Prepping Your Home For Holiday Decorating Both Indoors and Out
Holiday decorating is
one of those tasks that can seem overwhelming at first. Whether you're
facing your first year of decorating your home, or you have oodles of
boxes of cherished ornaments, it's a big job that seems to get bigger
every year. Spending some time getting your house ready for festive decor
can lighten your load and make holiday decorating a breeze! Here's how.
Getting Rid of the Clutter
The very first step in preparing your home for the holidays is
de-cluttering. The old saying, "A place for everything and everything
in its place," applies here. Pack up any knick-knacks or other items
taking up shelf space to make room for your holiday decorations. Clear off
countertops, recycle old papers and magazines, and clear away any spaces
that you'll be using for your festive displays.
If you can, clean out a closet or cubby to store gifts, gift wrap, and all
of the other purchases and items that go along with the season. When
things are handy and organized, seasonal tasks go much more smoothly!
Outside the house, trim back bushes or trees and, if you live in a cold
climate, cover tender plants to protect them from the winter weather. Rake
up the fall leaves, and make sure that any area that will be decorated or
covered with lights is clean and free of debris.
Housecleaning
Now it's time to give your home a good cleaning, especially if you'll be
entertaining or having guests staying with you over the holidays. If you
do a good, thorough cleaning in the weeks leading up to Christmas, you can
get by with simple upkeep and light cleaning throughout the rest of the
season.
Don't forget the outdoors! Put away the summer toys and cover patio
furniture if it won't be used until spring. Bring in any plant pots or
planters that won't survive the winter outside.
Test Lights, Sockets, and Extension Cords
Get out your holiday lights, both indoor and outdoor, before any other decorations.
Test every strand to make sure they work well and that there are no dead
bulbs. Replace burned out bulbs before hanging your lights anywhere. Also
test your outdoor plugs, and make sure that any extension cords are
intact, and can handle the load you plan on using them for.
Another thing to check for is fraying, both on the light strands and on
any cords you'll be using. If you find a frayed cord or wire, discard it
and replace it.
Outdoor
lights should be hung before the weather gets too cold or snowy. Even
if you don't turn them on right away, it's much easier and safer to climb
up and string lights on the house when it's nice outside.
Plan Your Decor
You're almost ready to turn your home into a festive masterpiece! Take a
walk through the house and mentally plan where you want to put things. If
you put the same decorations in the same places every year, this will be a
very simple task. In this case though, consider changing things up and
giving the house a different look this season.
When the time comes to bring out the boxes and bags of holiday
decorations, you'll know exactly where you want to put things. This will
save time and energy, two things which can be in short supply over the
busy holiday season!
After you decorate, don't forget to put on some holiday music, fix a warm
drink, and sit back and enjoy your newly decorated home. Once you've
decked the halls, it's the season to be jolly!
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