How To Prepare Your Home For The Festive Season

Christmas is the best time of the year!

Christmas is all about spending time with family and creating new memories. But it can also be the most stressful time of year if you aren’t prepared.

There are never-ending to-do lists, shopping trips and functions to attend. Plus you have to prepare and plan for guests and Christmas entertaining at home.

If you have a family, your home might need a bit of work to get cleaned, organised and prepared for the festive season. This post is going to go over tips to help you get your home Christmas ready for whatever the holiday season has in store.

By focusing on getting organised with these tips in advance you will be able to relax and enjoy Christmas with your loved ones.

Declutter ruthlessly

Decluttering is the number one thing you need to do first when preparing for Christmas. When you clear your clutter you clear your mind. Cleaning clutter will help you feel organised and fresh for the oncoming busyness.

Before there is an onslaught of Christmas gifts in the house, set aside an afternoon to purge anything from your house that you no longer use or need. Be ruthless with this!

Check for items that are broken or out of place and ask yourself whether you’re clinging onto things for irrational reasons. Focus on getting rid of things that are taking up valuable space. Spaces that are free of clutter look bigger and cleaner. Plus getting rid of the clutter will create extra space for new gifts and for your guests.

After you have done your decluttering you may need some help with junk removal. Post a junk removal task on ezy peazy to connect with junk removal specialists near you!

Reorient your living room

Assess your living area and rearrange it to make it more Christmas friendly if needed. Centre the living area around your tree and fireplace (if you have one) and make it more social. Move the TV out of the room and create more cosy spaces for sitting with couches, cushions, bean bags and blankets.

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Clean any neglected spaces

Before the madness really sets in, give any neglected spaces in your house a good clean. This will make your home feel fresh and ready for your dazzling decorations. Clean windows, light fixtures, dust all surfaces, clean carpets and wash the curtains.

Pay particular attention to your guest rooms which may have been neglected for some time.

If you need professional help with cleaning, head over to ezy peazy and post a Christmas cleaning task today!

Get the kitchen ready

The kitchen is the heart of the home! This is especially true at Christmas so it is important to make sure your kitchen is prepared for the festive season. Over Christmas, you are likely to spend more time in the kitchen than anywhere else in your home so you will want it to be organised and ready for your guests.

If you plan on cooking Christmas lunch and hosting guests, preparing your kitchen is essential. First of all clean out the fridge from any food that is expired or unused. Do the same in your pantry to make way for all the Christmas goodies that are about to descend on your house. Then given the fridge and oven a deep clean.

Plan ahead of time the meals you want to make and all the ingredients that you will need. Be organised and purchase things ahead of time and schedule in your calendar time to go and do the shopping for fresh produce. Figure out what food can be made in advance and make it beforehand to save yourself some stress.

Do a kitchen audit and make sure you have all the appliances, utensils and pots and pans that you need to prepare your Christmas meals. Clear out any clutter from your kitchen bench, cupboards and drawers.

Also, be prepared for entertaining by stocking up your pantry and freezer with food so you can host guests at the drop of a hat.

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Clean the floors

Giving every corner of your floors a good clean may seem daunting, it is an important thing to do to get your house ready for Christmas.

Vacuum and mop any hard floors and give all your carpet a good deep clean. If you need professional help with cleaning your floors and carpets, head over to ezy peazy and post a cleaning task. One of our cleaning professionals in your area will be able to help!

Festive decorations

Christmas isn’t complete without festive decorations inside and outside your home. Don’t make the mistake of waiting until the last minute to get your Christmas decorations sorted, you will be way too busy to even think about it.

Try and have your decorations at least purchased and organised before the holidays. You will also avoid the mad rush at the shops by doing this!

When decorating your home for Christmas here are some ideas to get your home in the festive spirit:
    • Fairy lights for inside and outside your home
    • Wreaths
    • Christmas themed ornaments eg. Reindeer, Santas, nativity scenes, angels
    • Christmas table decorations eg candle holders, napkin holders, table settings
    • Christmas stockings
    • Candles with festive scents
    • Tea lights
    • Pine cones and mistletoe
    • Festive kitchenware like sparkling glassware, aprons, tea towels and napkins

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Prepare your house for guests

If you are having guests come and stay with you over Christmas make sure your house is fully prepared before they arrive.

Get your spare bedroom ready by tidying it up and making sure there are enough sheets, blankets, pillows and towels for everyone. This will give you a chance to get anything you need for your guests before they arrive. Prepare your guest bedroom with essentials like shampoo, soap, conditioner, toothpaste and towels.

If you don’t have enough bedrooms for your guests make a plan for where they will be sleeping and how it will logistically work. Ensure you have air mattresses or fold-out couches with blankets and pillows ready to go.

By taking the time to prepare your home for your guests they will feel welcome and comfortable in your home!

Prepare supplies for entertaining

When you have guests coming over for Christmas it is important you have everything you need for hosting them. Make sure you have enough tablecloths, glasses, plates, serving plates, bowls and spoons plus cutlery for everyone.

If you have special tableware stored for special occasions now is the time to get it out and clean and polish it for your guests.

Doing this in advance means if you don’t have enough supplies for entertaining you will have plenty of time to get them organised before Christmas!

Prepare the Christmas dining table

The dining table at Christmas is very important and becomes a focal point for feasting and celebrations. So it is important that you have your dining table sorted for the festive season.

Ensure there is enough space around the table for everyone to sit comfortably. Get extra fold-out tables and chairs ready if required.

Make sure you have the right table settings for the number of people with plates, cutlery, glasses, serviettes, Christmas crackers and any other festive touches. Get the Christmas table prepared and set in advance to make your home look beautiful and festive for when your family and friends arrive.

If you are hosting a large number of people it may be worth hiring dining wear, tables and chairs for the Christmas season!

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Fill your pantry with Christmas treats

If there is one thing you need on Christmas it is plenty of festive treats and booze. Make sure your pantry and liquor cabinet is fully stocked ahead of time to take away any extra stress when you have guests arriving.

Great things to have on hand at Christmas include chocolates like scorched almonds and Ferrero Rocher, festive biscuits, champagne, Christmas puddings, chips, crackers and other food for platters, champagne and Baileys. Yum!

Get in the garden

In New Zealand, Christmas time means summer is taking hold so get your outdoor area sorted.
Get the lawns mowed, garden weeded, sweep away leaves and cobwebs. Get a nice outdoor seating area set up for Christmas.

Take it to the next level by having a summer barbeque and outdoor fire. If you don’t want to invest in an outdoor fire get some outdoor gas heaters so you can enjoy the New Zealand summer evenings. It is also worth getting some mosquito-repelling candles or incense!

Delegate jobs to the family

Christmas is all about family and spending quality time with each other. If you are busy organising everything for Christmas you will miss out on this special time! That is why it is important to make sure everyone in the family is pulling their weight and helping out.

Delegate tasks to your kids, they might not do it to your standards but they will definitely be able to help. They will also feel proud of their contributions. The best tasks for the kids include helping to set up or make decorations and help with cooking meals (depending on their age). Don’t forget you can use Santa as a bribe at Christmas!

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Christmas is truly the most magical time of year where you get to celebrate life together as a family. Take the rush and stress out of Christmas by being organised.

Following these simple steps to get your house prepared for the festivities will ensure Christmas runs smoothly and everyone has an incredible and memorable time!