The holidays are all about celebrating with family and friends. From Thanksgiving to Christmas to New Year’s Eve, it’s often a whirlwind of parties and gatherings. And sometimes those celebrations happen in your home.
If you’re planning to entertain guests this season, keep reading. We have five clever tips to help you prepare your apartment for the holidays.
1. Clean
Nobody wants to hang out in a dirty, dusty space. Before you even think about decorating or inviting anyone over, you’ll need to do a thorough cleaning.
And we’re not just talking about mopping the floors or dusting the shelves. Parties and gatherings almost always involve food and drinks, so you should deep clean your kitchen.
Clean out your pantry and fridge. Get rid of anything you don’t need, and anything that’s expired. That way, you’ll have plenty of room for all of the ingredients you’ll be buying for holiday meals and decadent desserts.
Scrub down your countertops. If a guest brings you a homemade dish or a cookie tray, you’ll want to put it somewhere visible. If you hide it away, you run the risk of forgetting to serve it (and accidentally insulting your guest in the process).
2. Decorate
When you’re done cleaning, take a few moments to decorate your apartment. You don’t have to go all-out with decorations — it’s okay to just add a few festive items to each room.
Buy some decorative pillows for your living room couch, and hang a pretty wreath on the door.
In the dining room, add a centerpiece to set the stage for a holiday meal.
Throughout the rest of your apartment, add some holiday-scented candles. Place some decorative accents on your shelves, and add a few seasonal items such as twinkle lights or strands of garland.
Fluff your pillows, wash your curtains, and vacuum the fireplace. Give your apartment a once-over and try to make everything look as fresh and welcoming as possible.
3. Baby-Proof and Pet-Proof Your Home
Do any of your guests plan to bring pets or small children to your apartment? If so, you’ll need to make sure the environment is safe. Take a few minutes to baby-proof and pet-proof your apartment before they arrive.
Get some outlet covers and cabinet door locks. You don’t need to lock up every cabinet, but you should lock any floor-level ones, especially if they contain cleaning products or chemicals.
Decorating a tree? Make sure that ornaments aren’t hanging too low. The last thing you need is for a child to cut their hand on a glass ornament during your party.
Take a walk around your entire apartment and look for any objects that could be dangerous, especially choking hazards. If anything seems questionable, put it in a box in your bedroom until your guests are gone.
4. Prepare Your Guest Room
Having guests spend the night? It’s time to get your spare bedroom in order.
Prepare the bed with freshly washed sheets, blankets, and extra pillows. Add some clean towels so your guests don’t have to search for them if they want to take a shower before you wake up. Empty out a drawer so that they have somewhere to put their clothes and personal items.
If they’re staying on your couch, have a clean set of sheets and blankets ready to go. That way, you can make up their temporary bed when the party ends. Make sure you have a spare pillow for them as well!
Regardless of whether you’re having people spend the night or not, it’s a good idea to clean out your coat closet and clean off your coat rack. Your guests will need a place to hang their outerwear when they come in from the cold.
5. Stock Up On the Essentials
The more people you plan to invite over, the more important it is to stock up on the essentials.
Make sure you’ve got plenty of bottles of water, food, and coffee on hand. If you expect to have early morning guests or overnight visitors, be sure to get the basics, such as eggs, cereal, bread, and milk.
Do you have someone staying with you for two or more days? Ask them if they have any special requests or dietary restrictions. If they’re vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, or kosher, make sure you have options for them.
If you’re planning on serving cocktails at a dinner party, stock up on a variety of different bottles of liquor, wine, and mixers. And don’t forget the ice!
Depending on which state you live in, you may have to buy alcohol several days in advance. Your local liquor store might not be open on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, or New Year’s Eve. And if it is open, there’s a good chance it’ll be crowded with other last-minute shoppers.
You’ll also want to get plenty of extra toilet paper and paper towels. Don’t wait until you have ten people over on New Year’s Eve to realize that you’ve only got one roll of TP left!
In Summary
Getting your apartment ready for the holidays doesn’t have to be hard. You don’t have to make your apartment look like the holiday section of a department store. A few decorative accents and some scented candles should do the trick!
To get your apartment ready for the holidays:
- Clean every room, especially your kitchen
- Spruce things up and add some holiday elements
- Make it safe for babies, children, and pets
- Prepare your guest room with fresh linens and pillows
- Stock up on the essentials, including food, beverages, and paper products
Whether you’re throwing a massive celebration or just inviting a few friends over, have fun with it! Don’t let the preparations overshadow the celebration itself.
So put on some holiday music and get your apartment ready today. Those guests will be ringing your doorbell before you know it!
Author bio:
Caitlin Sinclair is the Business Manager for Harvest at Fiddyment Ranch. With over five years of property management experience, she begins and ends each day loving what she does. She finds joy in making Harvest at Fiddyment Ranch a place that everyone loves to call home.