How to Prepare Your Home for the Holidays & Free Checklist

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HOLIDAY-CLEANING-CHECKLIST

SIMPLE WAYS TO GET YOUR HOME READY FOR CHRISTMAS

The holidays are just around the corner! Who’s excited? I absolutely love this time of year when my to-do list consists of holiday decorating, making yummy festive food, creating memories and making our home magical! Over the years, I’ve tried to simplify our Christmas season in many ways from buying fewer gifts to decorating less, to preparing as much before December 1st hits so we can spend more time making memories. Here are a few things I do to prepare my home for the holidays, so we are ready to host visitors or parties and to spend more time enjoying “the most wonderful time of the year”!

STEP 1: DECLUTTER

Decluttering is always the first thing I do to get my home ready for the holidays. I’m constantly amazed at how much stuff we accumulate without even trying. In fact, I feel like I’m always dejunking, just ask my husband.

To dejunk quickly: go through each room and throw out or donate any toys that aren’t played with, worn out clothing, anything broken, and recycle all that paper clutter from school and mail. A quick declutter will clear your mind and make space for holiday decor and gifts you may be receiving.

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STEP 2: FRESHEN THE BEDS

Lucky for us, my family has had visitors the past few years over Thanksgiving. We love when people come to stay, but don’t get them often enough! I have 4 children under 7, which means that our home is full of lots of messes, stains, and accidents! Now that we’ve entered into fall weather (mud and wet leaves), it’s a full-time job keeping up on the laundry.

With the accidents they have at night, I’m washing the sheets a few times a week. No fun! Lately, I’ve been using Persil® ProClean® Liquid Laundry Detergent to get our sheets clean! Persil® ProClean® is a powerful laundry detergent for those with the highest standards for cleanliness. Formulated with Pro10 Technology, it delivers 10 Dimensions of clean to stand up to all of our messy moments. Having clean, fresh sheets and bedding for your guests is a must.

No one likes to sleep on a musty pillowcase or stinky sheets.

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STEP 3: STOCK UP ON PAPER GOODS

Another way you can be prepared for the holidays is by stocking up on paper goods. Whether you love eating your holiday meals on fine china or not, it’s a great idea to have a stash of paper goods on hand.

Pick up some paper plates, cups, napkins, and disposable utensils next time you are out and about. That way you’re ready for those nights when you just don’t have the time or want to spend time on dishes. Holiday-Decorating-Ideas-9

STEP 4: PREPARE A WELCOME BOX

I love leaving a welcome box for our overnight guests! It’s just a simple, sturdy box or basket that contains some mini items such as a toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss — just in case anyone forgets anything. I also love including some bottled water and a snack or a small treat.

Tip: Keep a basket stocked at all times and store in the closet. Whenever you have a visitor, you will be ready for them!

A handwritten note on the pillow or a simple welcome sign also make the room or area feel more welcoming! If you have a Wi-Fi password, you can also write that out on a card, so guests will have it easily accessible! Holiday-Decorating-Ideas-10

STEP 5: DECORATE WITH SIMPLE DECORATIONS

I’m all about simple home decor and don’t like to spend a ton of time or money on holiday decorating. However, even just a little decorating can make your home feel festive all season long!

I limit holiday decor to our door/entryway, mantle, dining area and maybe a few other touches around the house. Oh, and of course the Christmas tree in our DIY galvanized tree collar.  I keep a few basic tablecloths ready for holiday dinners including a white one and some with simple patterns. We don’t always use tablecloths, but I love knowing that if we get food on them, which inevitably do, I can throw them in the wash quickly with Persil® Power-Caps®.

They fight the tough food stains and you better believe with my little children, we have plenty of spills! They are also pre-measured to help make laundry less of a chore, with the same stain-fighting power of our liquid detergent in a small, convenient package!

STEP 6: STOCK THE BATHROOM

Even if you don’t plan to have overnight guests, be sure to stock the bathroom with all the essentials. Here are a few ideas:

Keep the cupboards or a basket stocked with plenty of toilet paper.
Refill the soap or have plenty on hand.
Don’t forget to have some air-freshener to keep your bathroom nice and fresh for when you have a holiday party or guests!

If you are having overnight guests, be sure to have soap, shampoo, conditioner and fresh washcloths & towels for them too! One way we’ve simplified when it comes to bathroom laundry is that we only use white towels. I love that I do one batch of laundry with all the towels and sheets together, as opposed to having different colors and sets for each person. I know some of you are wondering how we keep them clean with little ones…well, no matter how dirty they get, I know that I can wash them with Persil laundry detergent.

It’s 10 dimensions of clean includes: stain fighting, whitening, brightening, anti-graying, clean rinsing, long-lasting freshness, odor fighting, cold water cleaning, clean fresh scent, and fiber care. It’s stain fighting enzymes break down stains to deliver an exceptionally premium clean & breaks down built-in odors to keep my linens smelling great! So…I feel totally comfortable using it on all my white towels.

Find Persil® laundry detergent at Target in the aisle with other detergents, fabric softeners, etc. persil-laundry

HERE’S A FREE CHECKLIST!

You guys know I’m all about checklists. It helps me to stay focused and motivated on the task at hand. Here’s a free printable checklist you can use as you get your home ready for the holidays too!