Tips for preparing your home for guests this holiday season

By Kirstie Boone

Holidays are right around the corner!  With Hanukkah, Christmas and New Year’s quickly approaching, it’s time to start cleaning up and getting ready for guests who will be visiting during the holiday season! We’ve compiled some tips on how to prepare your home for welcoming holiday guests.

As visitors arrive, their shoes often track in dirt from outside.  Placing mats and rugs at all entry ways makes for an easy clean up and prevents the dirt from sneaking further into your home. If you have pets in your home, a helpful tip is to place a blanket or throw over their favorite spots to prevent their fur from shedding onto the furniture.  Throws or blankets can be easily washed and can also be put away when guests come to visit.

One of the first steps to getting a guest room ready for the holiday season is making sure the bed is comfortable and clean.  Clean sheets and a perfectly made up bed is a great way to get started when cleaning any bedroom! Both firm and soft pillows should be available so guests have options when it comes to firmness. Make sure end tables have necessities such as magazines and books, your Wi-Fi password and an extra phone charger in case your guests forgot theirs. Be sure there are lamps in the guest room, so guests can read or relax without having to keep the overhead light on.

Providing ample storage space for guests who are coming to visit for a long time is key in making them feel at home.  Often, the guest closet in our home becomes a sort of hide away for items such as spring and summer clothes, gift wrapping materials or extra sheets and blankets. Before the holiday season arrives, clean out the guest closet so that it can be used as, well, a guest closet! Be sure to hang sturdy hangers in the closet for guests to store their clothes.

Start preparing for holiday guests with these helpful tips and tricks.  Your home will be ready to welcome guests for the holiday season in no time!