Tips on prepping your home for the Festive Season

FESTIVE SEASON

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Prepare your home for your Christmas guests. Image: Supplied

IT'S quite easy to get stressed thinking about everything you need to get ready for your annual Christmas ‘invasion’. The biggest tip to surviving this is planning.

Just remember that Christmas is about a time of love and reconnecting with loved ones. If you don’t get round to dusting a shelf or fixing the ripped fly screen, keep things in perspective. Being the ‘perfect’ host or hostess is also about giving people time and offering them a relaxing, happy environment where you can enjoy just being with each other.

Below are some quick tips to help you prepare for the Christmas rush.

Cleaning for your guests

If you are worried about passing the ‘white glove’ test under the scrutiny of over zealous in-laws, why not organise a professional clean.

  • Steam cleaning carpets, carpets and furniture will freshen your house ready for your Christmas guests. 
  • A new coat of paint or mending that ‘one day it’ll get fixed’ thing is now the time.

Find a local Tradie here >>

 

Check your equipment and BBQ

There’s nothing worse than your guests watching the meat on the BBQ turn cold and gelatinous whilst you are out replenishing an empty gas canister.

  • Check that your canister is full, or that you have enough briquettes. Mobil and Shell Port Douglas have spare gas canisters.
  • Check you have BBQ tongs and plenty of aluminium foil. 
  • Remember to make any marinades the day before so you can soak the fish or meat for 24 hours to really soak up the flavours.
  • Make sure you have a hand held fire extinguisher nearby just in case of any emergencies.

  

Get the garden and pool in order

In tropical far north Queensland Christmas is a predominantly outside affair (unless your guests prefer to be in close proximity of the air conditioner or in the pool). Make sure your outside areas are safe and stunning!

  • Gurney any mildew and mould off of stones to avoid guests slipping. 
  • Cut off and remove any dead palm fronds and ensure your pool is primed (PH balanced and cleaned) and ready to go. Kennards rent out trailers so you can just put all your green waste in a trailer and take to the dump.
  • Make sure there are no upturned water catchers that can attract unwanted mosquitos. 
  • Bringing in the professionals for pool maintenance and a little trimming and beautifying of the garden all helps to give that final look. 
  • You can add that extra tropical feel with tiki torches and battery night-lights (so much safer with children around).
  • Have natural insect repellent and bite relief on hand (natural and chemical available from LiveLife Pharmacy, Port Douglas). 
  • Citronella candles are also a lovely aromatic way of keeping those pesky mossies away.

  



Do you have any tips o getting your home ready for the festive season? Let us know in the comments below!

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