Home Maintenance

Home Maintenance – Preparing your home for holiday guests

5 Min Read
December 17, 2021

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It’s that time of the year again! This means lots of decorations, good food, exchange of gifts and of course a house full of guests! However, with so many people using your home that’s designed to accommodate not more than 4, your indoors and outdoors and all the appliances and fixtures that are present have to work overtime. Hence you would be right to expect more breakdowns and malfunctioning happening around the house than you have experienced the entire year. It is therefore a good idea to get your home ready for the festive season before the guests arrive and to avoid emergency situations that can disrupt the holiday fun and put undue stress on your wallet.

Summer home maintenance checklist

We all love summer because it means more time spent outdoors! But that’s not the only reason.

Unlike the rest of the world, for Aussies, summer also means that it’s Christmas season and time for the New Year break.

Hence, as you get your home ready for the holiday guests, it’s worth looking at some of the common summer home maintenance and Preparing your home for holiday guestsshould be carry out.

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Service your aircon

Summertime with a house full of guests means extra pressure on your air conditioning. Make sure to call a professional HVAC service for cleaning, maintaining, and repairing your air conditioning unit to avoid any surprises on Christmas eve.

Check your plumbing for damage or leaks

Your home’s outdoor and indoor plumbing gets to do the most overtime during this time of the year. More people in the house means you will hardly find the bathroom empty. This is the time when most leaks and breakdowns happen, so get a professional plumber to make sure your plumbing can handle the extra load. Also, check your hot water heater and make sure it’s in working order.

Make your home mould-free

Your home’s bathrooms, basement, attic, and garage are the favorite place for mould to flourish. This can be dangerous if some of the guests already have respiratory problems, so get rid of it as soon as possible by hiring a local mould removalist.

Clean out the air vents

There is nothing worse than poor air quality inside your home when the guests arrive. Cleaning the air vents makes sure they are free of debris along with insects still hiding inside from the winter season.

Maintain your refrigerator

Just like your air-conditioning, your refrigerator also works overtime to keep up with the hot weather and keep fresh all the extra food you have stored to feed the guests. Servicing it before the guests arrive will definitely save you the day!

Inspect smoke detectors and fire extinguishers

With all the decorative lightings, house fires do tend to take place. It’s better to stay safe than sorry. It’s time to check the expiration date on your fire extinguisher and test your smoke alarm beforehand.

Wash your home’s exteriors

Your home’s exteriors are one of the first few things your guests would notice. Why not give it a fresh new look by washing away all the dust and debris that has accumulated over time. This will also keep it from getting inside the house and settling on the furniture.

Maintain the garden

Since summertime calls for more time spent outdoors, your home’s garden or yard is going to be used excessively to entertain the holiday guests. Regular maintenance such as cutting grass and watering the plants will keep it looking healthy and lush.

Read : All In One Guide For Outdoor Maintenance, Adding Value To Your Home

Getting your home ready for Christmas guests

Your home is a new place for your Christmas guests and they might feel a little disoriented as they look around for bathroom supplies or find a place to put their things during their stay.

In order to make your house feel like home for your guests, here are a few quick things you can do for them.

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Get the bedroom and bathroom ready

Remove your personal belongings to make room for theirs. This means you need to empty the wardrobes and remove your toiletries so they can put their own. Better yet, add new spare ones and let them know that they are welcome to use them.

Make sure to replace the old bed linen with a fresh one. Spend the night in the room to see if the bed is comfortable enough, the room is quiet enough to sleep and the air conditioning is working well.

Stock the fridge and pantry

With a house full of guests, there will always be someone hungry or thirsty. Make sure you have enough food ready to eat in the fridge in between the meals. This will help keep their tummies full while you won’t have to spend the entire day in the kitchen cooking something for someone all the time.

Provide extra storage, clothing, and footwear

Your guests would come with their luggage and gifts as well. It makes sense to add extra storage to their bedroom and bathroom. It’s also a thoughtful gesture to add a couple of extra boots and hats for the outdoor fun, that your guests may have skipped packing with them to keep the luggage light.

Install lighting suitable for entertaining

The right lighting sets the mood for the dinner and the late-night talks. Think about adding a few side lamps and string lights, that help your guests relax and unwind.

Don’t forget guests with children

If your guests are coming over with small children, you have a whole different checklist to make. To begin with, keep everything that is not meant for them, out of their reach. You might want to store some toys, candies, and other stuff to keep them busy and happy. If your guests are not comfortable with your pet roaming around, you might want to arrange a separate place where you can confine the pet during your guest’s stay.

The first few things your guests notice instantly about your home

While you may be focusing on getting the bedroom and the bathroom ready for your guests, there are a few other important things that your guests will notice even before you show them to their rooms.

To give a great first impression as your guests arrive and get their brains trained for what other great stuff you have prepared for them, it’s important to get these right.

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The entrance

Put away the shoes, replace the worn-out doormat with a fresh one, wash the entryway, create a spot for the guests to take off their shoes and hang the handbags, add welcoming lighting and some flowers to freshen up the look.

The odor

You might have gotten accustomed to the smell inside your home but it may feel weird to the guests as they enter.

It is always a good idea to light a scented candle, open the windows to let fresh air in, or spray an air freshener to create a smell that everyone would like.

The mess

An untidy home leaves a bad taste in the mouth. While you do not need to go to extra lengths as you de-clutter your house before the holiday guests arrive, putting away some of the most obvious mess can help.

Put away the toys and the dirty laundry, clean up the kitchen and dining table, and so on.

The cleaning

Whether it’s a dirty bathroom, a greasy kitchen, or pet hair all over the carpet and couches, being invited to an unclean home is the worst thing that can happen to your guests. With the busy season already on, it’s a great idea to hire a professional cleaning service to get your home nice and clean for Christmas.

Safety tips for the holiday season

The holiday season is time to relax and have some fun. However, as you get busy with the festivities, It’s easy to overlook your safety and that of your guests.Here are some tips to keep on top of your home’s safety this season.

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Don’t power up your outdoor light decorations with an extension cord running through the house. It will keep you from closing doors/windows properly as burglars will be able to spot those easily.
Don’t try to install DIY security systems including sensor lights, programmable locks, security alarms, and security cameras. They might not be reliable.
Always install decorative lights that live up to Australian safety standards.
Make sure to childproof your home especially powerpoints, installing rails to prevent them from falling off the stairs and keeping other dangerous items out of their reach.
Make a checklist for you and your family outlining what you need to do in case of emergencies such as loss of power or blocked drains.
Anything to do with heights such as cleaning the roofs, trimming the trees, etc can be dangerous, so it’s good to hire a qualified tradie to do it for you.