The Holidays are Coming. Prepare Your Home

​The countdown begins and you need to prepare your home for the inevitable.  The December holiday season and all that comes with it.  Here is a list of things that you can do now that will help you have a less stressed December.

​1. Re-acquaint yourself with your fridge, freezer and pantry
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1. Clean out your fridge and wipe down all the shelves and storage containers, throwing away anything that’s expired and pulling to the front anything that needs to be eaten sooner than later.  Don't forget your fridge door wherever everything gets crammed and forgotten.  If you have more than one fridge, you know what to do.  Repeat the above steps.
2. Clean out the freezer.  Be creative with what you have in there to use up in November because you will need the space for your holiday leftovers and holiday baking if you are hosting a family dinner or two.
3. Clean out your pantry in the same way you did the fridge. Wipe down the shelves and toss what’s expired or stale.
4. Take inventory of all of your dry staples like sugar, flour, baking soda, and baking powder, and buy more if necessary. Also check for to make sure you have all of the common holiday spices like cinnamon, cloves, and ginger. Clearly label everything
5. Make sure the appliances you use occasionally (crockpot, warming tray, handheld/immersion blender) are actually working and and easily accessible.

2.  Organize your closets

You know the ones I am talking about.  The ones that you are going to want to put your guests' coats in, where your overnight guests will be wanting to hang their clothing once taken out of their suitcases and the ones that may or may not house your decorations, wrapping paper, seasonal plates, pots etc. 

3.  Prep your guest room

Take a good look at your guest room to make sure it’s ready for overnight guests. 

1. Make sure the bedding has been cleaned and the comforter thrown in the dryer to remove settled dust.  Add an extra blanket on the bed just in case.  Easy for your guest to take off if they are too warm.
2. Create an empty drawer or a space to lay a suitcase on for easy access (a chair with no arms will work).  We already talked about the closet.
3. Place towels, hand towels and facecloths in the room.  

4.  Spruce Up the Main Spaces

Don’t stress yourself over the spaces your guests will never see instead focus on the main areas in your home that guests will be seeing. The front porch, entryway, kitchen, living room and bathrooms. Grab a laundry basket and start de-cluttering to make room for the holiday decorations and when done you can hide the basket in your closet.

​5.  Be Prepared for Baby

If you don't have kids of your own, your guests that do have kids will thank you for spending the time to make sure the home is baby-proof. Just being aware of what baby can reach is a good method to go by.

6.  Stock up on a few key items

Save yourself a few trips to the grocery store by stocking up on a few things you’ll inevitably need.

1. Coffee and tea.  Purchase a small decaf just in case and a variety of herbal teas along with the regular.  Hot chocolate for the kids.
2. Toilet paper
3. Extra toiletries just in case your overnight guest forget theirs (toothbrushes, toothpaste, hand soap, razors, moisturizer, body wash, shampoo and conditioner)

7.  Stock your bar

The holidays mean parties, so stock your bar for the festivities. Stock it with what you like and what you know what your guests like.  Keep it simple and think local

​8.  Assess what home dining and entertaining ware you have and what you will need

Do you have enough bar glasses, wine glasses, serving dishes, serving cutlery, table linens, plates, cutlery, pots and pans, baking dishes, food storage containers for left overs, salt and pepper shakers etc?  If not, make a list and head off to your local second hand store to top up.  It doesn't matter if they all don't match.  Most important make sure you have enough chairs (borrow from friends if you need to)