A pinch of personality and some short cuts for Thanksgiving and beyond
By Lanie Hightower
We all look forward to relaxing during the holidays, despite the fast pace of our lives. Planning ahead and keeping in mind a few simple tips can inspire, minimize stress and free up your time as you decorate and prepare for the season.
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HVAC and Chimney
Before really cold weather hits, it?s smart to have your heating and air conditioning unit examined. After all, the last thing you need as guests arrive is furnace troubles.
Another idea: Perhaps it?s time for a visit from a chimney sweep to ensure your fireplace is safe, ventilating properly and making the utmost of cozy evening fires.
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Carpets, Floors and Surfaces
There?s something special about clean surfaces, which nicely complement new seasonal decorations. This is a wonderful time of year to clean carpets (but book your carpet cleaner now, as the demand increases the closer we get to Christmas). Also consider giving your hardwoods a quick sanding and refinish. A cosmetic re-grout or stain on countertops and tile can make bathrooms and kitchens look new.
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Defeating Dust
Before you decorate, prepare to dust! Unpacking boxes of decorations brings with it that inevitable annoying film. Try disposable electrostatic dust cloths that require zero solvents, chemicals, or water. They make dusting a snap, because dust particles are attracted to the static charge in the cloth and cling fiercely, saving you time and elbow grease. Just toss the dust cloths as you go.
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Sparkle and Shine!
Along with your dust-free windowsills comes sparkling windows. Having squeaky clean glass casts a wonderful reflection on your holiday d?cor, especially in the evening. Same goes for your mirrors, large and small. But once you?ve given them the grand once-over with a solvent, what?s the best way to touch up these shiny surfaces? To keep everything perpetually smudge-free, try pre-moistened glass wipes. Just a couple swipes and those fingerprints are defeated! Disposable wipes also work on other surfaces, like chrome and stainless steel (plastic and vinyl surfaces, too).
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Stain Lifters
Bring out your best linens for the holidays! Although gravy and cranberry can stain and basted turkey can spot, never fear. One solution is to keep a fabric stain stick on hand, or even those handy dandy stain wipes. That way, you can pretreat stains right away while still enjoying your sit-down dinners. Then consider soaking your linens overnight. Soapy, warm water and a splash of bleach can gently remove the eyesores while keeping your lovely seasonal linens in good shape. This can work for spilled wine, as well, especially with spritzes of stain lifter.
And while we?re on the subject, stock up on your seasonal cleaning supplies before your guests arrive. That way, you?ll have disposable dust cloths, window wipes and stain-fighting ingredients on hand, reducing your stress and boosting your enjoyment quotient.
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Front Door Facelift
One easy way to set the tone comes right at your front door. Buy a new autumn welcome mat for your exterior, themed to match your interior for a graceful transition from front yard to foyer. Plus, welcome mats keep the dirt and leaves at bay during the high-traffic holiday visits from family, friends and neighbors, especially if you?ve just had your carpet cleaned. While you?re at it, why not add new welcome mats for your back and garage side doors, as well?
For a pop of personality you can?t beat a seasonal wreath with fall harvest themes or cold-weather elements, from mini pumpkins to mittens. Raffia, rope or ribbon ?tie? these touches together beautifully. Door decorations can bring Thanksgiving to your front steps in colors that remind us of pumpkin and sweet potato pie. And don?t forget the garage door. Some of the prettiest holiday eye-candy comes from a well-decorated garage exterior.
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Inspiration and Organization
?? Whether you see it on television or find inspiration in a magazine, be proactive about tearing out articles, recipes, decorations, photos and great ideas. An accordion file filled with favorites can help you make sense of gift catalogs and gift ideas, or even holiday traditions. It?s a nice way to help you remember the preferences of family and friends, as well.
This is a good time to start listing and keeping track. In fact, some of the most organized people swear by lists, which make scratching off items a cinch. Planners are nice, too, especially when you are researching things like airfare, hotel rates or even collecting coupons.
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Pillow Makeovers
One of the simplest holiday ?tricks? is sprucing up your decor with fabric. Consider reupholstering your pillows. Imaginative slipcovers can be easily sewn (or bought), and include texture, pops of color, festive elements? and perhaps even some snowflake bling. Fleece, cotton, holiday patterns or monochromatic, the whole point is to add a punch of fun into your living spaces. From Pilgrims to snowmen, or ?hay bales? to harvest themes, don?t be shy. After all, the decorations will only be on display for a season and can add once-a-year touches of Thanksgiving throughout your home. A nice warm throw or two can also elevate the ?cozy? factor.
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Frame the Family
This time of year is also a great opportunity to re-take family portraits, which always make great conversation pieces, especially with growing families (including family pets). In fact, consider incorporating your new family pose into next month?s Christmas cards or sending digital images out with your electronic holiday greetings.
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Preserving Your ?System?
And speaking of pictures, take a few around the house for future reference. Commemorate your decorative efforts so you won?t have to reinvent the wheel next year. If you particularly like a look, a layout, an idea or a design, capture those moments and replicate them during future fall seasons. It saves time and is a sure-fire way to ensure your treasures get the same star treatment front and center next time.
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Packing It Up
To make your next Thanksgiving more organized, give some thought to labeling. Perhaps soft fabrics like table runners, table cloths, napkins, pillow covers and throws can be packed together. Same for door wreaths. Making sure each box and bin is clearly labeled makes a huge difference. You want a super simple system so that next year you can retrieve what you need, when you need it.
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Enjoy!
Now it?s time to bask in the wonder of the holidays, remembering its true meaning and giving thanks for our wonderful homes and families. Happy Thanksgiving!
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Seasonal sofa spruce up: A moose is loose! This pillow gives a heads up that winter is on the way. Nestling nearby, the warm, homey look of a Martha Stewart cable knit sweater pillow brings cozy thoughts to mind. The ?and to all a good night? pillow is from Pottery Barn.
Source: http://fortbendlifestylesandhomes.com/home-improvements/
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