Get everything set for holiday festivities
While there’s still time, prep your home with these five projects
The holiday blitz is underway and your home needs to be ready.
With meals to cook and gifts to buy, you don’t want to be getting a wonky oven fixed or cleaning stains from the carpet at the last minute.
Five projects to tackle before the first holiday guests come calling: 1. Check the fireplace. Before you fire up the yuletide log, make sure your fireplace is safe and sound. If it’s been years since your last chimney sweep, consider bringing in a pro for the job.
A clean sweep will remove built-up soot and creosote, which left unchecked can pose a serious fire hazard.
You should also inspect the firebox for cracks, since they can create a pathway for stray embers into your home’s structure, another serious fire risk. 2. Do a deep clean. If you don’t use a cleaning service throughout the year, it might be worth splurging on one before the holidays.
A standard cleaning will have your home looking and smelling fresh for guests. You can also go deeper by having your carpets, furniture and windows cleaned. 3. Enhance the lighting. Exterior light fixtures offer the chance to burnish your home’s architecture while also making the front entryway safer and more inviting for holiday guests. Take advantage of existing wiring so you’re not paying an electrician to run new lines. And how about hiring a handyman to hang holiday lighting on your home’s exterior? The pro help will free up your weekend and eliminate the need for you to climb up on ladders and roofs. 4. Paint the interior. A fresh coat of paint in a few key areas —say, the foyer, living room, powder room and guest bedroom — will help make the entire home feel clean and fresh. Winter is the slow season for many professional painters, so you shouldn’t have trouble booking the project.
You might also be able to negotiate the price, especially if it’s a big job covering multiple rooms. 5. Get appliances in order. Your kitchen appliances are about to go into overdrive, especially the refrigerator and range. Inspect them for early signs of trouble. With the fridge, buzzing and humming sounds, as well as inconsistent temperatures, are indications of potential failure. As for the range, broken burners and uneven heat in the oven are issues you need to deal with sooner rather than later.