Party Organization

Throwing a big holiday party sometimes means that you get stuck cleaning up for hours and hours after the party ends. Here are some ideas for making cleanup quick and easy.

While you’re socializing with your guests, you can do some proactive cleaning by picking up empty glasses or plates left on tables. This way, your space keeps clean and you'll spend less time picking up after your guests have gone.

If you have leftover food that you don't want, give it to guests as they leave. Make sure that you have plenty of clean, disposable containers on hand to pack up leftovers.

Once the guests have gone and you've blown out all the candles, the best way to tackle the cleanup is to start with the big messes first, like spills on carpet and furniture. You'll want to soak the area thoroughly so that stains don't have a chance to set.

First, centralize everything in the kitchen before you get started on cleanup. Move food, plates, garbage bags, and serving ware here -- this way, you won't need to waste time or energy taking breaks from the cleanup to collect items scattered around. Vacuum any crumbs from open areas to avoid bugs. Load and run the dishwasher, and empty all tubs and coolers outside or into a drain.