The year is passing by in a blur, and before you know it the holidays will be here! Along with that comes a flurry of activity, along with the challenge to get everything done. To make things less stressful, there are 5 household tasks you must accomplish before the holidays.
Preparing a little earlier will make a huge difference, and enable you to enjoy more time with your family, as well as more time for the fun activities that the holiday season brings.
Before you begin bringing in packages, presents, and holiday decorations, get what is already in the house under control. Take some time to go through each room and just get rid of anything that you no longer find useful.
Join my free 30-Day Declutter Challenge to help you get started on this!
Holiday cooking requires a lot of essential items. Take this time to go through your pantry, and figure out what types of things you are going to need to prepare for your holiday classics.
If you are famous for your Mac and Cheese, stock up on noodles.
Whatever it is that you love to cook, save yourself some trips to the store by having the non-perishable portions of the meal on hand.
There is nothing more frustrating than beginning a baking or cooking project only to discover partway through that you are missing a necessary ingredient. (Ask me how I know!) So stock up and save yourself some frustration.
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During the year your home can begin to take on a bit of a worn or frumpy look. You can get rid of that by freshening up your decor.
Preparing your home for Christmas doesn’t have to mean huge changes. Simply add some new touches. Some different throw pillows, new picture frames, or a different area rug can change the way a room looks without you having to put much effort or money into it.
That little change will make you feel better about decorating for the holidays, and about having company over.
Go through toys with your kids, and encourage them to get rid of at least 3 or 4 items, in preparation for bringing in new items.
This is a great way to introduce your children to the idea of giving. Take the gently used items to a family in need who could use the help, or to your local charity.
This is related to the purge, but not exactly. Once you have cleared all of the clutter out of your house, it is time for you to deep clean.
Dust all of the baseboards, shampoo the carpets and get rid of the mysterious dust from under the stove. This is the time to make sure that your house is going to be in top condition for whatever holiday company comes your way.
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Once you accomplish these essential tasks you’ll be ready to enjoy a stress-free holiday season and make memories with your children.
