When your house feels hungover

Having guests over for the weekend always leaves my house feeling hung-over and tired looking. Invariably I have more laundry to wash, dishes to put away, loos to clean and shopping to do to get the house back to normal. Because of this my Monday morning feels rushed and busier than normal because I have more than my normal load of chores to get done before the day is done. My action plan for getting my home back and running again is also a good place to start if your home is in need of a quick pick me up after a weekend away or house party.

10 minute bathroom clean
I zoom around each bathroom wiping down surfaces in the sink, loo, mirrors and hardware – basically anyplace that saw a lot of traffic. I avoid the bath and shower for later on, and focus on a quick clean to give it back its freshness. I replace the hand-towels and wash the bath mats.

20 minute kitchen clean
I wash the sinks, wipe the taps, table, counter-tops and kitchen cupboard doors. I also tackle the fridge because it is now empty and a good clean before I re-load it makes me feel like I have treated myself (I know, I should get out more). I sweep the floor and give the floor a quick mop to erase the foot traffic. Empty the bin and fluff the pillows on the sofa. While I am cleaning, I put 2 halves of a lemon in a sauce pan with boiling water and simmer; the lemon scent gives the room a freshness that no cleaning product can give you. When I am done, I put those lemons in my dishwasher and give it a rinse (no dishes inside for this one ladies), does the same trick it does for the room)

20 minute bedroom tidy
I replace the sheets in the guest room, wipe down the surfaces, open the windows and bin the flowers. Moving into our bedrooms, I change the sheets (as I am doing a load anyway), open the windows, vacuum, dust and collect any laundry that needs doing.

10 minute laundry dash
Sort the washing, start the washing and get the laundry baskets ready for when they are done. I also take the time to get my laundry room in shape by giving it a quick wipe down, sweep and open the windows to let the fresh air in.

Phew, my hour of racing around the house is finally over and I can sit down with a cup of tea and get my shopping list ready for my trip to the market. By the end of they day the house is fresh, clean and it feels like home again – just in time for the children and hubby to return and trash the place…ah the cycle of life, gotta love it.