How to Prepare your Home for the Holidays

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The holiday season is coming up and I am starting to prepare my home for visitors. I always start from the top down so that the last thing I do is vacuum and mop. I’m super lucky to have a guest room and bathroom that my guests can use.  Even with a dedicated space, preparing my home for the holiday guests takes time and planning. Some of the prep for holiday guests take only a few minute and some of them take a lot longer. My key advice is to start preparing your home for the holidays now.

How to Prepare your Home for the Holidays

Prioritize Decluttering 

If  you want to declutter your home, you have to start weeks before your family arrives. Do not start the day before! Start by Decluttering guest rooms and public areas like foyer, kitchen, living room, and dining room. Remove anything unnecessary from countertops, coffee tables, and ottomans. I don’t want to see anything on the counters or tables unless it is decorative.

If you run short of time, put the clutter in bags and throw it in the garage or even your trunk if you are not going to be using your car.  I haven’t done this yet, but I am sure that I will some day. I am really working on declutter over the long term so this is not a problem.

Kitchen Organization

Safety Lighting 

Make sure that all the lights in the house and outside are working. Add some plugin lights or motion activated lighting from the guest room to the kitchen and the bathroom.

Outdoor Lighting

Child proofing

If children are coming, you should try to child proof before guests come. If you do not have children, ask the guests to bring childproofing of their own. Baby gates, cabinet locks, and outlet covers. Make sure to transfer toxic cleaners and medicines from lower cabinets to high cabinets.

Bathroom storage

Bring toiletries like paper towels, bath, hand and towels, and toiletries out of hiding. Put them on selves and baskets so that your guests can find them without having to hunt.

Bathroom storage for Guests

Cleaning the Floors

Since I have a pet and wall to wall carpet upstairs and some throw rugs down stairs, it is extremely important that the house is clean for my guests. I do not want my house to smell like dog. I have been using the  BISSELL ProHeat 2X Revolution Pet 1548. It  takes the hassle out of deep cleaning.

 BISSELL ProHeat 2X Revolution Pet  BISSELL ProHeat 2X Revolution Pet 1548. Pet Vacuum Pet Vacuum Cleaner

When it comes to tackling everyday messes and tracked-in dirt, people are often challenged with choosing between a quick refresh or a deep clean based on the time they have at their disposal. The BISSELL ProHeat 2X Revolution Pet offers multiple cleaning modes, combining dual DirtLifter brushes with heated cleaning and powerful suction for a deep-down clean. It also comes with BISSELL Deep Clean + Antibacterial formula, which deep cleans and controls odor-causing bacteria in carpet*, providing peace of mind and convenience.

5 year old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

Key product benefits:

• Lightweight Design and Low-Profile Foot – Weighing 18 pounds, with a low-profile foot, the ProHeat 2x Revolution allows for easy maneuverability around and under furniture.
• Deep Cleaning Formulas – BISSELL Deep Clean + Antibacterial and BISSELL 2X Professional Deep Cleaning Formulas refresh carpets.
• Detachable Hose – For upholstery and spot cleaning.
• Dual Powerbrushes – Feature 12 total cleaning rows for a deep down clean.
• Adjustable Cleaning Mode – The ProHeat 2X Revolution features two different cleaning modes
* Express Clean Mode offers great cleaning that dries in around an hour
* Deep Clean Mode delivers professional-style results when used with BISSELL Professional Formula**

Harrison For Cavalier Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Indoors

What tips do you have for getting ready for guests this holiday season?

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163 thoughts on “How to Prepare your Home for the Holidays”

  1. Vacuuming is the first step to a clean house. Every step you take on a dusty, dirty carpet sends all kinds of stuff into the air.

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  2. We try to keep a clean house by doing a little everyday. Once we get the entire house clean by tackling it room by room, we go through nightly to keep it up. Vacuuming and doing dishes and laundry nightly help.

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  3. Dust before you vacuum. Also, keeping up with things like vacuuming and dusting and wiping down counters keeps things from snowballing into a horrible mess.

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  4. One of my tips is , I usually slide my furniture in the center for of the room and vacuum around the borders and then going over it with a wet cloth, this just helps to get rid of any dust..

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  5. Favorite spring cleaning tip: encourage the rest of the family to join in the fun of house cleaning. Offer a fun activity or lunch out, if everyone joins in, usually works. jslbrown2009 at aol dot com

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  6. My favorite Spring cleaning tip is to start at the bottom and work your way down make sure to get those curtains and blinds as well!

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  7. My favorite spring cleaning tip would be cleaning my blinds in the bathtub with a little bit of ammonia. It makes them super white and its super easy. No scrubbing!

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  8. Start with your closet — go through and be ruthless about throwing out anything that didn’t get worn in a year but is still in wonderful shape and good for a charity. Once you have done this and feel good about helping someone else and enthusiastic about moving on to other areas of the house! [email protected]

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  9. My favorite spring cleaning tip is to not ignore your washing machine. Al ot of people do not clean the inside of this appliance assuming it is always clean, because it does the cleaning- but not so. In your washing machine detergent and (especially!) fabric softener builds up a residue. Run an empty cycle with bleach or vinegar in the washer and do not forget to clean your dryer vents!!

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  10. My favorite tip is to put on some music and open up the windows when I clean (even if it’s cold out)! I’ve found when I’m cleaning that shaking up all the old dust really gets my allergies going… I need that fresh air to circulate through.

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  11. My tip is to make sure you are by yourself when you clean other people tend to have too much advise especially when they do not have to do the work

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  12. My tip is take your time(don’t expect to get everything done in a day or two), completely finish one room before moving on to the next, declutter and organize.

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  13. Be sure you start at the top and work down and I mean those heater vents and those fans. Clean them suckers good as they have circulated the same dirty air all winter.

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  14. When washing windows, wipe up and down when inside and left to right when outside. That way if there is a streak, you can easily figure out if it is inside or outside and tackle it.

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  15. Deep clean the Carpets before the Holidays! I always do this to give my carpet a fresh smell when having guests over for the Holiday gatherings.

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  16. one of my spring cleaning tips is to clean all drains in the house with 1/5 cup baking soda, then 1 cup of vinegar. Put the plug in and let sit for 15 minutes or so. Then flush with a ton of hot water.
    Found this on a site that said this is Canadian too. Hope so.

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  17. I love to take all my blankets, comforters, and lamp shades outside and let them air out. Get the dust off the lamp shades. Love the fresh smell the blankets get.

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  18. So as to not get overwhelmed, I make a list of things that I want to clean and break it down in a week or two, with something to do each day. kymom13 at gmail dot com

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  19. My favorite spring cleaning tip is to do some small things in rooms that need a lot of work first, like making the bed and doing the dishes, so that you slowly get going and feel accomplished right off the bat!

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  20. Tackle one room a day and start laying in supplies. Cleaning supplies, toilet paper, tissues, food and drink, holiday decor, everything you will need. I hate having to rush around like a chicken with its head cut off at the last minute. I have pets, so I need to keep furniture and floors clean.

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  21. I always start with the kitchen. If my kitchen looks good, I want the house to look good! Get the kids to help and don’t be afraid to bounce around!

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  22. for the most part I try to keep my cleaning as natural as possible by using environmentally safe products. I like to use vinegar and baking soda to remove stains off of counter tops and it works like a charm……….. [email protected]

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  23. My spring cleaning tip is just do it. I’m basically lazy and have a hard time getting motivated. I’m okay once I start. I try to get one room at a time.

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  24. I find that when I have a big job like Spring whole house cleaning to do it helps if I set a timer and do it in small increments of time. aliasr2 at gmail dot com

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  25. I used to get so overwhelmed by spring cleaning and tried to get it all done in one weekend. I have learned that that is a excruciatingly painful way of doing spring cleaning. Now I do one room on a weekend and then I do another room the next weekend until I am completely done. Of course some cleaning and tidying is required during the week. I guess my best advice is that one shouldn’t overdo or you get burned out very quickly.

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  26. I do my weekly cleaning every Sat as well as clean as I go the rest of the week. But also do room cleans once a month and either toss or donate items & products we don’t need. This way less clutter!

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  27. To remember to check the air filter intake every month & replace it with a new one. My biggest spring cleaning tip about this is if you spray a little lemon furniture polish on the filter it will attract 90% of the dust particles on the filter instead of it recycling into the house. Works like a charm!

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  28. My Spring cleaning tip is to think about what you have. If you forgot about it for more than six months, and it’s not a holiday decoration, donate it.

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  29. once a year i turn all my hangers backwards, then the same time the following year, anything that is still backwards I have not worn in a year, and it gets donated. The only exception is dressy clothes – I don’t need to dress up for work, but I obviously need to own dressy items for weddings / funerals / and other special occassions.

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  30. I do spring cleaning with the windows open, music up, & coffee;) when guests come over i de-clutter like crazy! I mean if I don’t want it seen, it goes in a tote & put in the basement; ) I sort it out later.

    Jmatek AT wi DOT rr DOT com

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  31. I love Spring cleaning. We start back in the kids rooms and work our way to the front. It is easier for us to do that. chasnpon48 at yahoo

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  32. My Spring/Holiday cleaning tip is to break it up over about a week. Then make a list of a room or area for each day and and list below of the actual tasks for each. This helps me to not feel overwhelmed and know that on a certain day everything will be nice and clean and organized. 🙂

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  33. My spring cleaning tip is to be organized; take one thing at a time, and don’t let the thought of cleaning the entire house become overwhelming. People that come to visit should be coming to visit you, not inspect your house — enjoy the day!

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  34. Gosh my spring cleaning tip is open all the windows before cleaning. Wow, prize bundle is fab. &
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    Reply
  35. My advice for spring cleaning is to take break down the cleaning process into smaller, more achievable tasks. Everything doesn’t have to be cleaned in one day. Divide it up and progress towards the bigger goal.

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  36. Save used lemon halves for multiple uses like shiny faucets, cutting mineral deposits on shower doors, and polishing copper or brass.

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  37. to clean glass and mirrors use coffee filter as they are better to use than paper towels and dont leave any streak, and try vinegar and water as a cleaner for the bathroom

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  38. Thanks so much for the contest. And, the easy entry form. Everybody has an equal chance to win. There aren’t 100 hoops to jump through. Love it!

    Reply
  39. Limit clutter throughout the year to cut down on the amount of work you have to do in spring. We go through clothes each season and throw out what doesn’t fit.

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  40. My tip is to make a list of what you hope to get cleaned and then schedule it in to your calendar…that way it is broken down into something that looks doable.

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  41. I wait to do my cleaning till i have several days off in a row then I go room by room because I usually tear it all apart and start all over

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  42. I’m very chemical sensitive. I use vinegar to clean whenever I can. Are the photos of your house? If so, I’m envious. It looks beautiful!

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  43. Containers. I have found i can organize and make a “home” for everything. The more stuff that is hidden away … the more sleek and clean the room looks

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  44. make a list of what you want to get done each day.and check each item off as you finish them.and when you get to your closets purge items that dont fit or you dont wear and donate them.

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  45. Didn’t realize you used DISQUS, put down “MNS” as the name I used to comment.

    Spring cleaning tip, honestly, nothing really new haha I think everyone below covered everything. Go through one room at a time and make “snap judgments” about tossing stuff otherwise you will linger and find some way to remain attached to an item. Seriously, throw out tattered and torn and set stuff on the street for others to take (if permitable).

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  46. I vacuum every night we have terrazzo floors and they get dirty when you go in and out of the house..my tip is just clean a little bit everyday and it will never pile up..

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  47. My favorite cleaning tip is to double sheet the toddler bed. When I am done washing Aiden’s sheets I put a fitted sheet on his mattress like normal, but then I flip the mattress and put a fitted sheet on the OTHER side as well. This way if there is an accident in the middle of the night I can just take off the wet sheet and flip the bed! No fumbling around for a sheet! 🙂 mattandbranson @ gmail.com

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  48. Ha ha…I am not the one to give Springtime cleaning tips. My adivce would be…go outside, clean up your garden if you have to clean. It’s SPRING!

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  49. I don’t really have any cleaning tips. When I’m in the kitchen, I clean as I go, and by the time food is ready, the kitchen is pretty much clean. Whatever works.

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