Your home feels more inviting when your dining room and entryways are neat and orderly. Today I’m sharing a few tips for cleaning your dining room and entryways. These simple tips will help you think about what needs to be done in your own home as part of your homemaking routine this week.

When you enter your home, what is the first thing you see? Are you greeted by piles of coats and book bags? What about stacks of mail on the dining room table? Has it been ages since your whole family sat down at a completely cleared table for dinner together?

Dining Room and Entry Ways

The entryways and dining rooms of our homes are often the first places our guests come in contact with. Hospitality is an important part of our lives as Christians to welcome guests into our lives and to introduce them to a home where Christ is King.

Hebrews 13:2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.

Having these areas in a tidy state will not only lift a weight off your heart but also give you a feeling of peace knowing that strangers can pop in at any time and find a tidy home.

As you prepare and begin to work on these areas let’s start with the basics as we have done every time: First, find a bin or basket for things that need to be re-homed or put away in the rest of the house. Secondly, run a load of laundry containing every washable item in these areas. Finally, grab your cleaning kit and get to work.

Tips for cleaning dining rooms and entryways:

1. A fun way to sort paperwork is to turn on a favorite movie or play some great music and gather every piece of paper that needs sorting and whatever filing system you use for your home. If you don’t have a system now is a great time to create one. You’ll have a fun distraction and get a lot of work done. To cut down on paper clutter in general you can enroll in paperless billing and online banking.
2. Have a designated place for coats and shoes. If your home is small and space is limited consider requiring family members to store their coats and backpacks in their rooms.
3. If you’re prone to throw everything on a table near the door on your way in and out consider getting rid of that table. If you don’t have a convenient place to toss things you will be more likely to think about what you’re doing and put things where they go.
4. Get a steam cleaner for dining area rugs and upholstered chairs. This simple task will freshen the whole space.
5. Wash mirrors with your favorite window cleaner and wipe them with newspaper for a streak-free shine. The best part is giving those newspapers a second life and not wasting paper towels.

Items to consider de-cluttering:

1. Mismatched or unused china, glasses or silverware
2. Broken or wobbly furniture
3. Flat surfaces that are prone to attract clutter
4. Extra, outgrown, or tattered coats and shoes
5. Tablecloths, placemats or cloth napkins you rarely use
6. Magazines, newspapers, junk mail

Being a homemaker is such a privilege and honor. You have such a rich opportunity to serve your family and friends (old and new) in your home. I hope these tips for cleaning your dining room and entryways inspires you to make your home a welcoming place today.