There are multiple ways to make sure your house party isn’t only a one night deal. One surefire method to doing so is to party-proof. How? Proper cleanup precautions before, during and after your event. Preparation more than pays for itself, as doing so streamlines the ordeal of cleaning up. For your sanity’s sake, don’t wing it.

In this post, Turn Up covers eight essential steps to prepare your place for the easiest cleanup possible, so you and your guests can party hard or go home!

The first method is relocation. Be sure to move and temporarily stash away items that are: (1) breakable; (2) expensive; and/or (3) irreplaceable due to attached sentimental value.

Locking stuff up is your second essential step to hassle-free cleanup. First, designate one room as off-limits, and lock all the valuables you relocated in the first step, inside that room. Second, lock all the cabinets and drawers possible.

On a related note, rearrange the main hangout spots. Your goal is to create as much room as possible for people to get hyphy.

Fourth, assign/designate (1) cleanup buddies in advance. It is nearly impossible to convince people to volunteer once the party is underway, so don’t make the mistake of waiting until then. Also, assign/designate (2) certain spots as garbage disposal places. Make sure these areas are, at the very least, (a) obvious and (b) accessible. Your event is inevitably going to create a lot of waste product, so make sure partygoers have an easy time getting rid of their Solo cups and snack plates.

Also, stock up on cleaning supplies. It sucks to “need Windex!” at the last minute.

Stash away, in the locked room and cabinets, the aforementioned cleaning supplies. Also, keep a surplus of extra Solo cups and toilet paper in these safe areas, as they have a knack for running out very quickly. Finally, be sure to keep a secret supply of alcohol for the after-party!

Seventh, prepare an escape plan. You need a polite or at least sensible excuse to get rid of the bulk of your guests, so that you can hold a much-deserved after-party.

Finally, avoid inviting assholes if possible! This is hard to do. However, you’ll thank yourself later, and avoid unnecessary headaches.

Rest assured that if you’ve followed the above eight steps, you’ve done almost everything you can to make cleanup a relatively hassle-free part of your party. Who knows? Your parents might willingly give you the green light to your next rowdy get-together!