With the holidays approaching, you’ll probably have house guests. You might find yourself tempted to do what 60% of people do – shut the doors to certain rooms, so the guests can’t see the mess and dirt. Instead of resorting to closing off your house, you can use these tips to get your house ready.
Tackle the Big Stuff Now
Consider your home and its readiness to host overnight or all-day guests. After an honest appraisal, admit to yourself if your home might need one of the three most common home projects – bathroom renovations, interior paint touch-ups, or new flooring. You’ll need to have these projects done quickly.
Paint the Rooms that Need It
If your home only needs a paint job, you can do it yourself for just the cost of paint and equipment. If you want a professional to paint the rooms, you’ll pay about $400 to $600 for each bedroom. If you need a two-story foyer painted, expect to pay $1,200 to $2,500.
Prepare The Guest Rooms
Prepare your guest bedrooms and bathrooms. Make it simple to get ready in the morning. Space out the bed and dresser. Provide a full-length mirror so guests can check their appearance. Place a plunger in the bathroom, so guests can unstop a toilet or the sink if it backs up. Remember to place extra toilet paper in the bathroom.
Write down or print out the household Wi-Fi password. Make attractive notecards for it or write it on a chalkboard. Adding a multiport USB charger to the top dresser drawer can help a guest whose charger breaks or who forgets theirs. Also, provide a Bluetooth speaker to help your guests entertain themselves.
Provide Extra Linens in the Closets
Stock the closet with clean sheets, extra blankets, pillowcases, and comforters. Also, provide a selection of pillows of different sizes and shapes, so guests can have a comfortable sleep. If the guest room has its own bathroom, stock it with extra towels, otherwise, stock the closet with extra towels for them. If you buy new towels, launder them before you add them to your guest room.
Offer Little Extras
Provide a laundry basket to help your guests manage their clothing. Also, set up a luggage stand in the closet to give your guests hotel-like amenities. Place night lights to help guests find their way around the bathroom, bedroom, and find their way to the kitchen. Add a portable fan to any guest room that doesn’t have a ceiling fan. Stock up two baskets with goodies. One basket holds water and snacks, while the other basket holds toiletries. It’s also a good idea to stock up on extra menstrual care products.
Declutter
If you’re strapped for time, have a maid service clean the house top to bottom. Otherwise, you sweep, mop, vacuum, dust, clean ceiling fans, and wash sheets and blankets. Remove items you no longer need or that don’t fit with the holiday décor. This process gives you room for your Christmas presents, too.
Prepare Your Kitchen Appropriately
Since you will cook some major holiday meals in your kitchen, you need to organize the room and prepare for baking and cooking. Clean the ovens using the self-cleaning feature. Clean out your refrigerator and freezer. Degrease counter surfaces and oven stovetop services. It’s also a good idea to have extra coffee, tea, grab-and-go breakfast items, and snacks on hand.
Prepping your home for holiday guests is a task that you need to start sooner rather than later. With this checklist in hand, you’ll be able to get everything done without any issues.
