***Collaborative post***
Even with the pandemic still around, it seems more people in the UK are gearing up to celebrate Christmas in grand style this year. News reports indicate that already, there is a 60% increase in Christmas associated décor sales. Apart from the treats you are probably planning to buy or bake, there is more. If you have no plans yet on what to do with your home, here are some ideas you may want to look at.
Create space by decluttering
Sometimes, you never really know how much space you could create in your home until you declutter. Throughout the year, you may have been saddled with so many tasks and chores that thorough decluttering may not have seemed like a good idea. Thankfully, with the holiday season approaching, you have the perfect excuse to create that much-needed space in the home. First of all, you may want to start with your home’s high-traffic areas. These are places that seem to have the most overlooked clutter.
For example, kitchen countertops and the pantry tend to be some of the most cluttered spaces you can find in many homes. This may be likely due to the minor nature of residential properties in the UK. Regardless of the size, though, there are simple steps to take to tackle the clutter. Consider cleaning out your refrigerator and discarding expired foods. Since you are focused on this part of the house, you may want to look at some websites that redesign kitchens. Creative Design Kitchens is an example to take inspiration from.
Prepare for guests
This is particularly important if you plan on receiving guests in your home during the holiday season. Hopefully, if the government does not issue further COVID restrictions during the holidays, households may want to consider entertaining guests in their homes. It will help if you keep an eye on the budget reserved for this. The last thing you want to do is to overspend in preparation for guests, only to be cash-strapped in the new year.
If you cannot afford it, you do not need to get a new bedding set for the guest bedroom. Instead, your regular sheets with a holiday-themed throw pillow can make all the difference. Additionally, if you shop now before Christmas purchases peak, you might find affordable holiday blankets to complete the look.
Decorate your main spaces
There may be no point in decorating every single part of your home when people most likely wouldn’t see them. This is why it is rational to only focus on decorating your main spaces like the living room, kitchen, dining area, porch or balcony. A touch of Christmas décor placed at vantage points of the house can make all the difference. Don’t forget the lighted garland.
Stock the pantry
After decluttering and cleaning up the kitchen, now is the perfect time to stock your pantry. If you wait till Christmas to do it, the ingredients might be higher priced than now. As a tip, purchase non-perishable items in bulk. Meanwhile, perishable items you buy can be stored in the freezer to preserve them for longer. Another tip is to have your groceries delivered weekly if you don’t have enough storage space for bulk items.
Indeed, Christmas preparation is not necessarily cast in stone. Therefore, you can start prepping in any way that suits you best.
