Getting Your Home Ready This Month's Holidays

You are ready to decorate your home, have guests over and enjoy festive celebrations but getting your home ready for the holidays and making space for all the extras can sometimes feel very overwhelming. Here are some simple and easy tips to begin getting your home ready for the holidays and making some extra space.

Swap stuff - Sometimes the best thing you can do to make your home feel less cluttered and more festive is to swap out some of your regular decor items for some of the holiday items.  This can go well beyond changing out your typical center piece for a dish filled with pine cones and poinsettias. Switching your regular towels for fun and festive ones is also a good start. Take the swap even further by putting away some of your regular decor pieces and bringing out the seasonal ones. You can even go so far as to swap pictures on the walls for those with a holiday theme.

Declutter - When bringing out holiday decor or even just having more people in your house, it is easy to feel more cluttered and claustrophobic. Getting your home ready for the holidays and making extra space may be as simple as disposing of the extra magazines and clearing off the tops of counters and surfaces. While you are at it, be sure to find alternative places for non-essentialitems that take up space on the floors. 

Move the Furniture - When bringing in large decorations, such as Christmas trees, it may be necessary to rearrange furniture or temporarily locate one or two pieces in other rooms.  If space doesn't allow for the gifts to be displayed under the tree throughout the season, put down a nice tree skirt and store the gifts until the night before they are opened.

Expand the Seating - Where will your guests sit? Go ahead and insert that table extension and bring out the spare chairs. You might also look around to see if there will be plenty of casual seating for non-meal time. For short stays, ottomans and temporary seating is fine. 

Coats and Purses - When it's time to open your home and all the guests arrive, have a plan for where coats and purses will be stored. This could be a spare bedroom or office that isn't in use. You might also consider purchasing a portable coat rack just to have on hand.

Guest Rooms - If you will be having guests stay, be sure to clear out the extra clutter in the guest rooms. You don't need to go overboard unless the guests are staying for an extended amount of time. For shorter stays, skip the closet and focus on the main space. A suitcase stand can be added for the convenience of your guests. Freshen linens and air out the room. Also be sure to stock plenty of extra guest items like toothpaste and shampoo just in case they forget.

Guest Room Alternatives - If you don't have enough (or any) guest rooms, consider adding sleeping space in the form of air mattresses or fold out couches. These can also add extra sleeping space for families with children.

Whether you have a small apartment or a spacious home, getting your home ready for the holidays and making space doesn't need to be impossible or challenging. Get creative with your environment and you'll quickly have the space you need. Or just give us a call and we'll be happy to help!