From resting by the fireplace to enjoying special meals and spending time with family and friends, The holidays can be a time of magic and unique traditions.
Even though the majority of Americans enjoy the Holiday season, the vast majority find it to be a stressful experience. Inviting guests to stay or hosting a special event can quickly turn a joyful period into an overwhelming experience. The tasks seem to be never-ending, and there are always those panicked runs to the store or mall at the last minute. No matter how much tidying up is done, the house will still seem like Santa’s sleigh just crashed into it. That is why it is recommended to start preparing the home for the holidays as soon as possible!
This guide can help you get your home organized ahead of the holidays so that this year you can truly have a happy holiday.
Removing Clutter
You should begin decluttering your house in October to prepare for the holidays. We aren’t kidding! You don’t want to be in a situation where you have to frantically search for someone to take away your old, damaged television just before your visitors arrive. You can begin by placing a few bins in your kitchen or other shared space and label them with the tags: Recycle, Donate, and Trash.
Over the course of the month, when you find things you don’t need anymore, put them in a container. Aim to get rid of one item each day. Get the entire family involved and make it fun by turning it into a competitive game!
Block off the last weekend in October (or an alternative suitable time) on your schedule. Make one final sweep of your home to eliminate any lingering bits of mess. Load up your vehicle or make it easier on yourself and hire a junk removal team, like 1Junk Genie, to handle the job for you!
Deep Cleaning Your Home
It is important to do a deep cleaning of your home in early November so you only need to tidy up ahead of visitors knocking on your door. This will make preparing your home for the holidays much simpler without all the extra clutter.
Start with your kitchen, living room, bathrooms, and other places where people will be spending time. Only work on your attic, garage, and other places your guests won’t be if you have extra time. Some examples of a thorough deep cleaning include; scrubbing grout from the kitchen and bathroom tiles, cleaning doorknobs, window blinds, and baseboards, carpet cleaning/hardwood floor polishing, sanitizing trash cans, and cleaning kitchen appliances like the oven and microwave.
To make deep cleaning more manageable, divide your tasks according to the space or the kind of job. You don’t have to do everything alone – you can hire professionals to take care of the carpets and the oven.
Once you’ve done the deep cleaning, all you need to do is a quick vacuum or dusting before you invite visitors for the rest of the season.
Making Space For Guests And Holiday Decorations
Unlike the McCallister family in the classic movie Home Alone, the majority of people do not live in a big mansion with plenty of extra rooms for visitors. You might not even have an area just for a Christmas tree!
As you continue to get ready for the upcoming holiday season, think about rearranging your furniture to create more space. Ensure there is enough room for futons and visitors to store their items. Additionally, put away any decorative items, sofa cushions, and other trinkets to create space for decorations.
Decorating Your Home Ahead Of The Holiday Season
Ignore the grinches who claim you can’t start to decorate your home for Christmas or other December holidays until December 1st. It’s your home! The earlier you get to decorating, the quicker you can cross another task off your to-do list. As you decorate, take note of the storage containers you use to hold your decorations. Are they deteriorating? Is it a challenge to locate the decorations you need?
Get yourself some clear, airtight plastic containers and label them. Some containers have dividers inside them to store the smaller, more fragile items in your ornament collection. Doing this will make finding your decorations much easier next year, and you won’t risk mildew ruining them.
After you’ve completed your holiday decorating, take a look at any extra decorations you have. Think about donating them and clearing up some space in your attic. This is the ideal moment to give them away, not wait until the holidays are over in January.
Meal Plan With What You Have
Beginning in October, you can find a wide selection of festive food items in grocery stores. It is wise to purchase any non-perishable goods that you need for the holiday season at this time. Create a list of all the treats you need to prepare and purchase them when possible.
Now is an excellent time to ensure you have enough dishes for all your guests and that your tray is large enough for the turkey. Remember to double-check where you put your Santa-shaped cookie cutters from last year!
You can also arrange an online grocery delivery a few weeks ahead of time to guarantee that the fresh items you want will be in stock.
Two Days Left: Have Everything Ready
If you are expecting visitors on December 24th, make sure to prepare their beds and leave out towels two days prior. If you’re throwing a New Year’s Eve celebration, set the table, organize your bar and prepare any party activities on the 29th.
You won’t be able to avoid those rushed trips to the store or mall before the special days. However, if you finish all the tasks you can two days in advance, you will save yourself a lot of stress.
Preparing For The Holidays Begins Today
Don’t wait until December to begin your preparations for the holiday season. The earlier you start cleaning and getting organized, the sooner you can sit back and enjoy the holidays in a clutter-free and decorated home. In need of assistance to clear out the mess?