Friends and family – we love them and we love to see them during the holiday season, especially for a warm and cheerful holiday party. What we don’t love is the mess they make after leaving said holiday party. Sure, there are the loyal friends and family members that stick around to help you clean up after the soiree, but some residual mess and clean-up is inevitable. The best strategy for preventing your house from being a horrendous hovel post-party is to make sure your home is as clean and prepared as possible before you host any holiday festivities.
Prepare to Lessen Stress
One way to prevent unexpected mishaps and unforeseen foibles at your holiday party is to prepare beforehand for common party problems. This is the time to exercise your list-making muscle; make lists of all of your guests, everything you’re going to serve, any spaces in your home that need to be cleaned, and any other party supplies or reminders you think will be helpful. Making lists is a great way to get all of your ideas out in the open, and it will help you avoid forgetting important planning items.
There are other small things you can do to eliminate some of the stress of hosting a holiday party. First, if you plan on cooking your own food for the party instead of having it catered, try to craft a menu that includes items that can be prepared ahead of time so you have only a little cooking – or just assembly and serving – to do the day of the party. You should also ensure that you have carpet stain treatments and lots of other cleaning supplies on hand for any party fouls that may occur. A holiday season can’t go by without some kind of tragic red wine or coffee spill, it seems, so make sure you’re prepped to treat stains as soon as they happen.
Spruce up Your Home’s Look
The pre-party prep period is also an excellent time to refresh your home’s interior décor. Adding some new aspects to your home is a great conversation starter; not to mention, you will get to enjoy any renovations you make long after your guests leave. Sprucing up your home before a holiday party doesn’t mean that you have to clean and renovate every room in the home. Just focus on the common areas where people will be gathering during the party, such as the living room, kitchen, den, dining room, and bathrooms. Try out new place settings, new tablecloths, or a new dish set for the occasion.
If you’re looking to make an even bigger change in your home’s appearance before a holiday party, you could invest in reupholstering your couches and chairs. New upholstery is a cost-effective way of changing the entire style of a space. You can go from traditional to unconventional or from modern to festive for much less than if you were buying new furniture. If you have hardwood floors in any of the spaces you’ll use for the party, consider having them re-sanded and refinished to refresh their appearance. For a more budget-friendly option, you could buy new area rugs to go on top of your harder flooring, to make your home more comfortable underfoot and to prevent your guests from scratching and scuffing the floors.
Try some of these time and money-saving tips before your holiday party this season, and see how you can have a much less stressful experience!
Lenny Cravits writes about interior design, interior decorating, and home improvement. He enjoys writing and sharing ideas about all aspects of home decoration & renovation, from classic styles to the latest trends.
