Hello my friends and Happy Wednesday. Welcome to the blog today.

(Originaly posted November, 2019) November means that the Thanksgiving holiday is right around the corner, and whether you’re hosting, co-hosting or going to a “Friends-Giving”, it’s always a great time to get your space holiday ready.

I have a small townhome, so I’ve found that just a few simple touches and prepping the week before can be extremely helpful. Keep in mind that your house doesn’t have to be perfect and if your waiting for that to happen … best of luck to you. (LOL)

Your guest(s) will only remember the time they spent with family or friends and good food. Trust me they don’t really care about that tile piece missing in the bathroom, or that piece of frayed carpet, only the memories of the occasion linger.  However, I do understand the need to want everything in tip-top shape.

Here are a few quick hacks to prepare any home for the upcoming holiday with focus on a few key areas.

Key Areas

• Common Areas
• Baseboard & Vents
• Blinds & Windows
• Sofa Cushions
• Bathrooms
• Overnight Guests

Common Areas

Begin with your high-traffic common areas (i.e., foyer, hallways, and the living room) by removing clutter and extraneous items. These areas are the first thing people see when then enter your home, and they tend to have higher traffic, so I always find that a quick tidy does wonders.

• Clear away mail
• Move packing boxes (gotta love Amazon)
• Remove extra shoes, and miscellanous items that don’t belong
• Clear some space in your front closet for coats or dedicate a room (that’s ole school there)
• A small room spray or air plug in, in your foyer in your favorite fall scent
• (MY TIP #1) If you have carpet and you don’t want people’s outside shoes on it, get a small shoe tray.  Only $3.99 at IKEA (holds 3 pairs).  Also hit your Dollar Store, and buy stacks of footies on the cheap. My Aunt has off-whte carpet everywhere and when you come in you put your shoes to the side and pick a pair of new socks to take with you.
• (MY TIP #2) People always leave things so put a small “lost n found” basket in your foyer, or entryway with a little label, so if anyone is missing keys, or glasses they can always find them.

Baseboard & Vents

Just wiping down your baseboards and vents can make a big difference a room, while taming the dust.

Baseboards are easy to tackle and all you need a good AP cleaner to get the job done.  With a micro-fiber cloth, or a swiffer duster you can knock out this task (depending on the size of your space) in under an hour.

Vents can be vacuumed with your hose attachment or Swiffer duster to make sure they’re free of dust and debree.

• (MY TIP #1) If you have filters in your home and you haven’t changed them, now is the perfect time as the weather is coolor and your switching from AC to heat.  It’s always good to change your filters (depending on your usage) at least every 3-4 months to help with allergins and dust particles in the air.
• (MY TIP #2) You can also add a few drops of essential oils (i.e., cedar, peppermint, or lavender to your cloth when you wipe down your baseboards, and give your rooms a hint of fall everytime you enter the room.

Blinds & Windows

I absolutely hate cleaning blinds and windows but it is a must in the spring and early fall. In my townhome, my downstairs only has vertical blinds (no window blinds) so I just wipe those down as needed.  I also keep my windowsills clean and debre-free so when I do open them I’m not surprised by the dirt and pollen that collects from the Summer months.

There are so many ways to get the blinds clean without spending a dime.

• (MY TIP #1) Get an old sock, cover your hand with it, and wallah! You’ve got the perfect tool to clean your blinds (from the top and bottom). Once your done cleaning your windowsills spray them with a mixture of alchol and peppermint, to deter pest.
• (MY TIP #2) I get a cheap fabric spray in a seasonal scent from Marshalls, Home Goods or TJ Maxx and spray your curtains to keep them fresh.

Sofa Cushions

So many things end up hiding between the sofa cushions.  Extranious items like money, that stray ink pen or hair accessories always seem to find their way to the places unseen.

A quick way to instantly refresh your sofa cushions is to…

• Vacuum under and in between the cushions
• Flip and turn your cushions for instant fluffyness
• Refresh cushions with a scented fabric spray like Febreeze or linen spray from Marshalls, Home Goods, or TJ Maxx
• If you want to go all out you can strip your sofa covers and wash them all
  • I don’t typically do this often because I can’t put them in the dryer which means laying them out all over my house to dry which can take days (who’s go that kinda time…LOL)
• (MY TIP) If your feeling like a DIY Master you can also DIY your own linen spray with items you may have around the house.

Bathrooms

In my new space there are 3 bathrooms which can be a chore.  Thankfully, I’m only responsible for 2 and the best way to stay on top of it, is to spot clean it on a regular basis.  There’s no way you can keep your bathroom (absolutely) spotless, because folks will be constantly using it, but there are a few items that can cut down on your stress level.

I don’t need to tell you how to clean a bathroom (LOL) I think we’re all capable of that but here are a few tips that can help you prepare your bath for holiday guests.

• Keep cleaning products like disinfecting wipes in a small basket where people can access it.  This way if you see any mess or you guest (for that matter), it only takes a minute or two to take care of it.
• We love the cute hand towels available right now, but we all know those are not for entertaining (LOL).  A box of disposable towels and small trash is all you need.
• Add a Damp Rid canister (Fresh Scent or Lavendar) or Arm & Hammer Deoderizer behind your toilet.  This will help absorb orders and moister, leaving your bathroom with a fresh and clean scent.
• Keep extra bathroom tissue, and Kleenex on hand, under your sink or on the back of the toilet.
• An air freshner, or a plug in will work wonders at keeping the bathroom fresh
• Keep a poo-spray handy (because you never know)
• (MY TIP #1) Creating a cute basket with toilet paper, wipes, kleenex and air freshners (and a few other small toiletries) would give your bathroom a really personal touch and show your guest that you’re well prepared to recieve them
• (MY TIP #2) Get hand soap and air freshner in a fall scent like sweater weather or white pumpkin for that special touch.

Bedroom for Overnight Guests

Over-night guests seem to take cleaning to a new level.  Although I’ve only had close family stay with me, there’s still a lot to prep, because I’m giving up my room, and I want to make sure I set them up with extra towels, blankets, and space in my closet for their belongings.

• Give the space a good dusting
• Vacuum all the places you forget
• Clear off night tables and dressers of daily things and fill one drawer with a small pack of tissues, an the remotes for all the electronics
• Clear a space in the closet with some extra hangers
• Leave the Wifi log-in on a small card (this can be changed out later)
• Make sure there are extra bath towels, washcloths, blankets and bed linens
• (MY TIP) Make a basket and fill it with a travel guide for things to do in the area, a small first aid or manicure kit, a few bottled waters, shower gels, lotion and loofahs. (LOL – They may never want to leave)

I hope my shortlist gives you the inspiration you need to get busy.  Thanks so much for taking the time to visit my blog today, and  I hope you have a wonderful … stress-free holiday.  Don’t forget to hit that subscribe button to get my post delivered strait to your email. — Peace —

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