Holiday Hosting Tips for New Homeowners
One of the most fun – and potentially stressful – parts of celebrating the holidays in your first home is getting to play host to your friends and family.
But if you’ve never had the chance to do so before, the idea of being in charge of the festivities can be more than a little nerve-wracking!
New homeowners shouldn’t fear, though – the Michelle Clark Team can help you get started with a few of our best holiday hosting tips!
Stock up on festive supplies
When it comes to traditional holiday fare and seasonal favorites, we all know that the closer to the day, the less likely it is that you’ll be able to find them at your local stores. So if you want to be sure to have all of your guests’ preferred treats, stock up ahead of time! Certain things like drinks and sweets can usually be stored safely in pantries or the refrigerator until it’s time to bring them out and enjoy, but it can get tricky when you start considering perishables that won’t last long. In those cases, see if your grocery store or market will hold items aside for you until a certain date, when you can pick them up and have them at the ready for your guests.
Take advantage of prep time
There never seems to be enough time in the day, or from one holiday to the next when it comes to preparing for your guests. But every good host knows that in order to minimize your chances of scrambling about with last minute to-dos, you’ve got to take advantage of the time you do have! And since a large part of holiday hosting revolves around special dinners and keeping everyone’s favorite eats on deck, one of the best ways to trim your task list to a manageable size is to do as much cooking and culinary beforehand as you can. Even if it boils down to having your ingredients separated, measured and ready to go, it can help reduce your stress levels, so you can enjoy the holidays, too! The same goes for finding the time to decorate your house to your satisfaction – nothing gets people in the holiday spirit like festive additions to your home’s unique style, and having the display around while you get ready for company could help ease a bit of your pre-celebration stress, too.
Make a list
And check it much more than twice! When it comes to getting things done in preparation for your hosting duties, it always helps to have a list to keep you on track. That way, as you run your errands and get everything ready for your guests, you’ll know exactly what you’ve done and won’t have to worry about anymore, as well as what still needs to happen in order to keep the season bright for everyone.
Whether it’s your first time hosting everyone for the holidays or your fiftieth, it never hurts to find new ways to make the experience easier on yourself! And with experts like the Michelle Clark Team on your side, you can keep adding helpful tips to your repertoire. Stay tuned for more how-tos and advice for homeowners in our blog.