Helpful Hacks For A Stress-Free Holiday Season
It’s hard to believe, but the holidays are upon us once again. Soon enough, we’ll be picking apples for cider, hanging garland over the fireplace and welcoming family into our homes for a celebration.
And while the holidays can bring great cheer and joy, the impending arrival of family and friends can leave you feeling a bit overwhelmed. To avoid any unwanted stress, we suggest taking necessary steps to ensure your home is in tip-top shape before the festivities begin.
Read our tips below to make getting ready for this holiday season a little bit easier.
Make a Checklist
Before your guests arrive, assess your home to see what areas need attention. During this time you can also take inventory of what you can reuse from prior years’ festivities and what you’ll need to purchase.
Remember, though, taking on too many tasks can set you up for a stressful situation. Once your checklist is made, consider divvying up certain tasks that pertain to a family member’s talents and hobbies. Keep in mind that larger tasks take longer to finish, so be sure to give yourself, or the designated family member, plenty of time to successfully execute the job at hand.
Start Outside
The exterior of your home is the first thing guests will notice when they arrive for a holiday party or family meal. As such, you might consider giving your home’s exterior a little TLC.
A fresh layer of paint can upgrade any home’s exterior. And while you might not have time to paint the entire house, one or two layers of paint on your entryway can make your door pop. Try a seasonally colored accent wall for an unexpected dose of holiday cheer.
A well-groomed lawn is also important. Be sure to trim your bushes and shrubs as well as any low-hanging trees. If your lawn has a walkway, tidy up the edges. consider placing festive lights or outdoor ornaments alongside it. Small additions like these will help your guests feel like they’re walking into a winter wonderland.
Brighten up your home’s exterior by adding festive lights and outdoor ornaments. Highlight your roofline with energy efficient LED lights. Showcase your shrubs with net lighting. Line your walkways and driveway with lights mounted on stakes. Small additions like these will help your guests feel like they’re walking into a winter wonderland.
Next, Move Indoors
While family members typically spend the day playing outdoors in the backyard, you can be sure they’ll be gathered in the living room come nightfall.
To ensure your family and friends are comfortable, place extra pillows and blankets around the room. Take out your favorite board games to inspire some family competition, and set out a few holiday movie classics you know your family will enjoy.
Don’t forget about your home’s main bathroom. With guests moving in and out throughout the day, you’ll want to make sure it’s fully stocked with powder room necessities like extra toilet paper, toothbrushes, and other sanitary items. You can also add a seasonal candle to make the space more inviting.
Create Your Menu
It’s never too early to plan your holiday menu. With multiple guests attending, you’ll want to ask about any dietary needs or allergies. You can also ask family members which dish they’re most excited for. Understanding your guests’ preferences and allergies can help you prioritize certain menu items over others, which in the long run, can help eliminate unnecessary waste.
If you’re planning on serving turkey, consider pre-ordering the bird from your local market. The last thing you want to be worrying about is whether you have enough food for your guests.
Set aside some time so your children can help make cookies. Don’t worry about making them from scratch – purchase pre-made dough and sprinkles from the store and let your kids loose! Not only will that cross one item off your to do list, but also it will be a fun activity for the whole family.
Pre-planning your menu can be fun if it’s tackled with time to spare. Doing so lets you be creative and could even give you enough time to test a few trial options.
Let Us Be Your Holiday Helper
While small preparations—like swapping year-round tablecloths for seasonally inspired ones—are easily tackled, larger tasks—like hanging lights around your home’s exterior—is better left to the professionals.
For this upcoming holiday season, call ABC Home & Commercial Services to help make your holidays less stressful. From trimming your bushes and freshening up your lawn, to helping secure Rudolf on your roof, our licensed professionals can make prepping your home for the holidays a little easier.
Don’t wait too long, though! The holidays are just around the corner.