Get Your Home Ready for the Holidays
7 Ways You Can Prep
Don’t like the stress that comes with the holidays? Check out our advice to get your home prepared for the season, so you can relax and enjoy the holidays.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
The holidays are the season of joy and spending time with loved ones. But there’s a lot of work that goes into making them special occasions. If this time of year is usually an overwhelming time, then keep reading for our expert tips. We’re going over how to prepare your home for the holiday season to make everything a breeze.
Photo Credit: The Idea Room
Clean and declutter
First things first, you’ll want to deep clean and declutter your home. Yes, spring isn’t the only time for a solid deep cleaning – before the holidays is a great time too.
Deep clean the spaces that you might forget about during most of the year like
Windows
Curtains
Carpets and rugs
Sofas and chairs
Touch-up walls with paint
If you don’t have time for everything we recommend focusing on your kitchen so it’s ready for all the holiday cooking, baking, and hosting. Deep clean your stove, oven, microwave, and fridge. Clear out your pantry and cabinets and throw out any expired food. Also, focus on cleaning the common areas and rooms people will be spending time in.
When you’re cleaning your home, you’ll also want to focus on decluttering. Think about what you haven’t used in over a year and the things that are just taking up space. Put things you want to keep away in storage, and as for the things you don’t want donate anything that’s still in good condition.
Photo Credit: Getty Images (Left) & Kat Jamieson (Right)
Get Your Mud Room or Coat Closet Ready
Winter time means winter layers like jackets, scarves, coats, and boots. Think about preparing spaces in your home where your family and guests can store these items but are still easily accessible.
A mud room off your garage or entryway is a great way to keep the mess from outside contained. It also keeps everyone's winter gear organized so it doesn’t end up thrown across chairs or left on the floor. If you don’t have space for a mud room then ensure there’s enough room in your coat closet for your guest's and family's winter things.
Incorporate Winter and Holiday Accents
Whether you’re hosting a large group or just keeping things simple with your immediate family, nothing makes a home feel more festive and cheerful than holiday decor.
Add welcoming touches to your porch, entry, living, and dining areas. Wreaths, candles, and festive table settings are all ways to infuse the holiday spirit into your home. Gold and brass accents lend themselves to fostering a festive mood. Or take inspiration from your surroundings with evergreen garlands and pinecones accents.
Cozy up your inside spaces with seasonal throw blankets, pillows, and rugs. Plaid is one of those timeless patterns that instantly make a space feel wintery and warm.
Photo Credit: Pottery Barn
create a mood
When thinking about the tone and feel of your home during the holidays, there is more to it than getting out the seasonal décor. Think about how to engage your other senses as well.
Cheerful holiday music, winter scents, and a roaring fire all help create a celebratory atmosphere.
To fill your home with wintery fragrances, we recommend Homesick’s line delightful of holiday candles, along with Diptyque’s holiday collection of candles and diffusers.
Stock up on essentials
The holidays are a busy time of year, the last thing you want is to run out of something important while you’re in the middle of preparing a big holiday meal. That’s why you’ll want to ensure you’re home is stocked with all the essentials ahead of time, which will give you one less thing to worry about.
The areas to stock include your kitchen, pantry, and guest room(s).
Think about all the non-perishable items you’ll need on hand, like drinks, snacks, and any cooking and baking supplies. Also, consider supplies you’ll need if you’re hosting a meal or party, like dinnerware, serving dishes, and utensils, along with plenty of containers for leftovers.
If your friends and family will be staying overnight make sure your guest room (or rooms) are good to go with clean linens, extra blankets, toiletries in the bathroom(s), and anything else your guests may need to be comfortable.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Create a Holiday Gift-Wrapping Station
If prepping all your holiday gifts is always a little chaotic consider setting up a gift-wrapping station in your home to make gift-wrapping efficient and organized.
Designate a corner or nook in your home to be the gift-wrapping zone – home offices and lower-traffic rooms work well for this. To keep your wrapping paper, gift bags, and ribbons organized think about getting a gift wrap organizer. Otherwise, maybe you can transform a rolling kitchen cart, desk, or dresser into your gift-wrapping station.
Photo Credit: Janette Mallory
Plan Ahead of Time
The more you prepare in advance and tackle your tasks over time the less stressed you’ll be the day of. Remember that you don’t need to do everything yourself. Accept help and delegate some of the responsibilities to let others lighten the load.
And if everything doesn’t go according to plan, don’t worry. Remember to relax and enjoy yourself.
At KED we wish everyone a safe and cheerful holiday season, filled with love and joy!
Ready to get started? Contact us today to discuss your unique project goals and needs.
