Get ready for the in-laws
Your pre-christmas checklist for getting the house in order. Katie Newton reports.
If you’re expecting a house full of visitors at Christmas, now’s the time to get your house in order. ‘‘It’s a good time to get those final jobs done for the year,’’ says Jeremy Wyn-harris, founder of find-a-tradie website, Builder’s Crack. ‘‘There’s nothing like the prospect of the inlaws visiting to motivate you to get things done.’’
It can help to think about your todo list in three sections, prioritising them depending on how much time you have.
1. Cosmetic quick-fixes
While cosmetic jobs don’t affect the performance of your home, they often offer the best return on time invested and make the biggest visual impact.
Wyn-harris suggests a good start is to give your house a soft wash with a telescopic brush or soft mop head.
‘‘Over the year the dirt and grime can build up and the spider webs appear, so this is a good job to do that’ll make your house look its best,’’ he says.
He also suggests getting a gardener in to do a bit of a tidy up and prune if you’re time-poor, as well as doing things like getting rid of weeds in the driveway or potting up plants to add a bit of colour and softness to decks or paved areas.
Inside, bathrooms and kitchens will be getting a lot more use over Christmas with visitors around, so give the fridge, oven and dishwasher a good spring clean. Make it your mission to get rid of any build ups of mould or grease.
2. Repairs and maintenance
We might get used to putting up with creaky floorboards or leaking taps around our own homes but these are the things your in-laws or visitors are likely to notice.
‘‘Having all those little jobs done creates a good impression,’’ says Wynharris. It also makes your home a more comfortable place to host guests.
Fix any sticky locks or window catches, squeaking doors and wobbly table or chair legs and replace batteries in smoke alarms and remotes to avoid any last minute battery hunts when guests are there.
Wyn Harris also suggests staining any timber decking and outdoor furniture you have.
‘‘I’ve just done ours and its amazing how much better it looks. Just leave a bit of time for it to dry completely before the visitors arrive – it can take a couple of days.’’
If you don’t have time to tackle everything yourself, make a list and call in a home handy person to tick them off all at once.
Remember that tradies get very busy in the lead up to Christmas, so if you need one now’s the time to book them in.
3. The big stuff
With four weeks until the holidays there’s just enough time left to tackle one or two bigger jobs. If you’ve had something hanging over your head all year – get it done now.
Things like pulling up carpet, replacing bathroom or kitchen tiles or repainting the spare room can usually be completed in a couple of weekends if you’re prepared to work hard.
Wyn-harris also suggests thinking about ways to install a bit more storage to keep key areas of your home tidy.
‘‘Getting someone in to install shelves in the garage is a good idea and will make your home look much tidier and more organised.’’
Another option is to convert attic space into storage by laying boards and installing pull-down stairs.