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What’s the one flaw of enjoying the summertime social season and hosting festive al fresco get-togethers? Cleaning up the after-effects, of course. You can nail all the best tips for hosting an unforgettable summer party, with ideas to wow your guests. And you can learn all the greatest hacks for entertaining and actually being able to enjoy your party, too, like how an organized fridge is the secret to stress-free dinner-hosting. But what about when the last friend heads home and you’re surrounded by things to put away, dishes to wash, trash to pick up, and leftovers to pack up? Talk about a buzzkill. But just one more hack — a crucial one at that — can significantly soften the transition from party fun to post-hosting relaxing: Create a cleaning station.
Technically, you want two cleaning stations, which might be combined or separated. You want an area for guests to easily be able to leave garbage and used dishware, and you want everything you’re going to need to tidy up in one handy spot. Imagine being able to sweep all the evening’s refuse into a compost bin, can, or bag in one fell swoop. Or consider being able to sweep crumbs up and wipe surfaces down with all your supplies within arm’s reach. By essentially tidying up your tidying necessities and streamlining what guests do with things like cups and leftover food, you can minimize cleaning time. If you entertain often, you can even make your station(s) a more permanent fixture.
Ideas for how to create a cleaning station
For the part of your cleaning station you want guests to use, utilize a separate table that’s away from the decor and food spreads, but that is still easy for people to notice. Keep the station with the theme of your party by using a matching tablecloth on it or by tying coordinating balloons to the table. Buy a couple of Rubbermaid standard bus bins — bussing bins are useful organization tools for your kitchen, and when hosting, guests will instantly recognize them as places to put trash and used cups and plates. You can also place trash and recycling bins at this station, so people can dispose of things directly. This not only cuts your cleaning time but keeps things clutter-free even during the party.
If you want to streamline your cleaning station without ruining your party decor, place your cleaning supplies in a bin underneath that table, where they will be hidden by the cloth. Alternatively, have your own supply station just inside the kitchen. You can also use bussing bins here to keep everything together. Pick up all your cleaning essentials on a budget at Dollar Tree, then fill your bins with trash bags, gloves, sponges, rags, paper towels, cleaners, a spray bottle with water or soapy water, and a broom or brush and dustpan. With your guests having been helpful without any extra effort and your supplies gathered, clean-up will never detract from the party again.
