pick their favorite playlist and crank it on the home sound system. Let them sing and dance as they clean. Make them laugh with your playlist! Make TikTok videos of them doing the work!

Create contests, for the fastest bed made, the cleanest room, the best attitude during I Don’t Want To Hour. For little kids, time them on how long it takes them to put away 10 items, giving them an opportunity to show off their counting skills AND getting their areas clean. Promise big kids dinner from their favorite restaurant if they get their rooms clean within the hour you’ve set aside. Whatever fun room cleaning motivation technique works for your family, use it. If they’re not paying attention to the fact that they’re working, they’ll get the cleaning, organizing and decluttering done faster and be happier when it’s over. And so will you!

ROOM CLEANING TIPS STEP #3: MAKE A ROOM CLEANING LIST
If your kids are little or not the most attentive to details, or aware of what needs to get clean, and you want to make sure certain things get cleaned, make a room cleaning checklist for kids. Pick a room for everyone to clean, straighten and organize or just have them start with their bedrooms and make a list of the tasks that can be done quickly so they feel accomplished and stay motivated to get the work done. Pick stuff that’s quick and easy for them to clean in a short amount of time.

If it’s their rooms you want cleaned, help them make a list of things to do to get it done. Putting dirty clothes in the hamper, clean clothes away, and picking up clothes that were tried on but not worn, could be 30-40% of a dirty room.

ROOM CLEANING TIPS, STEP #4: MAKE THESE ROOM CLEANING STEPS A WEEKLY THING!
The fact is, the cleaner the house is, the less time it will take to clean it. So, if you can incorporate I Don’t Want To Hour into every week, you’ll be able to turn messy room cleaning into room cleaning motivation to keep it clean throughout the week. And if you make it a habit now, it will be one less stressful thing to fight about when school starts.

Your free time is precious. For an extra hand around the home to help with all your spring cleaning – our teams of professional cleaners are ready to take care of the hard work for you. Book a clean today and leave the rest up to us – Treat yourself and your home! Tidy Up Angels has been providing residential cleaning service to the Overland Park area since 2008. Trusting someone to clean your home can be a little unnerving. If this is your first time hiring a cleaning company, we want you to know that you can relax with Tidy Up Angels. Our company is fully insured and bonded; safeguarding your most personal possessions. Honesty, integrity, and good work ethics are the back bone of our company. We aim to meet all your expectations and we hope to exceed them during each service. Let us know how we can help with your house cleaning services in Overland Park and how we can help you – contact Tidy Up Angels LLC at 913-642-2006.