Get Your Home Ready for Guests this Holiday Season with These 5 Tips

Whether you’re celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, New Years, or any other holiday this winter season, here are five easy tips to get your home ready for guests.

1.     Brighten Up Your Home

·      There is less sunlight this time of year, so it’s important to have a lot of light in your house.

·      First, start with your outside lights and decorate a pathway leading up to your front door. You can also decorate trees or hang lights above your garage door.

·      Open your blinds or curtains in front of your windows when your guests arrive. This will allow them to see the lights inside your home and already feel cozier.

2.     Clean Floors and Make Them Shine

·      People will notice your floors if they are dirty or dusty. Having shiny floors and clean carpet will give the illusion that the rest of your home is clean.

·      If you don’t have time to clean the main areas in your home, at least clean the floors.

3.     Make Your Bathroom Feel Cozy

·      Wipe down and clean your bathroom as you usually would.

·      Add some flowers or candles and any other holiday decorations to make your bathroom feel warm.

·      Buy holiday towels or take out of storage special towels for when guests come over.

4.     Check Kitchen Appliances

·      Assuming you will be doing most of the cooking if you’re having guests over, check beforehand to see if all of your appliances are working properly.

·      Clean out the refrigerator and make room for dishes and beverages.

·      Your oven may get grimy after several uses. Wipe it down before guests arrive.

·      Lastly, check to see if your dishwasher is working properly or see if there is enough dish soap to hand wash the dishes after your meal.

5.     Rearrange Your Space for Kids

·      If you have children, you’ll understand their short attention span and what activities they need to do to stay preoccupied.

·      If you don’t have children, create a space in the living or family room with toys, blankets and pillows, and any other items the children can play with.

·      Turn a spare room into a playroom or nursing area for small children.

·      For older kids, bake some sugar or gingerbread cookies and have them decorate the cookies with frosting and sprinkles. This is a fun way to get the kids and adults together and not segregated the entire time.

Having guests over may be a lot to handle or in some cases, even intimidating. Hopefully, these five tips will help alleviate the stress of getting your house ready for guests this holiday season.