Opening your doors to friends and family during the holiday season will be a ton of fun, but you may find yourself overwhelmed with the thought of organizing all the moving parts of your event. While the holiday season isn’t ideal for major home renovations, we think it’s a great time for a “functionality review” to prepare your house to look and flow it’s best.
Take the time to focus on the areas you’ll spend the most time in such as the kitchen, living areas and guest spaces. Whether you’ll be hosting for your first time, or as the go-to host space each year, consider our Top 10 Tips for getting your home ready to host for the holidays.
Lighting
‘tis the season in the Comox Valley for the very early setting of the sun; greet your visitors with a safe and warm welcome by lighting the way, especially around your home’s walkways, driveways and entrances. Kick your guest’s safety up a notch by decluttering the exterior of your home of any unnecessary accessories and debris.
Visibility
Open window coverings on the day of the event and present a clear view of your house number to help those visiting for the first time.
Closet Space & Shoes
The main entrance of your home will be a busy hub filled with hugs, extra layers and loose shoes. Clear some space and open up hangers in the closet for visitor jackets or utilize a spare room bed to house the bounty of winter coats. Keep shoes tucked out of the way on a mat in the entry, minimizing tripping hazards and unwanted melted snow puddles.
Thermostat
Reduce your cozy thermostat setting by a couple of degrees to account for the heat of your holiday cooking and the extra bodies in your home.
Holiday Mood
Set the mood by lighting a holiday candle or diffusing your favourite scent; we’re big fans of peppermint, gingerbread or pine scents in this winter season. Be sure to rid your real estate of full trash bins and pet scents as well for the best guest experience and don’t forget to pick your favourite hosting music playlist.
Décor
When it comes to decorating for the holidays, it’s not about breaking the bank! Use what you have in your holiday stash to style your home, and where needed you can add an extra flare with fresh flowers, potted poinsettias or foraged tree branches from around the Courtenay area.
Bathrooms
Start by freshening your bathroom spaces; wiping down sinks, fixtures, tile grout and windowsills. Don’t forget to stock your guest bathrooms with extra supplies such as hand soap, toilet paper and hand towels. It’s also a great idea to have headache and stomach-ache remedies on hand to save the day.
Prepare for Little Visitors
Is there anything better than seeing the face of a child enjoying the holidays? It’s a busy time for those old and young; prepare with an appreciated kid zone to alleviate some entertainment pressure from parents. Set up a corner in the living space or a room close by for games, colouring crafts or a holiday movie to entertain children. For the newest additions to the family, turn a spare room or quiet space into a private nursing and changing area that doting moms can relax in.
Cook Ahead
You’ll want to treat yourself to all the holiday mingling with those you care about; free up some entertaining time on the day of the event by prepping and cooking ahead. Desserts, undressed salads and appetizers are all tasty staples that you can prepare in whole or part a day ahead.
Ask for Help
The most difficult to implement, yet maybe the most important key to hosting success is enlisting help. Whether it be your spouse or an attending guest; never fear delegation. Asking someone to bring dessert or a side dish can immensely reduce your stress and the number of hours required for you to prepare.
At the end of the day, the holidays aren’t about presents and extravagancy, it’s all about enjoying the season and who we spend our time with. From all of us here at the Bryce Hansen Team - Comox Valley Real Estate, we wish you and your loved ones a safe and happy holiday season.
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