Home improvements: Post-party clean-up tips

With the festive season in full swing, you’re probably doing more than the usual amount of entertaining.

After all the eating, ­drinking and general merriment is done, you’ll be left with an abode filled with wrapping paper, dirty dishes and possibly the odd unwanted stain. Thus begins the much ­dreaded holiday clean-up. We suggest starting before the celebrations even begin. If you’re expecting a house full of people, use disposable cups and ask guests to write their names on their cups upon arrival to avoid unnecessary waste. Also put out and identify several rubbish ­areas where guests can ­dispose of their leftovers. Make sure to invest in heavy-duty bags, so they don’t split under the weight of the rubbish.

After your guests have gone, divvy up the chores among the family. Create a space in your wardrobe for gift bags that you can reuse and make sure to store gifts as soon as possible to avoid clutter. For stains, invest in a heavy-duty, store-bought stain remover or create your own with one tablespoon of baking soda, four tablespoons of dish soap and eight tablespoons of ­hydrogen peroxide.