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There may be no place like home for the holidays, but with a third of the nation traveling each holiday season, you're likely to have visitors. Since you want to make your guests feel welcomed, the best way is to have a clean home. You may be looking for a maid cleaning service in Jacksonville that can help you with the tough holiday cleaning, or you may try to do some of the work yourself.

Deep Cleaning

If you haven't kept up with cleaning the house, it's time to do some deep cleaning. That means getting rid of the dust, even in unusual areas such as along the baseboards, on the curtains and blinds, around the furniture legs, and around the guestroom bed's headboard. Your vacuum will get a workout. This is where a maid cleaning service in Jacksonville will help, especially if you don't have the time.

If your carpets are particularly dingy, or you can't see clearly through your windows, you'll need to clean them. You may have to clean your carpets again after the holiday rush, but having clean carpets before your guests arrive shows your attention to detail.

Kitchen Preparedness

Clean out your pantry and refrigerator. Both get a serious workout during the holidays, so it's better if you just get them cleaned and ready to go with foods you'll be using to prepare meals as well as snacks and other items you'll need for entertaining. Don't forget to have some easy-to-fix meals for those rushed days or times when you didn't realize you would be entertaining.

Remember to deep clean your kitchen. You need to have a kitchen your visitors feel welcome in and willing to eat meals from.

Closets and Storage: Just Pitch It

Clean out your closets and put stuff away. While this doesn't appear to be holiday related, it is.  After all, where are you going to put all your stuff if you don't have enough storage area? If your closets are full of old clothing or unwanted items, it's time to donate to charity, hold a garage sale, or pitch them. Get rid of stuff you don't need, don't want, or don't use anymore.

Guest Room Preparedness

The guest room is probably a room that has been gathering dust, so plan on spending extra time to get it into great shape. Have your Jacksonville maid cleaning service do some deep cleaning. It's time to throw out those old, cast-off pillows you've been using as guest pillows and time to purchase new pillows. Air out the guest room now and make sure the linens are fresh. Make sure all the lights work and replace any burned-out bulbs.

Because things might be a little baffling, try typing up an instruction list for how to operate the TV, the lights, the alarm clock, or any other gizmo with buttons.  Be sure to keep a plug open for cell phone or laptop chargers.

Be sure to place the following next to the bed on the nightstand or on a table in the room:

• A box of tissues

• Bottled water

• Water glasses

• Electronic instruction list

• A fun book of trivia, humor, or short stories

• Alarm clock

• Any remote controls needed for the room

• Basket of soaps, toothbrushes, shampoos or other items they might have forgotten

• Towels they'll be using

Some useful items to consider for your guestroom:

• Luggage rack.  Rather than have your guests put their suitcases on the floor or on a chair, invest in a luggage rack.

• Hangers.  Be sure to put plenty of hangers in the closet.

• Over-the-door hooks.  Your guests will appreciate the over-the-door hooks to hang their stuff.

• Umbrella. If you live in a rainy area, or even if you don't, have an extra umbrella your guests can use.

• A motion-sensor night light. Your guests will appreciate the thoughtfulness.

Happy Holidays from First Coast Home Pros!