Before or after?

There has always been this debate between my husband and I regarding parties.

There is usually some preparation before parties, getting food organised etc but one thing that has never been a priority for me is having floors mopped, I like to do that after the party so the house actually stays clean.

My husband loves to have floors mopped before so that they are clean before people come in even though it will all just get dirty again during a party.

We had 20 kids over yesterday for daughters birthday party, 7 slept over the night before and all made their own breakfast in the morning.

The house was trashed and I got a cleaner in a few hours before everyone left - had clients to see late afternoon while kids were all getting picked up.

The result was I got home and the house was spotless, party was over, and only some family members still present, my brother and another friend.

Party mess is not a good thing to come home to after seeing clients.

Everything was tidy but floors were not cleaned and mopped before kids arrived on Friday - why bother is my motto.

Do you bother having everything perfect before parties or leave till after?

 

My wife does it before. Complete waste of time imo.

 

That's my view point too.

 

I'm in a constant bind over whether to do it before or after guests. If I do it before, I'm happy to have the clean feeling, but it doesn't last long. It makes more sense to do it after. Mondays are good for housework.

 

I clean up before people arrive only if the place is messy. If all clean an no stuff lying around then all good

 

Before. Start with a better base and the afterwards is much simpler.

 

Housework is a 4 letter word to my teenage daughters

 

I hand guests a broom/mop/vac/duster/toilet brush on arrival and insist they do 10 mins of cleaning before drinking my booze and eating my food.

IMO entertainment really makes a party. One of the best parties I went to had Pricasso performing. Gave people who don't know each other something to talk about apart from 'what do you do?'. He had a cape that mostly covered his bum and the canvas covered his junk, so wasn't vulgar at all. Many left the party with a memento that will always remind them of his birthday party. Probably not recommended for kids parties.

 

just off topic for now, you may like this Wylie
A few years ago a mum dropped of a little boy about 7 for a party, at the door she handled me some medication he needs to take before food, an epi pen and a Ventolin puffer.

After the initial shock, I ran after her and caught her at the front gate and asked if she really needed to go and asked if she could stay.
I was mainly confused about the medication that he needs to take before eating when there was a spread of food at the table and kids come and go and eat continuously....
thank goodness she stayed to watch over her own kid.

 

Reasonably neat and tidy before.

Proper clean afterwards.

But we always had the party outdoors so children only came inside to use the toilet.
Marg

 

@Xenia

The mum's plan worked beautifully-Fake that my child needs special care and I have to stay so I receive a free lunch.

 

lol
she was always welcome too anyway, we always have BBQs so plenty of food for children and adults.

 

Haha, coming from s European background. My mum would always make us all clean before visitors came over... I always contested it... Never won, she claimed she was cleaning for her self hahaha.

I guess it's a form of respect for your guests... I have no idea, but I support it... Seems right to me now.

 

Thats right..in many cultures you clean before guests coming over as it is a form of respect to them. You also dont want to preseny yourself as a slob to your guests.

 

Depends on who it is - I prefer to think that most of my friends would care about coffee/cake/wine/entertainment rather than the state of the house.

Did have to clean before xmas party/bbq this because, well - inlaws.

 

Start to charge $25/head - guaranteed to clean up

 

I tidy up before having people over - but don't bother with the floors. When they arrive I tell them to leave shoes on and simply tell them I'm not fussy about "shoes off" with kids and dogs running thru the house all day.

The truth is, sometimes the floors feel like a sandy beach underfoot

 

Exactly what I do, everything is clean except floors. They get after everyone leaves.

 

Before and after in our house.