Tips on How To Prepare Your Home for Holiday Guests

Is your home ready for holiday visits from friends and family? Here’s how to prepare for the invasion.

Even if you have a dedicated space for your guests, preparations for the troupes of visitors takes time and planning.

Prioritize

The day before guests arrive is no time to pull apart junk drawers and clean out linen closets. Declutter guest rooms and public areas - foyer, kitchen, living room, den, and dining room. Remove anything unnecessary from countertops, coffee tables, and ottomans. Here is a tip:

If you run short of time, bag up the clutter and store it in car trunks, basements, and out-of-the-way closets.

Light it Up: Even if you can walk thru your home blindfolded, remember that your guests can’t. Make sure your porch lights have fresh bulbs and consider adding motion-activated night lights in hallways, bathrooms, and bedrooms for anyone who might be sneaking to the kitchen for pie in the middle of the night. 

source: renovationconversation.com

Kid Safe: Ask your visitors with small children to bring hardware that keeps their small ones safe, such as baby gates and cabinet locks. Transfer toxic cleaners and medicines from base to wall cabinets.

Make a Good Impression

Your home’s foyer is the first place guests see.
· Polish and tighten door hardware, and oil hinges to prevent squeaks.
· Remove scratches from hardwood floors, stairs, and wood railings.
· Select a large Welcome mat for your front door to protect floors from mud and snow.
· Clear out shoes, umbrellas, and other clutter from your entryway closets.

Prep Kitchen

If you are like us, your Kitchen is the Home Base. It is where everyone will congregate throughout the day and evenings.

· Consider moving your coffee station in to your dining room so guests have more room to roam.
· If you like to visit while you’re cooking, place extra stools and chairs around the perimeter of your kitchen so guests can relax if they aren’t going to help.

source: PotteryBarn.com

Sleeping Arrangements
· While it may be simple, don’t forget to change those sheets and shake out the comforters.
· Make sure lamps are in working order & there are batteries in the remote for TVs.

Bathrooms
· Be sure to be well stocked with toilet paper, towels, and travel sized toiletries
· Fresh Towels are always a thoughtful idea ;-)
· Also, outfit each tub with a bath mat (to avoid falls) and each toilet with a plunger (to avoid embarrassment).

Original Article By: Lisa Kaplan Gordon