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Preparing your home for holiday hosting? Keep these tips in mind.
It feels like the year's end only comes around more and more quickly, and once again, the holidays are right around the corner. This year, thankfully, they should look more like those of years past instead of last year's cancellations due to COVID. Whether you're planning a Halloween party, a Thanksgiving feast or a Christmas gift swap, it's your home's time to shine. But do you have everything on your party To Do List that you should?
We're all human, so chances are you may be missing some home cleaning or maintenance items off the list that would benefit your guests. Below are a few recommendations to avoid major mishaps and keep your guests comfortable while you entertain this holiday season.
Cleaning
Though we're all thankful to be able to gather this holiday season, keeping your home clean takes on a new importance this year with COVID still unfortunately in the picture. Of course, that means disinfecting all regularly used surfaces per Centers of Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, like doorknobs, tables, handles, light switches, and countertops, but also including those areas you might not clean regularly – or at all. Don't worry; we're all guilty of it. Take a look at this list of often-forgotten places to clean – along with a few ways to go about doing it:
- Cleaning and disinfecting aren't one in the same. Be sure to clean your countertops and floors of any debris, hair, dust, etc. before using a disinfectant on them. Trying to use a disinfectant to clean off surfaces as you go can impact their effectiveness. Don't forget to include remotes, barstools and any faucets.
- Don't use the same cloth to clean your entire home. Use paper towels each time you switch to a new surface or a new microfiber cloth for each area of your home. Otherwise, you may just be spreading germs across your home instead of removing them. If you use microfiber cloths, be sure to wash them after each use.
- Remember to clean soft surfaces as well. Wash decorative pillows if possible. Sanitize them with spray if not. Wash your shower curtains and their liners. Clean carpets in high-traffic areas. Just because these soft surfaces aren't as easy to clean doesn't mean they don't harbor germs.
Maintenance
It might make for a good movie, but in reality, no one wants a home malfunction while guests are visiting, especially if they're planning to spend the night with you. While it can't always be prevented, a few quick checks and some preventative maintenance might just save the day:
- Check to make sure none of your drains are near clogging, including your sink drain. Also be sure your garbage disposal is in good shape. This reduces the chance of something backing up — and also some potentially nasty smells from making an appearance.
- Get your heater/air conditioner serviced before guests arrive. You may luck out, and the weather is pleasant without anything running. It does occasionally happen, but with the way the weather tends to treat us along the Gulf Coast, you're more likely to need heat or AC to keep your guests comfortable.
- The holiday season is peak house fire season as well. Be sure your fire alarms are working correctly, and you have fire extinguishers placed correctly throughout your home. Check out the National Fire Protection Association's website for details.
- Just because you know about the sharp turn to get into the second-floor bathroom, doesn't mean your guests will. Make sure you have nightlights in any tricky-to- navigate places.
- With so many people coming and going, don't forget about what they'll likely see first. Be sure to check your front steps for any loose bricks or debris that may trip people up. Also, be sure they are not too slippery in the rain.
Happy holiday hosting!
