Ah… the holiday season is finally here and in full swing! Many of us have been anxiously awaiting the cozy, warm feelings this season brings amongst a year of loneliness. But, with that holiday cheer (often) comes stress. Buying presents, baking cookies, decorating and hosting extended family is a lot to juggle in one month!
And so, this week we want to share some of our top tips for our holiday hosts, so they can start their planning and get through the holidays (relatively) stress free! The prep starts now!
Our first and most important tip, don’t take on more than you can handle! If your job has you particularly busy this year, or there’s any reason you don’t feel as if you can handle hosting this holiday season, it’s okay! Express this to your family and see if someone else is able to host this year. No one wants you to be unnecessarily stressed out during this time that’s supposed to be filled with joy!
Plan your menu well ahead of time. The meal- including the shopping, cooking and cleaning is one of the most overwhelming parts of the holidays. If you’ve been hosting for awhile, you probably already know what you’re making. But if you’re newer, ask for tried and true suggestions from your guests, and start planning your shopping list early. An excel sheet is a great tool for organizing ingredients, recipes and serving sizes!
Hire a professional cleaner. While it’ll cost you a bit more, hiring a cleaner can take a lot of stress off your plate leading up to your guests’ arrival. They’ll do most of the work, and you’ll only have to worry about light cleaning a day or two before their arrival. Plus, this will force you to pre-clean for the cleaners (think getting rid of clutter), so you’re not rushing to clean up as your guests are pulling into the driveway.
Stock up on the essentials. Especially if you’re hosting overnight guests! Make sure you’re fully stocked on items that you’ll go through quickly, such as toilet paper, paper towels, soap, and (most importantly) coffee. Just consider what your guests will need during their stay, and double your supply. There’s nothing worse than having to make an emergency run to the store on Christmas Eve!
We hope these simple tips help you kick off your holiday prep and take some stress off your plate this December!
