Prepare Your Home for the Holidays

Clean and declutter. Before you pull out your holiday decorations, spend some time cleaning the high-traffic areas of your home and getting rid of miscellaneous clutter. By doing so, you can provide a “clean slate” for seasonal decor and keep spaces from being overcrowded.

Get a jump on your food prep. Are there items in your holiday menu that can be prepared in advance
and frozen or stored? Make a list of those items and try to take care of them early, so that you have a few less things to deal with once your schedule becomes really hectic.

Winterize your house. Before you welcome people into your home, do a thorough check of your HVAC system to ensure that it’s working properly. If you haven’t done so in the last couple of months, test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and if you have a fireplace, make sure it’s working properly
​​​​​​​before you use it.