It’s the most wonderful time of the year … to get your apartment ready for the holidays!
Most people enjoy getting the decorations out and looking forward to the holiday fare. But, at the same time, it can be hard to know where to start.
There are so many factors that go into preparing an apartment for the holiday season:
- Putting up decorations
- Doing a thorough cleaning
- Pet-proofing your apartment
- Making sure there’s enough seats, dinnerware, and space for guests
- Carving out enough room for gifts
Yes, there is a lot to do. We’ll discuss how to prepare your apartment in this article.
Don’t let getting ready for the holiday season overwhelm you. It should be a joyous time!
With these five clever tips, you’ll be ready for the holidays in no time at all.
1. Focus on the Entryway
The entryway is the first thing your guests see when they come over. So, you’ll want it to look nice and festive.
To prepare for the holidays, make sure the front door is well-lit. The light by your door should be shining brightly.
If it isn’t, you should tell the leasing office that they need to swap out a bulb (or ask if you can do it) so visitors can see.
You should also clean the entryway since it’s going to get the most foot traffic. Tidy things up, water your plants, and get that mudroom looking nice.
And make some extra space in the coat closet for visitors, too. They’ll need a place to hang up their jackets and put their stuff.
Spruce up your foyer, too. Make sure it’s decorated well before the holidays arrive (more on this next).
2. Get Your Supplies Early
Getting your apartment ready for the holidays takes a lot of work. That’s why the best plan of action is to get everything you need as early as possible.
If you procrastinate, then you could run out of time!
Dinnerware
Make a list of items you will need to entertain guests. On your list, you’ll likely put table decor, linens, dinnerware, dishes, glasses, etc.
If you have some of these items in storage, take them out before the holidays. Having them ready will make your life a lot easier.
Decorations
Do you have some festive art and decorative elements you want to display in the apartment?
Decorate early rather than later. That way, you’ll know if you need to buy anything else. This is the fun part, so make sure to enjoy it!
Seating
Let’s not forget about seats.
If you plan to have guests over, make sure that you have enough chairs for everyone.
Don’t have enough seating for your guests? Consider buying some foldable chairs or borrowing some from a friend.
Think of it this way:
If you wait until the last minute, you’re going to be the person sitting on the floor.
3. Declutter ASAP
The holidays tend to invite more things into your place. So, you must do your best to get rid of existing clutter beforehand.
If there are random items in your living room and bedroom, make a point to put things back where they belong.
If you have a lot of extra stuff hanging around your apartment that you no longer need, take it to Goodwill. What better time to give things away than during the holiday season?
The chances are that you’ll probably receive a few gifts. By decluttering your apartment, you’ll open up some space for your new stuff.
And, you’ll have room for family and friends that might be staying with you or coming for dinner.
That’s precisely why you should reign in the stuff and make room for the holidays to arrive at your apartment.
If you make time to declutter before the holidays, you’ll be one step ahead of everyone else.
And, you won’t have an even bigger mess on your hands afterward. Imagine all the clutter that could pile up if you don’t make time to clean things up now. Yikes!
4. Pet-Proof Your Apartment
While getting your apartment ready, it’s also essential to keep your pet in mind, too.
Some decorations and plants are particularly harmful to pets.
Think about those glass Christmas ornaments, for example — your pet could accidentally knock one off the Christmas tree. If that happens, they could get injured!
Another thing to think about is choking hazards such as ribbons and sparkling tinsel. And let’s not forget about toxic holiday plants such as holly and mistletoe.
If your furry friend ate one of these plants, you would need to head to the vet ASAP!
Pet-proof your apartment and save yourself some heartache. You’ll rest easy knowing that your pet won’t get into something that could hurt them.
5. Set a Budget
Last but not least, make sure to keep a budget in mind when preparing your apartment. Don’t let the holiday decorating send you into debt!
Don’t feel pressured to make your apartment look like Martha Stewart decorated it. You could end up buying more decorations than necessary.
The holidays can get expensive, and it’s easy to overspend. Don’t be too hard on yourself about how your place looks. You can decorate your apartment in a fun and festive way without breaking the bank.
To determine your holiday budget, figure out how much you can afford to spend comfortably. Then, identify all of the things you need to buy. This list should include everything from gifts and decorations to food and holiday outfits.
Don’t go over your budget, or you’ll spend the first few months of the new year regretting it.
Your apartment will look great for the holidays, regardless of whether you spend a lot of money or not
If you want your apartment to start looking like the holiday season, you have a lot of work to do!
Start by setting a budget and cleaning up the clutter. Then, pet-proof your apartment and start decorating. It’s going to look great!
And make sure to give yourself enough time to get everything done. You don’t want to put it off until the last minute and end up looking like the Grinch, do you?
Stay on Santa’s good side by checking everything off the list, and you’ll have the most festive apartment in the neighborhood!
Author Bio:
Located in the downtown core of Tukwila, Marvelle at South Center sits in the heart of the Tukwila Urban Center and transit-oriented development area. The urban location offers residents convenient access to nearby restaurants, shopping malls, and medical facilities.