It’s that time of year! Many people have been anxiously waiting for the holidays to come, while others groan at the thought of Holiday festivities and get togethers. If you’re more of the former than the latter, you may be starting your holiday preparations to get your house ready, whether it’s for the upcoming Thanksgiving celebration or a different holiday. We’ve got some great holiday prep tips for you to make sure you check everything off your list this holiday season:
#1 Those things you’ve been neglecting to clean? Clean them!
There are some small things in our homes that we sometimes neglect to clean for long periods of time and just live with. Maybe this is dust, dirt, and grime behind the toilet, dust sitting on the floor molding, or dog nose marks on our windows… Whatever it is, now is the time to clean it before you have guests over who may scrutinize just such a thing!
#2 Make sure you have matching plates, cups, and silverware
If last year you found yourself pulling out mismatching sets of silverware, it might be time to invest in a bigger set for friends and families. If you’re hobbling together different forks and knives, it can be charming if you have a variety of different styles, but if you simply… Ran out of wine glasses, you may have an entertaining problem. Make sure you have enough for everyone, and if you don’t, grab some more before the festivities begin.
#3 Pick a vibe when decorating
Maybe you’re more of a minimal person and prefer to use muted colors and few decorations. Maybe you love to go overboard and put wreaths and lights everywhere. Whichever your style, make sure it’s consistent from room to room so guests know where they’re allowed and where they’re not. You can also shut doors, but making it so your decor is evenly distributed from room to room will help give your home the overall feeling of a holiday get together.
#4 Make sure you have seats
Unlike a Halloween party, not everyone likes to stand and drink the whole time they’re at a holiday party or get together. Especially if you’re having dinner and inviting older friends or relatives over, make sure there’s ample (and sturdy) seating so someone can sit down if they prefer.
#5 Make the place smell good with a quick scent
Sometimes we don’t realize that our homes have a… certain funk to them. We live in them daily, so we grow accustomed to certain smells like the smell of pets. If you plan to invite people over, of course, make sure you’re taking out the trash and vacuuming the rug, but mask these smells with a holiday scented candle or incense. If you’re cooking or baking, no need to worry — as long as you started before guests arrive, chances are your house will smell like mouthwatering dinner to prepare your guests for a delicious meal!
#6 Clean the fridge
Okay, how many times has this happened to you? You invite people over, start preparing food and then have to put something like a whole turkey in the refrigerator until you can start putting it in the oven, but have to go in there and start an impromptu cleanout to make the turkey fit? Clean out your refrigerator now rather than waiting until later. That means tossing out old items, cleaning out old tupperware, and moving things to the door to make room for items that need to sit in there.
#7 Prep for children
You may not have children, but chances are someone will bring children to your holiday get together. If they’re small, ensure nothing fragile or dangerous is at their level. Bring something to do, and maybe put something kid-friendly on the television. Kids also tend to double-dip or be picky with food, so if you set out a tray of cheese and crackers, put one up high for the adults, and one with the milder kid-friendly cheeses down low for the kids.
Have any other tips to share when it comes to prepping your home for the holidays? Let us know in the comments below!
