Ho ho ho – here comes the holidays and the holiday guests! The holidays certainly snuck up on me, too… Family time is great with all the catching up, laughs and love. If you are the holiday host, you may be starting to feel a bit of overwhelm along with your excitement. It’s ok! We are here to help you prep your home like a pro. All you need is a little time and planning to get your home holiday ready to welcome your guests with a real smile, not the stressed out, fake smile…
6 Ways to Get Your Home Guest Ready
1. Declutter High Traffic Areas
Place your focus on the areas in your home that your guests will see and use the most. Think living room, kitchen and guest rooms. Clear out any unnecessary items to make the spaces open and inviting. You can place personal items in bins or baskets and tuck them away until the holidays are over. Your guests are bound to bring their things right? Let’s give them some room to really feel comfortable during their stay.
2. Create a Cozy Guest Area
This may be a separate room or maybe the couch. You may not have a designated guest room, and that’s ok! Make sure they have clean, fresh linens to sleep on. Clear out some closet and drawer space if possible for them to tuck their things in. If you don’t really have the extra space, set up a luggage stand or provide a clear area for suitcases. Keeping your guests’ items organized and out of the way helps you and them!.
3. Optimize Your Kitchen
The kitchen is a hot spot during the holidays and adding more people into the home gets it even hotter. You will need more free space. Start by clearing off your countertops, tucking away anything that isn’t needed or used often, like small appliances. Declutter and organize your fridge and pantry. Take inventory of what you have and might need…. make sure you don’t already have 5 open jars of pumpkin pie spices. These areas are about to be home to a ton of holiday ingredients and food. Yes, the leftovers are about to take over. Make room now to avoid clutter and disorganization when your house is full.
4. Refresh the Bathroom
The bathroom will also be a highly used area while you are hosting your guests. Make sure it’s clean and well stocked with essentials like toilet paper, hand soap and towels. Don’t overthink it. You don’t have to have color coordinated towel sets. Fresh and functional is the goal here. Fill a basket with toiletry essentials in case your guests forget their razor or toothpaste.
5. Ready the Entryway
As your guests enter your home, your entryway can quickly become a cluttered drop zone. Stay in front of this by prepping the area ahead of time. Remove any unnecessary personal belongings, like your four pairs of shoes that hang out there. This will help open the space for your guests coats, shoes and bag. Think about the potential for wet weather and have a mat or special area for wet shoes or umbrellas.
6. Holiday Vibes
If you go all out decorating for the holidays and this makes you happy, go for it! If it’s really not your thing that’s ok too. A simple door wreath, a bowl of ornaments and a few holiday pillows can give your home that cozy holiday feel. Even just a scented plug in can make the day shine and feel like the holidays. You can add some lights and holiday tunes to really set the mood. Sometimes less can really be more and it’s less to clean up later.
Hosting for the holidays can be stressful. Remember that the holidays are about spending time with your favorite people and soaking up all the love and laughter. It’s really not about having a perfectly organized and spotless house. Your guests are there to see you, not judge your home. Prep as much as you can, take a deep breath and enjoy your company and holidays!
If you need a hand prepping your home for holiday guests, we’re here to help!
Are you local to Winston-Salem, North Carolina and surrounding areas?
Contact Organized Jill for a complimentary consultation.