Get Your Southern Home Holiday Ready Without the Stress
Get Your Home Holiday-Guest Ready Without the Stress
Well, it’s that time of year again! The leaves are falling-kinda, the air’s a little crisper, and soon enough, your front door will be swinging open to welcome holiday guests. Whether it’s your in-laws, best friends from way back, or a gaggle of cousins you only see once a year, having company over is part of what makes the holidays so special.
But let’s face it—getting the house ready for guests can be overwhelming. If you’re feeling more “WHERE DO I EVEN START?” than “Deck the halls!”, don’t worry. I’ve got some simple tips to help you get your home cozy, tidy, and ready for all those MERRY moments.
1. Start with the Spaces They’ll Use Most
This is NOT the time to deep-clean your attic or alphabetize your pantry (unless you really want to-but sipping eggnog while enjoying your tree is a MUCH better idea!). Focus on the areas your guests will actually see and use:
• The Entryway: Make sure it’s welcoming. Clear away any clutter and set out a rug or mat to catch any debris (And keep your floors cleaner!). If you’ve got a festive wreath, (If you’re Southern, you have at LEAST 3) now’s the time to hang it up.
• The Guest Room (or Space): Clean sheets, fresh towels, and a little space to unpack are the basics but Southern hospitality is all about going the extra mile! Add a touch of charm with a small basket of travel-size toiletries -like shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste and maybe even a spare toothbrush-just in case your guest forgets something. It’s the little details that say, “You’re welcome here!”
• The Bathroom: Nice scented soap, a fresh hand towel, and a scented candle can make even the smallest bathroom feel spa-like. Extra toilet paper is a must! I keep pretty bottles of shampoo, conditioner, body wash and lotion in the bathroom for overnight guests.
2. Declutter Like You’re Hosting Santa Himself
Now, don’t panic—I’m not saying you need to make your entire house look like no one lives there!. But taking 10-15 minutes a day to tackle clutter hotspots (like the kitchen counters or coffee table) can make your home feel instantly more put-together.
Pro tip: Stand in your doorway and get a glimpse of their first view of your home. Not ready…see the next pro tip!!
Pro tip: Grab a laundry basket, toss in anything that’s out of place, and stash it away in a closet until after the holidays. Nobody’s going to judge you for that—we’ve all done it!
3. Set Up a Snack Station
One thing I’ve learned? Guests love a little self-serve setup. Put together a tray or basket with community coffee pods, tea bags, hot cocoa, and a few snacks like pralines, pecans or cookies. Add a few mugs and napkins, and you’ve got yourself a cozy little corner where guests can help themselves.
4. Add a Dash of Holiday Magic
Get that wreath out of the wreath closet! You don’t need to go full-on Griswold with the decorations, but a few festive touches will make your home feel extra special. Think twinkle lights, stockings on the mantle, a wreath on the door with a monogram sash or even just a vase of fresh greenery. It’s the little things that say, “Welcome, we’re glad you’re here!”
5. Don’t Forget the Fridge
If your guests are staying overnight, stock up on breakfast basics—eggs, bread, fruit, cereal and maybe a little something sweet. And while you’re at it, make sure you’ve got their favorite drinks on hand. Nothing says “I thought of you” like a fridge stocked with Diet Coke or that eggnog your sister loves.
6. Relax and Enjoy the Moment
Here’s the most important tip of all: Don’t sweat the small stuff. Your guests are here to see YOU, not inspect your baseboards. Light a candle, put on some holiday music, and focus on making memories.
If all else fails, just remember: A warm smile and a old fashioned can cover a multitude of sins. Now go pour yourself a cup of something yummy—you’ve got this!
And if all this still feels like too much, you know where to find me. Visit www.chaosorganizing.com to learn how we can help get your home in tip-top shape, so you can spend less time stressing and more time enjoying the season.
Say Goodbye to Chaos. Step into a New Year of Order and Calm.
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5 Tips to Ease the Pain of Cleaning Up After the Holidays
Hoping your holidays were fantastic. Unfortunately, it’s clean up time! Here are 5 quick tips to help ease the pain of the clean up process.
Happy New Year my organizing friends! Hoping your holiday was fantastic. Unfortunately, it’s clean up time! Here are 5 quick tips to help ease the pain of the clean up process.
5 quick tips to help organize your holiday clean up.
Use clear bins if you can. Being able to see what’s in the bin is very helpful when taking items out next year.
2. Label, label, label! Label each bin with every item inside the bin. This seems tedious but you will be thankful next year. You can use a label maker or use the original label tape….masking tape and a sharpie! If you zone decorate like I do, don’t forget to add the zone label.
3. Using an extension cord reel or any type of cord organizer will help keep your lights from being a tangled mess. Label the lights so you know right where they go next year.
4. Label wreaths and garland with the location where they will be used. I use garland in 3 different spots and each garland is a different length. Knowing where the garland belongs saves us time and frustration.
5. Make sure to take the batteries out of anything being stored.
Once again, have a Happy New Year and happy organizing!
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5 Things to Do Between Christmas and New Years
Christmas has come and gone again, but the kids are still out of school and we still have New Years to celebrate. The motivation to get your home cleaned up may be lacking, but here are 5 things we recommend doing to keep yourself sane and able to enjoy the last of the holidays.
Christmas has come and gone again, but the kids are still out of school and we still have New Years to celebrate. The motivation to get your home cleaned up may be lacking, but here are 5 things we recommend doing to keep yourself sane and able to enjoy the last of the holidays:
Take out the trash.
First things first, take out all of the holiday trash. It can accumulate very quickly between cooking, having guests over to eat, and opening gifts.
Clean and put away all the serving dishes.
Get all of your serving dishes cleaned and put back in their place. If you use china or any form of non-disposable dinnerware, now is a good time to clean and put those away too.
Reset the guest bedroom.
Tidy up the guest bedroom once your guests are gone. Change and wash the bedding and put away any items that need to be picked up.
Reset the guest bathroom.
Collect all the dirty towels and throw them in the wash.
Use the rest of your paper plates.
Whether or not you eat on paper plates for Christmas, now is a great time to use paper plates to save yourself from having to keep up with the dishes.
We hope you had a fabulous Christmas and wish you a Happy New Year!
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Life is Short, Enjoy it by Using Your Crystal
Whatever your “fancy” holiday dishes may be, it’s time to bring them out and enjoy them. Here is a guide on how to set the table and some inspiration for a beautiful holiday table!
If we’ve learned anything over the past couple of years, it’s that life can change on a dime. It’s important to remember those “things” that you are saving, well, saving for what? Who could be more important than your family?
Maybe china and crystal aren’t your thing? Whatever your “fancy” holiday dishes may be, it’s time to bring them out and enjoy them. For me, that means my Great-Grandmother’s china is front and center. You may have opted for something more contemporary, less formal or even less breakable, which I completely understand, but having my china on the table reminds me that life is fragile so enjoy it. No matter if you are having a formal event or a casual one, your decorated and well-set table can make the event feel more festive and your guests more welcome. Your centerpiece might be a mason jar of camellias from the yard or a fancy floral arrangement, either way, having a centerpiece brightens up the table and changes the mood from an ordinary dinner to a celebration! So, pull out the fancy, put on a smile and enjoy this time with the people you love.
Here is a guide on how to set the table. It’s really important to know and certainly a job that the older kids can do for you if you are busy in the kitchen.
Here are some other places that we found inspiration for a beautiful holiday table! I hope you enjoy them as much as we did!
https://www.countryliving.com/entertaining/g634/thanksgiving-table-settings-1108/?slide=6
https://www.livingwithlandyn.com/2016-11-3-chic-thanksgiving-table/elegant-and-easy-thanksgiving-table-settings
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How to Set Up a Gift Wrapping Station
With Christmas just two days away, it’s time to finish wrapping all the gifts! To avoid making a giant mess in your home just days before having guests over, here are a few tips to keep things clean and simple.
With Christmas just a few days away, it’s time to finish wrapping all the gifts! To avoid making a giant mess in your home just days before having guests over, here are a few tips to keep things clean and simple:
Use neutral-colored wrapping paper.
Neutral wrapping paper can be used all year round allowing you to use it for a variety of occasions. It may also be easier to find craft paper if you’re still needing to buy wrapping paper so close to Christmas, as most stores are starting to run low on all of the festive wrapping papers.
Use colorful ribbon to embellish.
Having a few colorful ribbons makes your gift wrapping beautiful and festive and is much easier to store than several large rolls of holiday wrapping paper.
Keep your tape, scissors, and gift tags all together.
One of the most frustrating parts of wrapping gifts is having to get up multiple times to locate each item that somehow always seems to get lost. We keep ours all in a labeled container that gets stored with the rest of the wrapping supplies so that they never get lost. Pretty gift tags are also a great way to dress up your gift wrapping!
Bonus tip: Store all of your wrapping supplies on a rolling cart for easy and portable storage!
From all of us here at Chaos Organizing, have a very Merry Christmas!
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