When was the last time you enjoyed hosting?
Actually enjoyed it – without dreading the aftermath.
Not the performance of it. Not making sure everyone else had a good time. Not the cooking, decorating, or playing perfect host.
Just… enjoyed it.
Because here’s what actually happens:
Saturday night: Lovely. Everyone had a great time. The food was perfect. Conversations flowed.
Sunday morning: Your kitchen looks like a crime scene. Wine on the carpet. Dishes stacked everywhere. A half-eaten sandwich behind the couch. Bathroom bin overflowing.
Sunday-Tuesday: You spend your entire Sunday cleaning. Monday recovering. By Tuesday, your house is finally back to normal.
This weekend: You’re hosting again.
This is December entertaining. The part nobody talks about.
The actual party is easy. It’s the recovery that breaks you.
Especially when you’re hosting multiple times with no breathing room between events.
So let’s talk about how to survive this month – and when to just admit you need help.
Everyone talks about the joy of hosting. The togetherness. The memories.
Nobody talks about:
The 11pm cleanup when you’re already exhausted.
Waking up to chaos knowing you have to do it all again in 5 days.
Spending your entire Sunday recovering instead of resting.
The moment in the shower crying because you just can’t keep up.
You’re not failing. December is broken.
You’re hosting multiple times. Working. Shopping. Cooking. Wrapping. Managing everyone else’s expectations.
And somewhere in there, you’re supposed to keep your house clean enough to have people over. Again. And again.
It’s not sustainable. And you know it.
Women collapsing into bed at midnight, knowing they still haven’t dealt with the kitchen.
Mums crying over spilled drinks because it’s just one more thing.
People dreading their own gatherings because they’re already behind on cleanup from the last one.
Families snapping at each other because everyone’s exhausted and the house is never quite clean enough.
You deserve better than this.
(We really hope you don’t, but here’s the survival guide:)
The 15-Minute Emergency Reset (Before Bed)
- Kitchen: Load dishwasher, wipe benchtops, take out rubbish, refrigerate perishables
- Living Spaces: Collect glasses/plates, fluff cushions, open windows, check for spills
- Bathrooms: Empty bin, quick wipe, replace towels, spray freshener
That’s it. You’re not deep cleaning. You’re preventing the morning-after horror show.
The Next-Day Reality
Now you actually deal with it properly:
- Kitchen: Unload/reload dishwasher, deep clean surfaces, mop sticky floors, clean out fridge
- Living areas: Vacuum thoroughly, treat stains immediately, dust everything
- Bathrooms: Proper clean, restock supplies
Guest spaces: Strip beds, wash linen, air out rooms
Between Events (When You’re Hosting Multiple Times)
- Daily 10-minute reset: Dishes, bathroom wipe, clutter pickup
- Mid-week 30-minute clean: Vacuum, mop, mirrors, towels
- Pre-event hour: Deep clean bathrooms, clear kitchen, vacuum living spaces
The goal isn’t perfection. It’s preventing the spiral where everything becomes so overwhelming you can’t even start.
Sometimes you just need to fake it:
✓ Close doors to messy rooms
✓ Dim lights hide dust
✓ Focus on what guests actually see
✓ Fresh hand towels = instant clean vibe
✓ Clear benches (shove it in cupboards if needed)
✓ Good smell = people assume it’s clean
Here’s the reality: you can only do this so many times before you burn out.
Signs it’s time to get help:
❌ Dreading hosting because of the cleanup
❌ Sacrificing sleep to keep up
❌ Snapping at your family because you’re exhausted
❌ The thought of doing it all again makes you want to cry
❌ Already behind before the next event starts
If any of these feel familiar, stop. Just stop.
You’re allowed to host AND not clean it up yourself.
You’re allowed to enjoy the party without dreading the aftermath.
You’re allowed to wake up to a clean house that someone else sorted.
That’s what we do.
We come in after your gathering and reset everything. You go to bed. We handle it.
Or we come regularly throughout December so you’re never starting from chaos. Always guest-ready without maintaining it yourself.
- Post-Event Deep Cleans: We reset everything after your gathering. You wake up to clean without lifting a finger.
- Mid-December Maintenance: We keep your home guest-ready between events so you’re never starting from chaos.
- Pre-Event Prep: We get everything sorted before people arrive so you can focus on enjoying yourself.
- Full December Support: Regular cleans throughout the month so you never fall behind.
Hosting is exhausting.
Cleaning up after hosting is exhausting.
Doing both, multiple times, throughout December, while also working, parenting, shopping, cooking, and maintaining your sanity?
That’s not realistic.
Asking for help isn’t giving up. It’s recognizing your limits and choosing to spend your energy on what actually matters.
Would you rather:
- Spend your weekend scrubbing or enjoying it?
- Be present at gatherings or already dreading cleanup?
- Collapse into bed or wake up to someone else having sorted it?
Book a post-event clean. Book weekly maintenance. Book whatever helps you get through this month without breaking.
Because hosting is exhausting enough without the cleanup destroying you too.
We work across Melbourne South East – Bayside, Peninsula, Frankston, Cranbourne, and beyond.
We’ve got you. 💚
