It's late and the last guest just left. You close the door and survey the damage. Glasses on every available space, empty wine bottles, dishes stacked haphazardly...While having people over is great, clleaning up after the party's over? Not so much. Here's our plan for making the aftermath less traumatic...
Before You Go To Bed
- Start by emptying your kitchen sink and clearing off your kitchen counters.
- Lay out a clean dishtowel or empty dish rack.
- Gather up all leftover food. Wrap or discard.
- Gather up all the cutlery, dishes and glasses. Scrape plates and empty glasses and put them to soak. We use a small plastic trashcan that we've filled with soap and water. It fits under our sink so that we can put the dishes out of sight while we attend to the rest of the mess. Getting this visual clutter out of the way makes the kitchen look cleaner even if we haven't done anything and gives us the energy to continue. While they are soaking...
- Attend to all stains. Treat with spot remover and let it work while you...
- Grab a bag and collect all the non-recyclable trash. Discard.
- Grab another bag and collect the recyclables. Dispose.
- Quickly damp mop the floor. This is not the time to be thorough. You're just trying to avert a nightmare situation in the morning.
- Wipe down your kitchen counters, drink a glass of water and go to bed.
In The Morning
- Start with coffee and eat something simple that dirties as few dishes as possible.
- Light a great smelling candle and put on some upbeat music.
- Check any stains. Add additional spot remover if necessary.
- Do one batch of dishes. Leave to dry.
- Take a short break to enjoy your coffee and a glass of water.
- Put away clean dishes.
- Do a second batch of dishes. Leave to dry.
- Take another break.
- Put away clean dishes.
- Alternate dishes with taking a break until you're done.
- Clean up your stains.
- Plan your next party!
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I always try to use serving pieces that have lids to make for easy storage of leftovers...no transferring, less dishes to wash (immediately).
This might seem a little unusual, but I have -- on occasion -- used the bathtub and the shower nozzle to clean up after particularly big parties. It's so much easier than doing load after load in the kitchen sink.
Don't judge me!
I pick up, clear off, clean up a few things randomly throughout the night (or day). Makes for an easier/smaller cleaning at the end. Though I love the idea of the bathtub. very efficient. Ha.
I used to clean up here and there during parties but then I notices it tends to make guests feel like they need to help me, and I would much rather them just enjoy themselves. Heck, I figure if I'm going to do a thorough clean the next day anyway, I might as well not bother during the party and enjoy myself as well:)
But one thing you can do during a party that helps is to have the recycling in a place guests can see so they can throw their bottles there instead of leaving them out or throwing them in the trash.
I've had to wash big items in the bathtub before... my sink is like a small bar sink. I don't know who decided that was a good idea for a kitchen..
We have started renting glassware etc for substantial get togethers, holidays-its not a very big cost and you just return everything to them in the provided rack unwashed.
i cannot go to bed knowing there is a pile of dirty dishes to be dealt with in the morning. i prefer to stay up & clean everything in one go. towel drying helps to speed things up. much more relaxing to be greeted by a clean kitchen in the a.m.
I don't find cleaning up after a party enough of a challenge that I need to be told how to do it :P
I'm with you Kat1, I never want to deal with yesterday's mess today. Washing up the night before leaves you with clean, dry dishes, and the rest of the day free!
Just had a big halloween party.
Woke up to the smell of ...salsa.
Went out for breakfast with hubby.
3 Neighbors/friends who had helped make the mess came by to help clean.
80's music and 1.5 hours. Done.
That is such a great idea Montreal Modern... I actually own a restaurant and never considered that before as an option at home. Sometimes you can rent plates and glasses for less than you can buy nice plastic ones. I know this may seem like a silly thing to some people - it shouldn't be that hard to clean up... but last Thanksgiving my mother in law, my mom and myself were the only ones cleaning up and I had already put in long hours the day before at work. That is such a great idea to me - I will do that this year!!! Thanks!!