Thanksgiving 2018 has come and gone already. That means that Christmas will be here in the blink of an eye, and I think we are all just wondering where the year went!
Are you going to be hosting family or friends this season? Maybe stressing a little about making your home presentable for the occasion? Take a peek at our quick guide below for preparing your home to host this holiday. We have a number of Home Services vendors that can help make this time of year less demanding and more enjoyable!
Clean, clean, CLEAN
Yes, this is the most obvious, and probably most annoying, but it’s a pretty important one. Whether you rarely clean or you keep your home exceptionally tidy, now is the time to pay special attention to areas that might not get a regular scrubbing.
- Walk around with a sponge and soft cloth to touch up walls and baseboards you’ve walked past a few times and thought, “I’ll get to that”.
- Spend extra time on the guest bath, clearing off the vanity except for a scented candle or fresh flowers. Now is the time to bring out the fancy hand soap, people.
- Vacuum and mop every room, people notice dirty floors!
- Clean furniture that guests will be sitting on and spritz them with a fabric freshener a few hours before they arrive (you don’t want to do it immediately before or the smell will be too strong).
- While it’s understandable you sometimes need to stuff clutter you don’t have time to organize into drawers, don’t leave a mess in bedrooms or areas you don’t expect guests to go. You never know when someone will ask for a tour, or an emergency warrants the use of your master bathroom.
If you absolutely despise or do not have time for these daunting tasks, book a deep cleaning session with one of our approved cleaning services. They will have your home looking beautiful in no time!
Decorate & De-clutter
This pretty much goes hand in hand with cleaning but requires a bit more creativity. Of course, you already plan to pull out the boxes of holiday decor and trim the tree. If some of your pieces have seen better days, purchase new to class it up a bit. Focus on the dining table, guest bath, or other areas your company will notice small details. Make sure not to squeeze this seasonal ornamentation in with what you already have displayed on the mantel, shelves, or walls. Switch things out and tuck away your everyday decor until January. While doing all this shifting and reorganizing, examine the feel of your home. Have styles or your tastes changed? Start a donation box to place items that no longer fit your vision or are just cluttering your home. Less is definitely more and simple is more pleasant to look at. I also suggest looking into hiring one of our interior designers and/or de-cluttering experts if you really want to make a change that will last beyond the holidays.
Have your floors professionally cleaned
Remember in the first section I mentioned that people notice dirty floors? They really do. If you have carpet in your home, you should be having it professionally cleaned AT LEAST once a year anyway, so this is the perfect reason to book the appointment. I know that some would rather have their carpets cleaned AFTER the guests have cleared out, and that makes sense too. Either way, our approved carpet cleaners can get you on the schedule. If you’re like me and accepted that this is the year your current carpet has extended its useful life, you might be surprised how quickly our flooring companies can install affordable flooring for you. Don’t forget that hardwood, tile & grout should also be professionally cleaned to get off any residue left behind by your favorite cleaner or that deep layer of grime that elbow grease can’t handle. If your hardwoods need to be brought back to life, check out our approved refinishing vendors here.
Give common areas a fresh coat of paint
This is actually a pretty easy one, considering how much of a difference it can make. If your color scheme is dated, take this opportunity to modernize. It will really brighten up your living space! Focus on the family room, guest baths, and definitely the kitchen. At the very least, dig out the leftover paint and do some touch-ups where needed. While it’s an easy task, it can easily become a lengthy one. Luckily we have a fantastic list of reputable painters to hire instead.
These are only four small projects that will make a huge impact on the look and feel of your home this holiday season. We have over 175 Home Services vendors that can help you thoroughly maintain your favorite investment. Please don’t hesitate to call our office Monday-Friday at (317) 472-2600 to receive personalized recommendations. Happy Holidays!
