I’m sharing tips on last minute holiday preparations as part of a sponsored campaign with CVS/pharmacy.

If you’re anything like me, with less than a week less until Christmas and you’re not even close to being prepared, just know that this is a judgement free zone! What can I say, the last month has been hectic, and I was out of town for a couple of weeks, so I do have an excuse. That doesn’t mean that I get to get out of getting my home ready for the holidays, though. It just means that I have less time to do it all! Fortunately, I’ve teamed up with CVS/pharmacy to prep for some holiday entertaining, so I’ve got a partner to help me get ‘er done! You know me, I’m a team player, and my motto is “No Mom Left Behind”, so over the next few days I’m going to be sharing tips to help my fellow Procrastinators Busy Elves in their last minute holiday home prep, too!

The first thing you need to do is clean. It doesn’t matter how many decorations you put up, if your house is messy, no one is going to be in a festive mood. Keep in mind that you’ll probably be cleaning a lot more often than usual if you have guests over. We live not too far from a popular shopping area, so friends and family members often call and want to pop by when they’re in the neighborhood. We prevent a lot of headache and stress through this quick cleaning method that can be done in about an hour.

Before you start cleaning, let me share a big tip. You can save a lot of time by stocking up on your holiday entertaining supplies, everything from stuff to cleaning to paper goods, at CVS / pharmacy. You won’t have to stand in long lines like at some stores around this time. The other big perk? The CVS ExtraCare program. Not only are the prices for the Total Home and other CVS brand products already pretty low, when you combine coupons with your CVS ExtraCare rewards, you save even more. I just received a coupon in my email for $4 off of $20. That’s basically a free product, y’all!

1. Separate your home into areas.

The only time I’m happy that we live in a small 2 bedroom apartment is when it’s time to clean! While we probably have a lot less space to cover than many of you do, you still don’t have to spend hours cleaning.  Separate your home into separate zones. For me, it’s KITCHEN / LIVING ROOM / OFFICE / BEDROOM 1 / BEDROOM 2 / BATHROOM. The public spaces are the most important places to focus on, so if you’re short on time, clean those areas first.

2. Focus on the major messes.

When you don’t have a lot of time to clean, spend the minutes you do have taking care of the major messes. Dishes in the sink? Get those washed. Mirrors or windows smudged? Spray them down with some Total Home Streak-Free Shine Glass Cleaner. Papers everywhere? File them away, or even better, toss them. It’s always a good idea to take the time to mop, dust and vacuum, as those actions will instantly make a room look and feel more clean.

3. Clean as you go.

Once you have the major messes all taken care of, make a commitment to clean as you go for the rest of the holiday season. Keep products like Total Home Disinfecting Wipes in stock so that you can wipe down the counter after you serve coffee, or clean up spills as they happen. This will save you a lot of time, and chances are you won’t have to do another deep clean until after the holidays are over.

Don’t feel bad if you can’t get the whole house cleaned before your guests arrive, though. Just close the door to your bedroom, get a glass of wine, and enjoy your friends in the part of your home that’s presentable for guests. I’m just keeping it real here, Mamas. You don’t have to be perfect to be joyful!

Learn more about CVS/pharmacy, Total Home and the ExtraCare rewards on their website, Facebook or Twitter. Follow the hashtags #GoldEmblem, #HolidayEntertaining, and #TotalHome for more tips on getting ready for the holidays!

Disclosure: I’m proud to partner with CVS/pharmacy for the Gold Emblem and Total Home Prep for Holiday Entertaining campaign. I am being sponsored to help lead this campaign, but all opinions expressed are my own, and all product claims or program details shared should be verified at CVS.com or with the appropriate manufacturers.