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Is your home ready for holiday guests?
Ah… the holidays… There is nothing like the threat … dread … anticipation of holiday guests to remind you of all the things that need to be done around the house. Not just the deep cleaning – when was the last time you changed the sheets in the guest bedroom? – and decorating, but all those little projects that you wanted to get done this year but weren’t able too. Why didn’t I paint the dining room this year like I wanted too? And the carpet really should have been replaced this year.
Well, it’s too late to start painting walls, replacing tubs or pulling up floors. But there are a few things you can do with the little time left before Christmas that will help to make your home look refreshed.
Here are a few ways to quickly make your house look refreshed for guests:
Front Porch / Doorway
It’s winter time so everything is barren and, well, blah. Add a few pops of evergreen to your porch. A pair of lighted evergreen trees flanking the door would help.
If your door is a light color, pressure wash it. Or just scrub it with a good ol’ fashioned sponge and soapy water. Our door is white and it gets so grimy. Scrubbing it down makes it look so refreshed. Then it’s ready for a beautiful wreath!
This time of the year, with all the extra darkness, always reminds me how essential good pathway lighting in the front of the house is!
Living Room / Den
It’s a little late for all new living room furniture before the holidays. But you can refresh what you have. Couch covers are inexpensive and can also protect your furniture from holiday spills by your second cousin’s “I can do it myself” toddler. We have a big brown recliner and while it’s comfortable, it darkens the whole corner of the room. I was able to find a recliner cover with armrest covers in a tan that looks well with the room and turns the recliner into an object that blends in – not one that stands out.
New throw pillows can bring new life to a couch. Or you can even buy throw pillow covers to temporarily change the look of your current pillows!
Carpet in the house? It might be a good time to rent a carpet shampooer (if you don’t have one already) and give the carpets a once over. It’s amazing how much better things look against clean carpet!
Kitchen
I know you’re probably kicking yourself for not getting those engineered marble countertops put in like you wanted to this year. Let’s get through the holidays and you can make it one of your 2020 plans. As soon as the holidays are over, check out Premier Surfaces and see what they can do for you. But right now, let’s focus on what we can do. Sometimes, a room like the kitchen just needs a thorough cleaning. Every nook and cranny. Dust the top of the fridge, clean the vent at the base of the fridge, wipe down cabinet doors, scrub the range. Clean the window to let more sunlight in and add some fresh greenery to the window sill. Now, see? Doesn’t that look better already?
Bathrooms
This is the one room that we want to make sure is extra guest ready because they’ll know if it’s not. After a thorough cleaning, add some candles next to the sink and a basket of guest necessities on the counter so they can find things like washcloths, extra bath tissue, soap and things they will need during their stay.
Want to go the extra mile in the bathroom? Freshen it up with a new shower curtain and bath mat.
Guest Bedrooms
I don’t think I have to tell you to put fresh, new sheets on the beds for guests. But how about hanging a robe in the guest rooms for your guests’ use? And place some books or magazines on the bedside table that you think they might enjoy during their stay. Make sure lamps have light bulbs for bedside reading!
I try not to use too many chemical scents in the house, but I love the smell of real things. A pot of Rosemary or Lavender (or both) can freshen up a bedroom. Or cut some springs and put in a vase if you don’t want the whole plant in there. (Just change the water often!)
What are your tried and true ways for freshening up the house before guests arrive for the holidays?
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