Preparing your home to welcome New Year

The year is over already and everyone is looking forward to a new year, and we are all preparing the best way we know. In this part of the world, it is very natural to have friends and family over to partake in the festivities with you, and if you’re inviting them over, remember that they are there to enjoy themselves — not to do a white-glove inspection of your home, so it is very important that your home is in tip-top condition before throwing it open to visitors.

Rather than work yourself into a lather to make the house spotless for the New Year, focus on getting as much done in advance as possible. One thing you can do is set the table a day before your holiday party and use a sheet of paper to label each platter or bowl with the dish you’ll be serving in it. Here are more hints for making merry with less stress and mess.

Deck the Halls, Inside and Out
Before you start, put all your cleaning supplies into a basket and take it to the area you’re going to clean. Put a sock on each hand or grab a microfiber cloth and wipe every dusty thing in sight. Give yourself five to ten minutes per room. Stand in the center of the space and pick a few areas that really need work. Then do a quick cleaning spiral around the room to get the job done. Don’t worry about vacuuming under every piece of furniture or organising cabinets. If you and your guests won’t see the dust bunnies or crammed closets, its okay to skip those spaces.

Spiff up the exterior
Polish front-door hardware, check the lighting and sweep the walkways or steps that your guests will take. Give the lawn or plants care if you have.

Put out the welcome mat
Vacuum or mop the floor in the entryway. More importantly, prepare the bathroom for an influx of guests by setting out extra hand towels, soaps, and toilet paper. (Give plumbing fixtures a checkup before they arrive.) If guests will be staying overnight, furnish bedrooms with clean sheets, towels, books, and a vase of fresh flowers.

Say Bye To Junk
A lot of homes have so many items that are just lying in a corner, doing nothing and serving no purpose and have served no purpose throughout the year. It is very okay to toss those kinds of items into the garbage can; after all, we all want to start a new year on a fresh slate. If you haven’t used or worn an item for a whole year, you are not going to need it in the New Year, I promise you. Either you give it away to someone that needs it or you throw it out. No need creating a haven for pests and rodents to thrive in.