Prepping Your Home for the Holidays

Right now, pumpkins and fun-size candies are top of mind, but soon we’ll be entering tryptophan stupors and peppermint will replace pumpkin spice in our lattes. If you’re a department store, this has been on the radar since the Fourth of July, but many of us try to put off the oncoming holiday season as long as possible. Why? Easy: hosting the holidays is incredibly stressful for even the most Martha Stewart-y of us all.

It doesn’t have to be, though. A little early preparation can go a long way to make holiday gatherings fun instead of fundamentally frightening. Here are some quick tips to prep your home for the swarms of family and friends sure to descend on your humble abode at least once in the coming months.

Keep It Clean

When people visit a hotel or restaurant, you can be sure they will complain if the space isn’t clean. Congratulations – you get to think of your home as BOTH during the holidays, especially if you have family staying with you. That said, Rome wasn’t built in a day. You might not have a ton of time to prep before a big event, so prioritize what you clean. Guests probably won’t open the hall closet, but they will use the restroom. Focus on public areas first. If you run out of time, squirrel away clutter in hidden areas like car trunks (yours, not theirs), closets and basements. We won’t tell if you don’t.

Besides generally tidying up the house, make sure to clean the microwave, fridge and coffeemaker. Guests will probably use each of these on their own. Don’t clean the oven, though: the self-clean cycle is very stressful on the appliance, and if it’s already a little long in the tooth, it could fail on you just when it’s time to slide in that turkey. Clean the burner elements, but leave the rest alone until the final leftover dish has found its way into the fridge.

Call Me Mr. Fix-It

Make sure every appliance gets a thorough once-over before guests can find the chips in the armor. Clear blocked freezer and cold air vents in the fridge. Check the drain area in the dishwasher for debris. Tighten loose screws on handles – cabinet, drawer or otherwise. Inspect the toilet for poor flushing action or flushing on its own. Replace any and all burned out light bulbs. Essentially, if it’s on the honey-do list, honey do it.

Safety is also important to consider when bringing guests into your home. Change smoke detector batteries and slap some double-sided tape on that slippery rug in the entryway. Child-proofing the home can also be critical if some guests are on the younger side. Move lamps, vases and other heavy items away from table edges. Also consider covering outlets, blocking stairwells and removing choking hazards. Nothing dampens the holiday cheer like the Heimlich.

Preparation H(oliday)

Consider yourself a holiday Boy Scout – you need to be ready for anything. Empty the vacuum cleaner canister or replace the bags so it’s ready if you suddenly need to suck up a mess. Keep toilet paper, tissues, paper towels and cloth towels out in the open to clean up the messes the vacuum can’t tackle. In the kitchen, check the oven temperature for accuracy. The last thing you want is a charcoal turkey to present to the family. Sharpen knives ahead of time so you can slice through the bird like a pro.

Stack firewood a few days early so its dry by the time someone suggests roasting chestnuts on an open fire. Speaking of fire, keep an extinguisher in the kitchen, and make sure it’s not expired. In the same vein, double-check the first aid kit. Burn cream, ice packs, and bandages are a must. Jumper cables are also a great precaution; the car with the dead battery will undoubtedly be the one blocking everyone in.

With a little prep ahead of time, you can avoid the hectic stress of having guests over – and prevent a holiday mishap or two. When all this is out of the way before the first guest ever steps foot on the welcome mat, you may find yourself (gasp!) having a little time to socialize and enjoy yourself. If you’ve recently moved into a GCD home, you’ll need the extra free time to give your family and friends the grand tour. Let someone else tie on that apron – you’ve got granite countertops and master bathrooms to show off!