Home Holiday Cheer Made Easy

As we get ready to host our holiday parties and celebrate the season with friends and family, our homes deserve a bit of special attention to ensure it’s inviting and comfortable.

Whether you plan to have guests just for the day, dinner, or overnight, here’s a holiday checklist that will help you make your home holiday perfect.

Make Your Home Holiday Ready Inside and Out

Outside the Home

  • Check your holiday lighting and ensure it’s all functioning properly. At the least, make sure to light entryways and footpaths, especially if your weather is wintry. No one wants to start the holiday with an injury.
  • Pull down wasp nests that may have accumulated during the summer months. Cold weather is an especially good time to knock them down as the residents will be less responsive to your intrusion.

Inside the Home

Before you decorate and create the festive atmosphere we enjoy at this time of year, there are some things you can do to enhance your holiday cheer.

Living Area

  • Reduce the clutter in your home by removing any unnecessary items from kitchens, foyers, coffee tables, countertops, living room, dining room and den areas.
  • Spruce up your carpet by bringing in a professional carpet cleaning service. A good deep cleaning will make them look like new, and applying a stain guard will keep them protected against spills for the whole season.
  • Clean windows, especially those that overlook your outdoor decorations. You’ll want your guest to be able to enjoy them through clear windows.
  • Add nightlights, especially if you plan to have overnight guests that are unfamiliar with your home. They’ll feel more at home if they don’t have to stumble about in the dark on a late-night trip to the restroom.
  • Consider adding a coffee station in a family room. It will cut down on crowding in the kitchen but still allows everyone to enjoy a morning coffee without getting in the way of breakfast preparations.
  • Light some scented candles and scent the air with your favorite holiday flavors to both add decoration to your home as well as create an inviting atmosphere.

Bathrooms

  • Freshen up your bathroom by replacing grout if it can’t be thoroughly cleaned.
  • Have plenty of bath and/or hand towels on hand, perhaps stock up on some holiday themed towels to keep with the spirit of the season.

Kitchen

The kitchen is often the heart of the home, where everyone gathers. To make yours more inviting, de-clutter all the surfaces, ensure your oven is clean and ready for action, clean your microwave, empty what you can from your fridge and clean it up, making it ready for all your completed treats and eventual left overs, clean your serving ware and polish your silver. Once everything is clean, stock your kitchen with all you’ll need for your feast, develop a cooking schedule, and even set up a buffet style food service for your holiday visitors.

Guest rooms

  • Fresh, clean linens are a must. Use a scent additive when washing to give your sheets a lovely, inviting scent.
  • Open closet space so your guests will have somewhere for them to place their things, helping them feel welcome and more at home.
  • Alarm clock and a reading lamp are key additions that will ensure your guests are able to operate on their chosen schedule.

Yes, the holidays can be stressful. By following these guidelines you’ll make it a bit easier by having a wonderfully prepared, welcoming home to entertain your friends and family for the entire season.

 

———————————————————

ABOUT STARSIDE CUSTOM HOME BUILDERS:

Starside Custom Builders creates extraordinary homes
for discerning clientele.  Our vision is to build wonderful
places to share life and make  memories.
Contact us today!  214-501-4084