Completely panicking about Christmas - please help

[tryingtosortmylifeout]

I need to do SO much to my house before relatives come to stay for Christmas and I am totally panicking. On my “to do” list:

• Hang about eight paintings that are currently sitting on the floor
• Deep clean the entire house, which is currently a total mess
• Sort out diseased plants in my conservatory that are currently dripping sticky stuff on surrounding furniture
• Order PVC cleaner to get rid of dirt on conservatory framework
• Clear out spare bedroom cupboards and move the contents to the attic so guests have somewhere to hang their clothes
• Declutter entire home so there isn’t a load of unsightly crap just shoved on shelves or in cupboards
• Get an electrician to fit a new bathroom light as there’s currently just a bulb hanging from the ceiling
• Order a Christmas tree
• Buy nicer decorations for said tree
• Order all necessary food, booze and Christmas paraphernalia
• Sort out front garden (currently full of weeds and rubbish from recent refurb work)
• Buy more stuff for guests like plates and extra bed linen (we only recently moved into our house, which is quite a lot larger than our old place - so are really disorganised on this front)

How am I meant to do all of this in the space of two weeks while holding down a full-time job?!?!

Book an online food shop tonight, add a few things and check out. You can add to it over the next few days as you meal plan.

Surely you could have ticked at least two things off the list in the time it took to write this?

I panic about things like this rather than just doing them! First thing I do to help is write a list of what needs done and write down the exact time that I’m going to do it. You can do it.

Hang about eight paintings that are currently sitting on the floor

Do you know where you want them? Are the walls good? (Ie not likely to crack and crumble). If yes/yes, then do it. It’ll take less than an hour and it’s a good job done and less clutter too. If either is ‘no’ then out them away somewhere until after Christmas.

Deep clean the entire house, which is currently a total mess

You’ve only just moved in? Surely you cleaned it before you moved your stuff into each room? It can’t be that bad?! Book a cleaner for a deep clean this week and another clean the day before guests arrive.

Sort out diseased plants in my conservatory that are currently dripping sticky stuff on surrounding furniture

Put them in the garage/shed?

Order PVC cleaner to get rid of dirt on conservatory framework
B&Q etc sell it. No need to wait for a delivery. Be careful using things people suggest as it’s easy to discolour it.

Clear out spare bedroom cupboards and move the contents to the attic so guests have somewhere to hang their clothes

Is the Queen coming? Don’t they really need any/much hanging space?

Declutter entire home so there isn’t a load of unsightly crap just shoved on shelves or in cupboards

Boxes.

Get an electrician to fit a new bathroom light as there’s currently just a bulb hanging from the ceiling

Stick a cheap shade on it until the New Year, unless you already have the new light. Wiring a light doesn’t need an electrician, just an ounce of common sense.

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Order a Christmas tree

2 minute job.

Buy nicer decorations for said tree

Online. 1 hour. Glass of mulled wine in hand.

Order all necessary food, booze and Christmas paraphernalia

See above.

Sort out front garden (currently full of weeds and rubbish from recent refurb work)

Pay someone a couple of hours to clean up and weed.

Buy more stuff for guests like plates and extra bed linen (we only recently moved into our house, which is quite a lot larger than our old place - so are really disorganised on this front)

Again. Online. Wine in hand.

You're over thinking it. No guest worth having will give a fuck if your garden is a mess, you don't have paintings on the wall and you haven't cleaned your pvc. I don't think these things will stop them having a good time.

So yes, what others have said: prioritise. And rope in anyone you possibly can to help.

I would chuck out the plants, buy food and drink and give the place a clean (just make sure bathrooms are clean, floors and surfaces are clean, laundry is hidden). I wouldn't bother about sorting out the cupboards either if you run out of time. How long are your guests staying? I think generally people don't tend to bother hanging up clothes if they are staying less than 4 days.

Tip for future: if you are the kind of people who tend to have lots of 'stuff' you on shelves everywhere, use storage baskets so everything can just be chucked out of sight at the end of the day.

Have fun!

When are the guests arriving and leaving, how old are they, what plans do you have, and do they have any special requirements e.g. diet?

Ask them to come next year instead then do what you can so you have a nice pressure-free time on your first Christmas in your new home.

Leave the front garden.

Molly Maids for house clean. Won't be cheap but add it to moving costs.

The paintings, the clutter and the stuff in spare bedroom cupboards all goes up to the attic.

Food, Christmas tree and decorations order from online supermarket. Book your delivery slot NOW.

Sticky plants go outside, you won't cure them before Christmas. If they die they die.

Bed linen and plates from Ikea, John Lewis, M&S, order online.

That just leaves the PVC cleaner - order from Amazon Prime and ringing the electrician.

As others have said, prioritise. Much of your list can wait.
Focus on Kitchen bathroom, sitting room and/or dining room, guest bedroom.
Allocate 1 hour each day to ticking off 'to dos' on your list. Don't spend more than 1 hour a day, you've still got the day to day stuff to do!
Day 1 - book online shop for as close to 25th as poss. Order crockery, bedlinen etc. Order tree and decks.
Day 2 - call around to get light fixed. Sort plants.
Day 3 - menu planning and finalise online shopping list. Tidy up front garden.
Day 4 - de clutter kitchen
Day 5 - de clutter bathroom
Day 6 - de clutter sitting room. Set up tree.
Day 7 - de clutter dining room
Day 8 - de clutter guest bedroom
Day 9 - deep clean guest bedroom. Close the door and don't re-enter until day of visit when you one the windows and freshen the room.
Day 10 - deep clean dining room.
Day 11 - deep clean of sitting room
Day 12 - deep clean of bathroom
Day 13 - deep clean of kitchen
Day 14 - wrapping etc.
Day 15 - last minute jobs.
Day 16 - set table. Relax.
Christmas Day!

I’m in the same boat with a massive to-do list that was really intimidating me 😬 So I have commited to doing one thing a day. There’s still plenty of time until Christmas to finish your list this way. I am literally deep cleaning one room at a time, I also have pictures to hang and plant to repot so again each task is the only task on my to-do list that day. I’ve already cleared three things (doesn’t sound like a lot but they were tasks i was putting off) and it’s much less stressful to break it down like that.

It's the 12 chores of Christmas isn't it

Delegate! 12 chores amongst 12 family members and guests?
It's your 'gift' to them.

Forget the conservatory and garden. I can promise no one is going to go around inspecting the conservatory framework for dirt.

The people you have invited are your relatives and friends, who are presumably coming to see you, not critique your lodgings. Do a big online shop for Christmas food and drink. Get bed linen and plates in if needed. Blitz clean guest rooms and bathrooms. You won't have time to declutter and deep clean the whole house, so don't even bother getting started.
Buy a small tree so it won't take too long to decorate. Have a glass of wine.

This is why we never have visitors and never visit anyone either. (will always stay in hotel close by).

I would bet everyone is delighted. Breathe out now!

Will do food for the millions for those calling in though!

I also wondered who your guests were. If you were my family I would be happy so long as I had somewhere to sleep and something to eat and drink. If I cared about you I wouldnt give a stuff about the plants and the bare light bulb. I would also be quite happy to bring bed linen/plates/cutlery or whatever was needed to make it easier.

I would make a list starting with the three things that are going to bother you most. If you can find an hour every day for the next couple of weeks you can achieve quite a lot. Forget decluttering cupboards, get some boxes and throw as much stuff that is visible into them and stick them in the attic instead.

Hope you manage to have a nice time and enjoy your Christmas, sounds like you deserve it!

Are you a perfectionist and you want everything to be 100% done and perfect by the time the guests arrive? If so, youre like me, but I'll tell you one thing - you can get it 100% perfect, but you will possibly feel unwell and exhausted for the Christmas period. It's not worth it. Get rid of some of the jobs, make the house presentable clean and tidy, leave the garden IMO and order the rest of the stuff.

Thanks so much for the advice everyone - it’s just the motivation I needed. I’ve decided to take the house one room at a time, doing a serious clean and declutter and making a list of more long-term stuff that needs doing. I’ve been deep cleaning my kitchen since 9.30am this morning and am about halfway through. Off out for Sunday lunch now but hoping to finish the rest of it later!

MiddlingMum

That's a great story but I have to ask: why the hell were you hosting that year?!