The holiday season brings lasting memories with family and friends, a festive environment filled with great food, personalized gifts, and the dreaded to-do list of “stuff” that must get completed. By starting your larger projects before the holiday season, you won’t have to spend long hours getting organized when you should be enjoying yourself. There are several ways to get your home prepared to host the holidays.
Here are four tips that will help you get ready to celebrate.
Clean & Declutter
Now is the perfect time to start deep cleaning the spaces in your home that are usually neglected throughout the other times of the year. By focusing on different areas of your home each week, your house will be in tip-top shape by the time the holidays roll around. A few key places in your home that will likely need cleaning include your windows, light fixtures, and the guest bedroom. Throughout the spring and summer months, the guest bedroom has probably become a storage room collecting a stockpile of miscellaneous items. When you begin the process of decluttering, consider donating items if you haven’t used them in a while. By removing these items from your home, you’re better able to see what areas of your house are ready for deep cleaning.
Get The Kitchen Ready
The kitchen is the heart of the home, especially during the holiday season. Countless hours of your day will be spent here cooking meals and baking desserts throughout the upcoming months. If you find yourself dreading preparing meals in your kitchen, now is the perfect time to create a space you’ll enjoy being in. Don’t wait to start this kind of project until you’re in the thick of it. Discover what the kitchen is missing, whether it be as simple as a few mixing bowls to speed up the baking process or an entire kitchen remodel with the addition of more counter space and a larger oven to accommodate the growth of your family. An open floor plan with a movable kitchen island has become increasingly popular as it provides you with more space to entertain your guests. Be proactive during this process by looking for ways to make the most out of your money, whether it be taking advantage of store sales or looking into a HELOC loan for additional funds to support any larger renovations you may need. A home equity line of credit provides you with the opportunity to receive funds as needed, making it so you only pay off what you’ve spent. The holidays can be costly, so finding ways to save money while upgrading your kitchen will provide you with more financial flexibility.
Set The Holiday Mood
The holidays are a great reason to change the decor within your home. By making subtle changes throughout each holiday you’re able to create a festive environment within the walls of your house. The decor change can be simple and uncluttered, a great way to accomplish this is through seasonal candles and throw pillows. Since you’ll be taking the time to deep clean and organize your home, you’re not going to want to clutter unnecessary spaces in your home while hosting guests. Your front entrance is another staple area to decorate as it will likely be the first thing your guests will see. Preparing your decorations in advance allows you to get creative through DIY projects which can help you to get in the holiday spirit.
Start Your Preparation Early
The stores during the upcoming months will be busy and hectic, so consider purchasing items that’ll remain fresh for several weeks, ahead of time. Not only will this save you from taking a last-minute stressful trip to the store, but it’ll also have you ready for any impromptu holiday parties. With the likelihood of more overnight guests at your house, it is a great idea to stock up on essential toiletries such as toilet paper, tissues, and hand soap. Having a few more individuals in your home to feed will also require you to stock your fridge, so consider purchasing items with a longer shelf life to ensure they’ll last. By starting this preparation early on you’ll be able to search for the best sales available to help save your money.
Hosting your family and friends for the holidays doesn’t need to be overwhelming. Take pride in how your home looks and choose to get a head start on the projects around your home to ensure they’re completed in time for the arrival of guests. Cleaning & decluttering, getting the kitchen ready, gathering your decorations, and stocking up on essential items is a great start to getting your home prepared for the holidays.
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