The holiday season is quickly approaching, and if you’re planning on doing any type of entertaining or hosting, it’s time to start preparing your home. Whether you’re planning on hosting large dinner parties or smaller gatherings, there are several things you’ll need to do to get your home ready. Below is a list of ways to prepare your home for the holiday season.
Tackle Large Tasks Early
Since the pandemic, many families have continued to grow in size. Now that people are becoming more comfortable gathering in larger groups, you may want to take on a renovation in your home to create more space for your family. This could be something as small as turning an extra room into a spare bedroom, or something as big as refinishing your basement to have a larger space for entertaining. Either way, these projects can be pricey and time-consuming. For larger projects, consider looking into how refinancing your mortgage works to help cover the costs. Not only will refinancing help you pay for your projects, but it could also lower your overall monthly mortgage payment, putting more cash in your pocket for other expenses. For smaller less expensive projects you may want to just use cash or a low-interest credit card. If you choose a credit card, make sure that you can afford to pay off the balance before you are charged any interest.
Prepare Your Entertaining Space
When getting your home ready for the holidays, you’ll want to ensure that your main entertaining space is clean and safe with enough room for everyone to relax comfortably. You’ll want to start by decluttering and decorating your space. Next, rearrange any furniture to make space for all of your guests to be comfortable. This is a great time to consider new furniture options if you need more seating or dining space. Maybe you’re interested in a larger sofa or sectional or possibly a new dining room set so you can invite over more guests. Whatever your needs, you can find it at the CORT Furniture Outlet. We offer gently used furniture made with quality and longevity in mind to give you the best quality for the lowest price.
Clean and Stock Your Kitchen
The kitchen will be the heart of your home no matter where your guests are hanging out during your holiday parties. Start preparing now so that you’ll have less to worry about while you’re entertaining. Give your kitchen a good deep clean and test out any appliances. You’ll need to make sure that they are in good working order. You’ll also want to restock your pantry with any holiday essentials so that you have everything on hand that you may need. Another tip is to avoid putting your oven in “clean mode” during the holidays, as this could result in damaging it. No one wants a broken oven during the holidays.
Inspect Your Bathrooms
If you’re entertaining during the holidays, you’ll obviously have more guests at your house than normal. You’ll want to give your bathrooms a good inspection well beforehand to make sure that they’re in good working order before entertaining guests. This involves doing a deep clean, checking all your drains for clogs, and inspecting your toilets to make sure there are no issues. It’s a good idea to do this as early as you can just in case there is an issue, you’ll have ample time to fix it. The last thing you want to worry about during your holiday party is a broken toilet. Finally, you’ll want to stock your bathrooms with anything your guests may need, as well as any decorations and air fresheners to bring in the holiday theme.
Child and Pet-Proof Everything
Creating a safe environment for your children and pets is important all year long, but especially during the holidays. With all the decorations and commotion going on in your home, it can be easy to overlook certain things, which leaves room for your children or pets to hurt themselves or damage your home. There are many ways to protect your pets and children during the holidays, but some key practices are keeping flammable objects out of reach, securing your Christmas tree or any other decorations, and avoiding the use of any toxic materials. It’s also a good idea to have a separate room in the house where the kids can go play away from anything potentially dangerous, or a room for your pets to get away from any overstimulation that could scare them.
Entertaining during the holiday season doesn’t have to be a stressful experience. If you plan ahead and take the appropriate steps to ensure your family and friends have safety and comfort, you‘ll have an easy and enjoyable time all season.
