How to “Stage” Your Home for the Holidays

Whether you’re having company, hosting a holiday party, or inviting neighbors over for a glass of wine and hors d’ oeuvres, you are likely to have people in your home this holiday season! If you are like me, you’ve planned your outfits, made the necessary hair and nail appointments, created your grocery lists, guest lists, and gift lists, and have possibly started decorating the house. You may or may not be completely ready but you’re getting there!

I have to ask the question, however, is your home ready for the holidays? I’m not talking about decorating… I’m talking about whether is it ready for the scrutinizing aunt that you haven’t seen all year or the nosy neighbor that you love… but …

As a home stager, I am trained to go into a home and see what you don’t see. With that said, I thought I would share a few tips to help you get your home looking as good as you're going to look in that new holiday outfit!

Tip #1

Deep clean the house before you do anything else. You really want to do this before the tree goes up and the little Santas come out! You know as well as I do that once the decor is out, you are not going to be cleaning… or let’s say you’re not cleaning like you normally do!

Tip #2

Declutter the house. Our homes always look a little cluttered with all the extra holiday decorations on display and this is ok! However, consider replacing the vase on the mantel or the pretty bowl on the shelf with one of your decorations. Just put the vase and bowl away for now. The real clutter I am referring to, though, is the pile of mail on the counter, the phone chargers sticking out of every electrical outlet, the multiple pairs of readers scattered in every room (for those of us over 40), stacks of old magazines, umbrellas, TV remotes, and the basket of yard shoes… you get the idea. We live with these things around our home daily, but when preparing for company, particularly a party, it’s best to put these things away.

Tip #3

Stash all your pet gear! Lots of us with pets have their feeding bowls, leashes, beds, toys, etc. sitting out around the house. Put them away! Think in terms of … would I want to see these things in a photo? No! If I were taking a photo for Instagram, I would not include these items in my pic! For that matter… put the puppy away, too… there is nothing more annoying than being dressed up nicely and having a dog jump on you or heaven forbid lick your freshly showered hand or leg! I love animals but I don’t want them all over me after I have put in the effort to look my best for a night out!

Tip #4

This seems obvious but make your bed before the party! You never know if a guest might be looking for the bathroom (or they may just be nosy) and end up finding themselves in your bedroom. Additionally, don’t forget to put away any clothes lying around, medicines and personal items on your bedside table, etc. Again, pretend that you are going to take a photo of your bedroom and post it on social media.

Tip #5

Don’t forget the bathroom! If you are like many people, you may not have a dedicated guest bathroom. Sometimes, the guest bathroom is also the kids’ bathroom, or maybe yours! Either way, people other than you and your immediate family are going to be using it! The main thing we want to do in the bathroom is hide all personal grooming products, medication, kids’ tub toys, etc. No one needs to see your husband’s Afrin sitting by the sink as they wash their hands (at least that is what you’ll find in my bathroom)!

Make it easy … before guests come over, stash everything in a Tupperware or a ziplock and put it in a cabinet or closet. Leave out some nice-smelling hand soap, a candle, maybe some flowers, and a cute tea towel. Make sure extra toilet paper is available… remember, we do not want them looking in our cabinets because that is where we have stashed the clutter! Put extra rolls in a basket on the floor… this looks cute and it is functional. Close the shower curtain halfway making sure that all your shower gear is behind the curtain! I almost forgot… if you have a cat like me… and the litter box is in the bathroom… move it and the cat somewhere else where no guests will encounter either of them!

Tip #6

Clear off the coat rack! Frankly, reassess your entire entryway. This is often a place for dropping keys, piling mail, and keeping extra shoes, purses, backpacks, hoodies, etc. Remove all of it. Hang the coats in a closet, and put all other items in a drawer or cabinet. Remember what they say about first impressions! This is a great place to burn a nice holiday candle and add some flowers or a Poinsettia

Tip #7

Sweep the front porch. Again, this seems as obvious as making your bed, but it is often neglected. Shake out the door mat and make sure it is clean, Wipe down your front door, add a plant or two, or just garland, and a wreath for the door (if you are celebrating Christmas).

Tip #8

Clear the kitchen counters. As command central, the kitchen plays a vital role in the party! There is not much that you can do about keeping things tidy while you’re cooking or preparing the food but you can do a few things. For example, put away small appliances. Unless you are planning to serve coffee, hide the coffee maker or Keurig, hide the toaster, Nutribullet, stand mixer, crockpot, and other small appliances that are not being used. Instead, place a bowl of fresh lemons on the counter and or fresh flowers where the coffee maker usually sits. Put the paper towel roll under the sink, that goes for dish soap, lotion, drying racks, and other items that we generally keep out. Clearing some of this clutter also frees up space for a drink bar or hors d’ oeuvres station!

Tip #9

Rearrange the furniture! Yes, I did say rearrange the furniture… if you think about it many of our family rooms are set up so that we can see the television. Instead, think about creating conversation groups. Instead of the chair facing the the TV, turn it so that is faces the sofa or bring in some extra dining chairs or stools that aren’t being used and create a conversation area. If possible, scatter in some small side tables or put a tray on an ottoman so people have a place to put down their drinks or food. Remember that the maximum comfortable space between people for conversations is 7-9 feet. If you have a large room consider creating a couple of conversation areas.

Tip #10

Have fun! The holidays are such a special time of year but have a tendency to be stressful. Remember to enjoy the time you spend with family and friends and that things don’t have to be perfect! Some of these tips may not work for you and that is ok but hopefully, you’ve discovered an idea or two that you can implement and that will help you feel less stressed about having people in your home!