If it’s your turn to host Christmas this year, you’re probably feeling a little stressed. The enormity of the task always seems daunting at first. However, with a little thought and planning, you can create a warm and welcoming, festive home.
Spick and Span
There’s no point in taking out the decorations until you’ve cleaned the house. It’s always much harder dusting and hoovering around ornaments and the Christmas tree. The advantage is that once it’s done, you only need to carry out smaller top-up cleans before the big day.
Comfort
If guests are coming to stay, their comfort is important. This includes things like warmth, light, seating and even air quality. Bleed the radiators to ensure they are performing at optimum levels. The difference is surprising. Christmas decorations tend to attract a lot of dust and so check the filters in your air purifier. You can order new air filter media rolls and other companies.
Do you have adequate seating for the whole family and your guests? This doesn’t just include dining room chairs but seating in the living room. Borrow or buy new seating if required. Christmas dinner can be a long affair. Make it a little more comfortable by adding seat pads to hard chairs. Beanbags are great as extra seating in the living room.
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A Warm Welcome
Extend a warm welcome to all your guests and visitors with a cheerful front door and foyer. Wash down the paintwork first and sweep up any fallen leaves and garden debris. Hang twinkling lights from gutters and trees. Hang a festive wreath on the door.
If the weather is wet or snowy, a boot scraper will prevent water and mud being walked through the house. Is your doormat looking a little threadbare? If so, replace it with a new one.
The Bathroom
Ensure your bathroom is well-stocked with guest soaps. Provide enough guest towels for the duration of their stay. Keep a few extra toiletries in case they forget anything. And keep an eye on the toilet rolls. Leave a few extras in a basket in the bathroom. This will avoid the embarrassment of them having to ask you.
Guest Bedrooms
Guest bedrooms should be simple and uncluttered. If it’s the room where you usually store your exercise bike and Pilates ball, move them elsewhere until after the holidays. Clear some space in the closet and drawers to allow them to hang their clothes. A TV and radio are also useful additions, in case they want to sit back and relax for a while.
Add a few festive touches such as string lights or a few decorations. They won’t go unnoticed.
Christmas Decorations
Once the above are all in place, you can go to town on the decorations. Make your Christmas tree the main focus. There’s nothing nicer than sitting around the Christmas tree after a hearty Christmas lunch.
When entertaining guests, focus on their comfort first. Extend this all over the house. Then introduce the little touches to add a little festive magic.
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