Free your holidays from problems by fixing up your home

With just a few simple steps to get your house in order, you can de-stress, save time and money so you’re ready to enjoy the holidays! These steps are not difficult. They take a bit of time and some effort, but they don’t have to overwhelm you. Set aside a week or so and when you’re done, you can feel good about your home and be ready to welcome your vacation guests.

Cut, chop! It’s time to get moving.

1. First take stock of the kitchen.

This is your command center or hub for the holidays. What does your “junk drawer” look like? Do you need to organize yourself a bit? Write, think, a little out of it? How about putting a cutlery tray in this drawer to help you organize? Throw out everything that doesn’t have to be there. Arrange it in your favor so that you can quickly find the ribbon to wrap gifts or a pen to write a message.

Kitchen utensils at your fingertips

There are so many cute and clever ideas to store your kitchen utensils like spatulas, whisks, etc… in a place where you don’t have to look for them. This will save you time when you are cooking and preparing meals in the kitchen. If you haven’t done this, please take the time to do this task. If you prefer to hang your kitchen utensils, go ahead! Whatever works best for you.

look in the pantry

Do you see? Do you want to run and hide? There is no need. You can get this into shape in no time! You can find cheap sneakers at a thrift or dollar store. Organize pasta, bake items, snacks, etc…and label your baskets. Put the basics like flour, sugar, in glass jars. Do you have canning jars? Also use them to organize your pantry. Try to find bins around your home so you don’t spend a lot of money on organizing bins. The point is to get organized so you don’t waste time searching and searching for the things you need! It will also look so chic that you will want people to look in your pantry!

Supply

Stock your kitchen with plenty of cooking staples like flour, sugar, chocolate chips, snacks, etc. Prepare some casseroles that you can freeze ahead of time and take out at any time. Wouldn’t it be a great feeling not to have to run to the store every time you need something to cook? You’ll have your own grocery and candy store for your family and guests saving you time and money because you won’t be tempted to buy more than you should for those last minute trips to the store.

2. Time to share your excess

room inventory

Take a basket or box and walk through each room in your house. Are there things sitting in the corners that are growing there? Look around each room. What doesn’t need to be there? What could you really do without? Many times “less is more” as they say. Gather the things you don’t need and put them in your basket or box. They say if you share, they give you back. Couldn’t you use some blessings in your life? There are many charities and good causes that you can give your unwanted junk to.

Rental Center

Put everything you’ve decided to get rid of in the same place. Select a location in your home closest to where you can charge it in your car. If you have furniture to share, find a truck (if you don’t have one) that you can borrow and arrange to take a trip to your local thrift store to donate and drop off all your clutter or things you don’t need at once.

family night

Get your kids and husband involved. Ask them to go through their stuff too while you do it. Tell them that your goal is to have the house ready so you can enjoy the holidays with them. Have treats on hand at the end of the night so you can indulge and make memories. Turn it into a game and make it fun! Good way to teach children that work can be fun and rewarding.

3. Fix it up!

Okay, grab a pad and paper. Walk through each room and see what absolutely needs to be spruced up or updated for the holidays. Sit down with your husband or, if it’s just you, decide what your budget will allow and fix only those things that can’t wait until after the holiday guests arrive.

4. Clean with Taste!

Take one day per room and clean it with pleasure! Clean above door frames, baseboards, windows, etc… get the family involved again. They can take care of their own rooms and choose a “vacation” room for the next fun time of year. If you need to wash the curtains, do so or simply lower them and shake them out or run them in the dryer to remove dust. Whatever your idea about cleaning, make it work for you. Do it now so you don’t feel overwhelmed.

5. Stock up on the basics

bathroom necessities

Do you have TP? You don’t want to be caught without it, so when you go to the store to stock your kitchen, pack plenty of toilet paper, towels, hand soap, shampoo, toothpaste, body wash, etc. Stock each of your bathrooms with the necessities You don’t have to go overboard, but little touches tell your guests how much they mean to you when you stock their bathrooms to make them as comfortable as possible for them to enjoy.

bedroom maintenance

Are the blankets cool? Clean sheets? If you need to plug in air fresheners or burn nice smelling candles to make sure your house smells great. A quick and natural air freshener is to put 2 cups of water on the stove over low heat. Add an apple cut in half or into smaller pieces and sprinkle cinnamon into the water. Your house will soon smell like apple pie!

cozy fireplace

If you have a fireplace, make sure you have the woodpile stocked, plenty of hot cocoa on hand, and things to make a s’more bar so you can roast marshmallows in the fireplace. Have a place to put some fun games and great movies to watch too.

Now you are ready to face the holidays. By following these simple steps, you’ll feel ready to welcome family and friends into your home this holiday season. The best part is that you can enjoy it yourself and you will have taken steps to save time, which is money, and saved yourself some money preparing and preparing!

Bring on the holidays!