Philadelphia, PA - The Holiday Season is here, and while you’re planning that big family dinner, don’t forget about sprucing up your home as you welcome friends and family to celebrate the holiday.
Designer Robin Wilson, founder and CEO of Robin Wilson Home, focuses on creating healthy and beautiful spaces for her clients and sells products at national retailers. She offers these seven tips to create a warm, inviting, and healthy home this Holiday Season.
How to Get Your House Ready for The Holiday Season
- Start with curb appeal: The exterior is your guests' first impression of your home, so you want it to look clean and inviting. Add fresh mulch, trim overgrown trees and shrubs, plant new flowers, redesign your front yard garden with outdoor water features, and ensure the front door is freshly painted. Always wear a mask to prevent breathing in fumes and goggles to protect your eyes.
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Make the windows sparkle with a newspaper: You read that right. Spray your windows with non-toxic cleaner and wipe away with the newspaper. The high absorbency of newsprint makes it so effective at cleaning windows because it absorbs the liquid instead of pushing it away. Be careful to stay on the glass and not dirty moldings and trim.
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Clean the chimney and stove: This isn’t just to help Santa when he descends into your home next month. A dirty chimney is a fire hazard and can release toxins into your home. It’s also a good idea to clean your stove before you do any intensive holiday cooking on a related note. It’s also a good time to ensure smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are working and have new batteries.
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Switch to LED lighting—If you’re entertaining a lot this holiday season, switching to LED lighting will keep your electric bills down. LED lighting is the most energy-efficient lighting source available. And if you have young children, LED lights are cool to the touch.
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Get your couches and rugs professionally cleaned. Sofas and rugs can harbor all kinds of allergens, mold, and bacteria. If you have dogs or cats, removing the dander will help you and your guests prevent the “wheezes and sneezes.” Plus, a good-looking couch will attract your company, allowing time to catch up and reminisce or watch the parade or football games together.
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Put on fresh bed linens: If out-of-town family and friends stay with you, new linens are always a nice touch. Hypoallergenic comforters and pillows are a good choice, especially if you don’t know if your guests have any allergy/asthma issues. For this reason, nylon shower curtains should also be used, and they should not go off-gas as vinyl does.
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Non-toxic cleaners this time of year: With the cooler weather, most people keep their windows shut for the next five months, sealing everything up and trapping everything inside. For this reason, it’s essential in the winter to use non-toxic cleaners as you prepare your home for the holidays.
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Make it smell like the holidays—To make it feel like the holidays, it needs to smell like the holidays. Consider soy candles as a healthy alternative to regular candles. They add a visual element and warmth but come in various scents.
