The holiday season has arrived with everyone scrambling to get those last minute things done before the guests knock on your door and you serve up the holiday feast on the dining room table. Yet before you count down the days, you should get your home organized and ready for the guests weeks in advance. By doing some necessary prepping beforehand, you will spend less time doing housework and have more time to enjoy the holidays with the people you care about.

So get the inside and outside of your home ready for the holiday season by following the prep tips below so that everyone has a safe and happy time in your home.

• Finish Those Last Minute DIY Projects.
• Are the new cabinet doors sitting in the hallway waiting to be placed in the kitchen? Did you finish painting the guest room? What are you going to do about the carpet flooring that still needs to be installed in the living room?
• Last minute projects can get in the way of you, your family and your guests enjoying the holidays together. People must step over remodeling supplies and equipment. You may also feel uncomfortable having your guests staring at the unfinished work. Get those DIY projects and repairs finished before everyone arrives. If the work is too much for you to handle, you should contact professionals to give you a hand such as Floor Coverings International to help install your carpet flooring.
• Clean Everything Inside And Outside.
• It is easy to forget about cleaning the house when you get sidetracked into doing other important holiday tasks. Yet it is a chore that you must fit into your busy schedule. Don’t simply turn over the stained couch cushions or throw a rug over the dirty part of the carpet flooring. Just because the guests won’t see the dirt doesn’t mean they won’t be able to smell that your home is unclean. Have everything thoroughly cleaned in the house including wiping down the cabinets and clearing out the mess in the coat closet so it is more organized.
• Also take the time to clean the outside of the home. Winter dirt and grime can affect the way the exterior of your home looks as it will appear uninviting to guests. Clean up the dead leaves from the lawn. Paint the front door and clear out the grime dripping over the sides of the gutters.
• Have All The Last Minute Supplies Handy.

There’s nothing worse than forgetting to buy extra toilet paper for the guests who will be staying in your home for a few days or weeks. Write out a list of all the toiletries, kitchen supplies and first aid essentials you should have in stock for the holidays.

In addition, purchase extra bath towels and hand towels so you aren’t constantly doing the laundry. Also keep extra cleaning supplies handy for those emergency wine and eggnog spills on the carpet flooring so your home continues to look beautiful throughout the holidays.

Featured images: License: Creative Commons image source

Pat Wellman is a home designer and woodworker focused on getting the most out of small spaces.