Here's Why I Never Host a Holiday Party Without Cleaning This One Area of My House First

I'll admit, I'm not the most rigorous cleaner when it comes to keeping all those nooks and crannies in my home spotless. On Sundays, I vacuum, wipe down counters, fluff my pillows, do my laundry, etc., but I'm loath to get on my hands and knees and do any scrubbing. That being said, if I have company coming over, especially for a fancy-ish holiday get-together, the one area of my house that must be sparkling is my bathroom. Yes — that means every area in the bathroom, not just the toilet, because there's nothing more gross than a grimy sink or shower.

Before people come over, I divide and conquer; I start with my toilet because, let's face it, it's the star of the bathroom show. I use Clorox® Toilet Bowl Cleaner to eliminate any germs and get that sparkle of a brand-new bowl we're all striving for. Now, the important thing here is to not forget all the other areas that may have gotten some buildup. I use Clorox® Clean-Up® Cleaner + Bleach to clean the seat and any areas that have gotten grimey. From there, I move on to my sink, using the same spray to remove any wayward hairs or toothpaste, and make sure to wipe off any water stains from the mirror. Finally, I do a quick sweep of my shower to ensure there's no hair in the drain or soap scum on the sides. Phew!

Once my cleanup is done, I pay attention to the aesthetic stuff. Here's my checklist:

• Put away any random products to keep things looking minimal.
• Put out luxury hand soap.
• Have eco-friendly disposable hand towelettes on the sink for easy drying (a cloth hand towel can get gross real quick).
• Light a good-smelling candle, and leave it burning for the duration of the party.
• Leave a pack of matches out just in case.
• Make sure to have plenty of toilet paper.

Once all that is done, I can get on with all the fun holiday merrymaking. Cheers!