Getting your house ready for Thanksgiving (without losing a weekend)

Every November our schedule fills up with the same request: "We have family coming, can you make it look like we have it together?" After twelve years of holiday cleans, we have a pretty good idea of what people actually notice.

Start with the guest bathroom

It is the one room every guest will use and use alone, which means they will look at it. Clean the mirror, wipe the base of the toilet, and put out a fresh hand towel. Empty the trash. That is 80% of it.

Then the kitchen, but only the surfaces

Nobody is opening your oven. Focus on counters, the stovetop, the sink, and the fronts of the fridge and dishwasher. Clear the counters as much as you can, because you will need the space anyway.

What you can skip

• Bedrooms nobody is sleeping in. Close the door.
• Windows, unless the light hits them and shows streaks.
• The garage, the basement, and anything behind a cabinet door.

If you would rather hand it off, book us for the Tuesday or Wednesday before. The Friday after is usually open too, if you want help with the aftermath.