The holiday season can be a great time to create new memories with loved ones, but it can also be stressful if you’re not prepared and organized. If you focus on a few key tasks now, you won’t have to spend hours doing damage control when you should be enjoying yourself. So today I’m sharing 5 ways to prepare your home for the holiday season.
5 Ways to Prepare Your Home for the Holidays
1. De-clutter ruthlessly
Every season I get the urge to start purging closets and other areas of our home. There’s just something about purging that gives me a sense of peace. I enjoy getting rid of clutter and the satisfying feeling I get afterwards. Instead of focusing on deep cleaning your home, start by de-cluttering problem areas and getting rid of things that take up valuable space. A de-cluttered room often gives the illusion of being clean even if it isn’t.
Not sure how to get started? Check out these posts on de-cluttering and organizing your space:
5 Easy Steps To Help You Get Rid Of Clutter
How To Declutter Your Home In 10 Minutes A Day
Why You Need To Stop Organizing Right Now!
The Benefits Of Keeping A Simple Home
2. Clean it and forget it
Now is the time to start thinking about cleaning the spaces that often get neglected throughout the year. Cleaning windows, outdoor spaces, and light fixtures are all projects that you can spread out over the next several weeks. By the time the holiday season arrives, you won’t have to worry about these bigger projects and can focus on the fun stuff.
A few things I like to do now are:
- Wash windows
- Wash curtains
- Deep clean the kitchen
- Have carpets professionally cleaned
- Touch-up walls with paint
3. Get the kitchen ready
The kitchen is the heart of the home, or at least in ours it is. During the holiday season I spend a lot of time baking treats and cooking for my family. This past week I’ve been purging drawers and deep cleaning appliances to get ready for the holidays. I also knew that I wanted a new-to-me kitchen table, so we bought one from Craigslist this week that we will be painting over the weekend. Don’t wait until you’re in the thick of it to start preparing for family and guests. Getting a head start on your to-do list now will alleviate a lot of stress later on.
4. Add a festive touch
Don’t wait until the last minute possible to decorate your home. I repeat, do NOT wait until the last minute. You’re going to be way too busy juggling other things, so instead get started early when it’s still manageable. I put up our fall decor super early in the season and added a few seasonal touches around the home. For Christmas, I try to do all of my decorating the weekend after Thanksgiving Day or the weekend before if our schedule is full. Why so early? One year I tried waiting closer to Christmas Day and it was an epic fail. I got way too busy and barely managed to put up our tree that year.
5. Stock up on essentials
If you plan on having overnight guests over the holiday season, ensure that you stock up on essentials. Some items to always have on hand are paper towels, toilet paper, hand soap, shampoo, conditioner, lotion and toothpaste. Even if your guests bring their own toiletries, it doesn’t hurt to be prepared in case they forget something. Although we don’t host overnight guests since our family lives locally, I do like to stock up on paper products and food items that I can quickly serve guests if needed.
How do you prepare your home for the holiday season? I’d love to hear your tips and tricks!
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