Fall is fading fast. Halloween is behind you, and soon Thanksgiving and Christmas will be here. Amidst all the holiday hustle and bustle, the shopping, and the gathering with family and friends, it can be hard to prepare your home for the holiday season as well.
That’s why we’ll share some of our favorite tips for preparing your home for the holidays to come.
Simplify From the Beginning
While simplifying the holidays can be easier said than done, it’s not as hard as you might think. Everyone knows that striking a balance between gift-buying and guests arriving can be challenging.
However, if you simplify from the beginning with everything from decorating to putting up the tree and fixing Thanksgiving dinner to having the rugs shampooed, it’s much more manageable. For example, it’s easier to hire a carpet cleaning company to clean the carpet than to take the time to do it yourself. So if you can afford to hire someone to take that chore off your plate, it’ll free you up for the things that matter most, instead.
Warmth Matters
The last thing you want is your mother-in-law to complain about being cold in the middle of Thanksgiving dinner or when opening presents on Christmas morning. That’s why you should have your HVAC unit inspected long before the holiday season begins. Since you need to have a yearly checkup on your unit, why not do it when the summer turns into fall so you know you’re ready for the holidays ahead?
Your HVAC unit isn’t the only thing you should have inspected before the holidays. You need to ensure there’s enough insulation in your home and attic to see you through the colder days. So go ahead and schedule insulation installation early before technicians become too busy to fit you in over the hectic holiday season ahead.
If you have a fireplace you’ll be roasting chestnuts over this holiday season, go ahead and have it and the chimney inspected as well.
Declutter and Deep Clean Early
If you don’t listen to any other advice on this list, you should follow one tip: to declutter and tidy up early. You don’t want to put off deep cleaning your home for the holidays until the last minute. Get the decluttering and cleaning out of the way early, then all you’ll have to do is keep it tidy until after the holidays.
Safeguard Your Decorations and Christmas Tree
If you have small children or pets, then you already know they’re going to find the Christmas tree, ornaments, and twinkling lights fascinating. But, while it’s magical for the little ones, it can also be dangerous for them to get ahold of these same items.
Small ornaments, tinsel, and ribbons are all choking hazards for pets and children alike. Prevent the pets from climbing and turning over your tree by elevating the tree out of their reach. Also, make sure to use shatter-free ornaments that are large enough not to become a choking hazard in eager little hands.
Keep the Pantry and Fridge Stocked
As with cleaning the house, you don’t want to be out shopping for food the day before guests arrive. Neither do you want to be out shopping every day to feed your own family. Avoid this by keeping your pantry and fridge stocked from the beginning of the holiday season to the new year.
The holidays are a fun time to gather with family and friends to celebrate the reason for the season. However, that’s impossible to do if you’re stressed over the house. So follow the tips above and then sit back to enjoy the holidays with the people you love.
Nickida
Nickida is a first-generation Trinidadian American wife and mother of four. She enjoys sharing recipes from her childhood growing up in Trinidad with her readers. Nickida has a son with Autism and shares posts around traveling with a child with special needs to help other families like her own. She loves television, movies and is a true 80's baby.
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