The holidays are often filled with comfort, joy, and time with family, friends, and neighbors. But, if you’re the one hosting holiday get-togethers, it can also feel like a stressful season. You might think the house has to be perfect, from the festive decorations to its cleanliness level. But remember that guests are there to enjoy your company, not judge your home. It’s smart to be prepared for visitors, but you can do so without going overboard.

The key is to focus on the things that matter to you and your guests and pay no mind to things that don’t. We’ve compiled a list of the areas you don’t need to bother cleaning this holiday season so you can worry less and celebrate more.

1. The Off-Limit Spaces

Even if you have company coming from out of town and staying with you for a few nights, they likely won’t need to enter every room of your home. Unless they go snooping (which, shame on them, then!), areas like the basement, garage, or your primary bedroom don’t need to be decluttered and deep cleaned. Save those projects for the new year and instead spend your time and energy sprucing up the guest bedroom, bathrooms, and main living spaces.

2. The Pantry

Holiday feasts and seasonal soirées demand plenty of preparation in advance, so ideally, you’ll have all your supplies gathered well before your first guests arrive. This means it’s unlikely they’ll ever get a peek inside your pantry. Even overnight guests might feel awkward helping themselves (despite your encouragement that it’s OK), so it’s safe to say this area doesn’t need to be on your priority list of places to clean. Sure, you might declutter the space before the holiday season, as it’ll help you know which baking ingredients need restocking. Other than that, focus on cleaning and reorganizing the fridge for future leftovers and set up a kitchen counter snack station for guests to pick from if they’re hungry between meals.

3. Behind Furniture and Appliances

While cleaning the fridge interior is a good idea (as is the oven before roasting a holiday casserole), there’s no reason to clean behind or under large appliances. The same goes for furniture like a couch or TV console backed up against the wall. Guests are unlikely to notice any debris in these tight spaces, so focus on wiping down the exteriors of appliances and surfaces, and give the couch a quick fluff. The crumbs and dust bunnies will still be there in the new year, so tackle those cleaning tasks when you have more time.

4. Shelves

Unless there’s a visible layer of dust on an open shelving unit, no one will notice if they haven’t been cleaned in a while. This is especially true for higher shelves that don’t meet most people’s eye levels. While it certainly doesn’t hurt to quickly run a dusting tool over surfaces and decorative items that catch your eye, there’s no need to stress over every nook and cranny. After all, there are far more enjoyable (and important) things to focus on—such as crafting a glitter ice cocktail or styling a charcuterie house for the holiday happy hour you’re hosting.

5. Inside (Most) Closets

Guests might rummage through kitchen cabinets in search of a coffee mug, but they shouldn’t need to look in your closets—and you probably don’t want them to, especially if you use those spaces as a temporary hiding place for clutter while hosting. The exceptions to this cleaning rule are the coat closet and the guest bedroom closet, especially if you’re hosting overnight guests. Focus on keeping those areas tidy, and save the bigger decluttering projects—like your own closet—for your New Year’s resolution.

6. The Playroom

If your house will be filled with children (whether your own or your guests’) this holiday season, you’ve likely accepted the chaos that might ensue. No one will expect perfection in the area where the toys live, so there’s no need to stress over this space. If you have the time, it’s wise to sort through and donate some toys your kids have outgrown before they receive more for the holidays. Also, consider storing sentimental or fragile toys away while you have visitors to minimize accidents and address any glaring messes, like crayon markings on the wall. Otherwise, a quick sweep to get excess toys off the floor is all that’s needed in the playroom. And if your kids are old enough, delegate this task to them so it’s one less thing on your to-do list!

7. Windows

As a general rule of thumb, windows are best cleaned in the spring and the fall, so you probably aren’t in the habit of cleaning them during the busy holiday season. With company coming, however, you might be tempted to give them a winter wash. We’re here to tell you that it’s probably not necessary, especially with outdoor and indoor decorations serving as a distraction. Besides, you might spend hours cleaning hard-to-reach windows today only to have them smudged or affected by inclement weather tomorrow. Instead, use that time to enjoy the peace before your home becomes filled with merriment and laughter.