4 Quick and Easy ways to prepare for Holiday Visitors

Freshen Up

As we all know first impressions are important. Smell will likely be one the of the first things your guests will notice about your home so it’s important that you’re conscious of this.

Candles are an easy way to banish the concern. Buy a couple of high quality ones and burn them a few days prior to the arrival of any guests. Be wary of cheap or overly perfumed candles, they can have the opposite effect.

If you would prefer not to use candles essential oils are another great option. Those of you with wood stoves can use a wood stove steamer or kettle. Just place the kettle on the stove in the appropriate manner, put in a few drops of your favorite essential oil, and immediately transform the way your house smells. If you don’t have a woodstove an essential oil diffuser works just as well.

For bonus points make some cookie dough a couple hours before your guests arrive and pop them in the oven a couple minutes before they get there. Not only will your house smell amazing but you’ll have a tasty snack to enjoy as your visitors settle in.

Safety

Nothing will ruin the holiday mood faster than a trip to the emergency room or a 911 call. Take these safety measures to reduce the chance of an accident.

You might want to show off that new washer and dryer set but make sure you still give your guests a comprehensive tour of the house. This means fire extinguishers, exits, hard to find light switches etc. If you have a wood stove make sure your guests know what to do in the event of a chimney fire.

All us have experienced a stubbed toe or two while trying make it to the bathroom at night. Your guests are not going to be able to navigate your home as well as you can so do everyone a favor and pick up a couple of motion activated night lights.

If there are young children visiting there are countless things to watch out for. Instead of trying to guess at all of them on your own ask your guests to bring some of their own safety supplies. However, there are still a few things you need to watch out for. Make sure any toxic cleaning supplies or medicine are well out of the reach of children and hide your matches and lighters. It might also be a good idea to pick up a couple of outlet covers for the areas in your house where children will be playing.

Stock up on the Essentials

Travel can be exhausting and stressful especially if daily necessities aren’t provided so make sure you have some extra toilet paper, paper towels, hand towels etc. in easy to find places. There’s nothing worse than having to search for that second roll of toilet paper in someone else’s home.

If you don’t have enough extra shelf space feel free to get creative with baskets and other containers.

Prepare the Kitchen

Your kitchen is going to see a lot of action this holiday season. Use these tips to avoid stress and a mess.

If there are a lot of coffee or tea drinkers it might be a good idea to move the coffee station to another part of the house, or at the very least away from the space you’ll be using to cook. This will help prevent the kitchen from becoming overly crowded in the mornings.

Clear out anything you won’t need in your refrigerator. Leftovers will be abundant and your guests may bring or buy some food of their own. Extra space will be necessary to avoid clutter.

If you like company while you cook place a couple chairs around the perimeter of the kitchen and grab a couple of stools for the younger helpers.