Use the correct order of operations to clean up your messy kitchen in record time

Everyone knows Thanksgiving dinner can quickly transform your kitchen from a squeaky-clean oasis into a total nightmare. Between the splattered mashed potatoes somehow on the wall, sticky spilled gravy on the counter, and crumbles of pie in every nook and cranny, getting your space back to its normal, sparkling state is bound to be the post-holiday workout you never asked for.

But changing your technique could make all the difference in how easily—and expeditiously—you get the job done. So, here’s the right order for cleaning your kitchen efficiently and painlessly.

If the first thing you typically do when it comes time to clean is grab the mop or broom, put those tools back in the closet—at least for a little while. That simple mistake could seriously lengthen the process, making it even longer before you get to relax and binge-watch your favorite holiday films. According to Apartment Therapy, the number-one rule to know about when it comes to cleaning the kitchen is that it is non-negotiable to work starting from the top—not the bottom. (Sorry, Drake.)

When you clean up top, plenty of debris falls right back down onto the floor—AKA the worst thing that can happen directly after a fresh mop or sweep.

While those crumbs on the floor may well drive you crazy as you’re wiping down your countertops, saving the task for last offers some perks. When you clean up top, plenty of debris falls right back down onto the floor—AKA the worst thing that can happen directly after a fresh mop or sweep. So by saving your trusty broom for the end, you’ll be able to sweep up everything at once—and only once. Because who wants to have to redo all that hard work, especially during a blissful food coma? Armed with this little order-of-operations trick, you’ll be done with the not-so-fun part of a yummy feast in record time.

This turmeric pumpkin quinoa oatmeal is the perfect post-Thanksgiving breakfast. Or, learn how to go out on Thanksgiving eve without totally regressing into your high school personality.