5 Easy Ways To Ready Your Home For The Festive Season

Christmas is almost upon us – only one month away, in fact! And, rather than leaving things for the last minute, try to get your home ready for the season’s festivities now. There are several ways you can prepare for the fun and games that are coming. And Christmas Eve is stressful enough without worrying about whether or not you have enough roller towel. For the next few weeks, you’re likely to be busy at work, busy with the kids, and busy with last-minute Christmas shopping. That’s why they call it the silly season. But, if you spend some time getting your home ready now, there’ll be one thing already ticked off the list. Here are 5 easy ways to get your home ready for the festive season…

5 ways to get your home ready for the festive season

1). Tidy up

Normally spend the last few minutes before guests arrive frantically putting things away and clearing surfaces? If you get into the habit of clearing the clutter now, the house will be that much easier to keep tidy when things get a bit chaotic. Try to make your way through each room – especially rooms where guests are likely to gather – and put away anything that doesn’t need to be there. And, in the spirit of Christmas, donate what you don’t need. A bonus? A tidy house has more space for those festive season decorations that make the season even more special.

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2). Stock up

It’s time to plan ahead and make a list of things you’re likely to need plenty of over the festive season. No one likes doing a last-minute dash to the shops because you’ve run out of toilet paper. In the kitchen, stock up on items like serviettes, cling wrap and bin bags. In the bathroom, it’ll never hurt to have a few extra towels and bars of soap. Not to mention that toilet paper. Store spare goods in boxes or woven baskets so they don’t look unsightly. If you’re opening presents at your place, have a few sets of batteries available in case kids get presents they want to play with immediately, or the Christmas tree lights start playing up half way through the festivities. And, because it’s summer and mosquito season, a few bottles of mozzi spray around the house won’t go amiss.

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3). Check the bathroom

It seems odd but, over the holidays, this is the most-used room in the house. If you’re having people over, or if friends are staying at your place for a few days, make sure the bathroom is spick and span – ahead of time. Clear the shelves of those almost-empty toiletries and throw away the barely-there bars of soap. Make people feel at home with fresh bottles of hand wash and lotion. And buy an extra set of shampoo and conditioner for the shower. If the guests don’t end up using it, you can keep it for yourself. Matching towels also make a bathroom feel more luxurious, so think about making this small extra purchase. And, like the shampoo and conditioner, after the holidays are over the luxe towels can make their way to your bathroom, too.

ALSO SEE: 7 Budget-Friendly Ways To Luxe Up Your Bathroom

4). Check the garden

Our South African festive season is hot. Very hot. So you’ll probably do most of your entertaining outside on the patio or in the garden. Even if you’re just having a small get-together with immediate family, it’s worth taking a pre-Christmas stroll though the garden to see what needs doing. Spend a few afternoons digging out weeds that might have popped up, and rake up the bedraggled leaves. Then, give everything a good watering. Want to take it a step further? Fertilise lawn and plants in the weeks leading up to the holidays, so everything is healthy and blooming. It’ll create an inviting outdoor look and you can pick a few beautiful flowers for your festive table. Cost free!

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5). Create a festive atmosphere

Your home is neat and tidy, the garden is glistening. Now the last step is to amplify that heart warming festive atmosphere. In the next few weeks, hop onto Spotify and create a special holiday playlist. Mix up the Christmas carols and festive tracks with a few non-holiday songs – just for the sake of variety. Of course, it wouldn’t be Christmas without an embarrassing number of wreaths and trees decorating the house. No need to be bashful about your baubles, this year everyone could do with some extra holiday joy. And, if you don’t spend the festive season baking biscuits, you can still create that special Christmas scent with unique candles or room diffusers. We love the Yankee Candle Cinnamon Stick from R375.

Happy holidays, all!