Here is the quick, step by step guide to cleaning up after your holiday party, plus bonus tips on cleaning up those inevitable holiday party spills and messes:

1. Designate the duties to the clean up crew. Enlist the help of spouses and children wherever possible to pick up toys and hold or take out the garbage bags.

2. Pick up all the cups, bottles and glasses and empty them in the kitchen sink. Discard what you can into recycling.

3. Scan for spills on carpet, table linens and furniture and address them immediately (see the bonus tips below). The sooner the spills and stains are tackled, the easier they are to get rid of.

4. Bring all glassware, flatware, china and leftover food to the kitchen.

5. Refrigerate any salvageable food and drinks as soon as possible.

6. Put your dishwasher to good use by loading the heavy serving platters and pots and pans first so you have more room to hand wash fine china and serving ware. You can also soak the remaining dishes overnight and wash them in the morning.

7. Vacuum the party area and wash the kitchen floor so that you minimize the amount of dirt and mud that gets scattered throughout the house.

8. The next morning, put all of your party supplies away into their dedicated place.

Next: Bonus Cleaning Tips

Bonus Cleaning Tips:

Wine Spills
As soon as the spill occurs, fill a cup with warm (not hot) water and add two to three drops of laundry detergent (look for the clear kind if possible). Saturate the spot with about half the solution, blotting the excess with paper towels or white cloth. Rinse with clean, warm water and blot again. Repeat the steps if necessary. Remember to never use bleach to remove the stain since this can damage the original color of the carpet or fabric.

Coffee and Tea Stains
The little yellow spot left behind coffee and tea stains can be the hardest to remove. Use a cold, wet, colorless cloth to wash away as much of the liquid as possible. Mix about a dime sized amount of mild dish detergent with some water and use a white cloth to blot detergent on the stain. For more difficult, set in stains, take a small amount of vinegar and mix it with water to blot on the stain. Use a clean, wet cloth to wipe up the excess.

Mud Stains
Let the mud dry over night. Trying to clean it while it’s wet will just make a bigger, sloppier mess. Instead, vacuum the area in the morning and get as much of the dried mud and debris as possible. Use a cloth with a little vinegar and water to clean up whatever may be left behind.

Wax
To clean hardened wax off candleholders, place the candleholders inside the freezer for an hour or more. The wax should peel off easily afterwards. Wash and dry the candleholders once the wax has been removed. To clean warm wax off of tablecloths, rub it with an ice cube to harden it first, then scrape with a spatula. Place a paper towel over and underneath the remaining wax. Press the area with a warm iron. Continue changing the paper towels and repeating the process until all the remaining wax is absorbed. Sponge off the remaining residue with dry cleaning solvent and rub gently with heavy liquid detergent. Put the tablecloth through the washing machine cycle as soon as possible.