Seven Tips to Prepare Your Home for Holiday Guests

Your decorations are up. You’ve bought a few gifts. You may even have your holiday cards addressed. Now that the holiday season is in full swing, it is time to focus on this year’s hosting responsibilities. If you’ll be welcoming friends and family into your home this season, save yourself some stress and start to prepare early!

Since this gift-giving season is a list-making season, we’re providing you with a helpful holiday checklist that will help you prepare your home for all of your festive happenings. Read our list and check it twice. Once you complete these seven tasks, you’ll be sure everyone (including you) is feeling nice!

1. De-ice walkways and driveways.

Whether your guests are staying for dinner or a few days, you want to be sure they make it into your home safely. In this season of cold and snow, it is important for homeowners to keep sidewalks, porches and driveways clear of snow and ice. Pre-treat these surfaces so winter weather does not catch you off guard.

2. Keep your home well-lit.

The last thing you want to do when you’re entertaining guests is repair broken holiday lights. So, don’t pull a scene from one of your favorite holiday films. Ensure your holiday lights are properly working before guests arrive. Take it a step further by putting this year’s light display on a timer. That way, you can simply sit back and admire your beautiful, hard work with your guests!

3. Make space for cold weather gear. 

In warmer months, it is easy to let your coat closets get filled with just about everything but coats. If you’re planning to welcome family and friends into your home this holiday season, clean out your closets or entryway to make room for heavy coats, extra sweaters and wet shoes. There is nothing festive about tripping over stacks of coats and shoes that are left out.

4. Show your HVAC unit some love.

If you haven’t done so already this fall, it is time to perform a little home maintenance on your heating and cooling unit. You don’t want to have a house full of guests and no heat! On the opposite end of that spectrum, you don’t want your house full of guests to be too hot either. Be sure to turn the heat down a bit while you’re entertaining. 

5. Overstock your bathrooms.

Not only should you make sure that you have more than enough toilet paper and tissues on hand (and easily accessible) for holiday guests, but you can really impress them by keeping a few extras out, too. Fill a small basket with lotion, deodorant and even dental floss. Guests will love it and be particularly glad they didn’t have to ask for any of those items.

6. Add seasonal scents.

A fresh evergreen. A warm fireplace. Home-baked cookies. Don’t you wish your home could always smell like the holidays? Well, it can with a few seasonal candles. Don’t be afraid to infuse your home with a little help. Pick up some of your favorite candles or diffusers and put them to work to add that extra touch of holiday spirit to your home.

7. Ensure you have ample seating.

When it comes time for you to open your door to guests, do yourself a favor and add a few extra seats. The holiday season is all about relaxing with family and friends. You may think you’ve got plenty of seating space in your home. But, when your home is full of guests, you don’t want anyone to feel like they’re playing musical chairs in order to find somewhere comfortable to sit.

Follow the seven tips on this checklist so you have an opportunity to sit and relax with your holiday guests this season!