News

If you’ve read our last blog on how to prepare for the holidays by November 1st in less than an hour a day, welcome back! We’ve got yet another list for you to follow so you and your friends and loved ones can celebrate the upcoming seasons in comfort and confidence. So read on:

(Continued from Part I)

Oct. 17: Allow easy access to your pet supplies. Houselogic recommends you arrange all your puppy stuff in one area. Install hooks near the door to hang leashes, and place shelves or cubbies to hold bowls, toys and pet food.

Oct 18: Organize your magazines. Dust off any stray magazines lying around and arrange them neatly on coffee tables and other suitable counter tops.

Oct 19: Attack the mail pile. Sort through the mail or any paper piles lying around. Get rid of junk mail, recycle envelopes and shred any personal information.

Oct 20: Dust your bookshelves. Clear a single book shelf at a time to dust the shelf. Then wipe off each book cover and arrange the books neatly as you place them back on the shelf.

Oct. 21: Take inventory of your personal care products. Do you really want to hold onto that ten-year-old bottle of perfume? Or those tiny shampoo samples from the last millennium your mother gave you? Throw out expired or duplicate products and recycle containers as able.

Oct. 22: Sort out your cloth napkins and seasonal table cloths. Decide which ones stay and which ones get ‘demoted’ to the rank of dish towels and rags.

Oct. 23: Go through your dish towels. For the heavy cooking and cleaning that comes with the holiday months, have a good supply of neatly-folded dish towels on hand in the kitchen. Separate the decorative and functional towels from rags and get rid of the cloths that have served their use.

Oct. 24: Clean out the coat closet. Go through the jackets and coats from winters past. Donate the articles nobody uses to homeless shelters, churches and other charities.

Oct. 25: Sort out the hats and gloves. Mismatched gloves are like socks and relationships – you really do need two to make it work. Get rid of gloves that don’t fit anyone, are irreparably damaged or have no mate. And bring your collection of favorite hats down to a reasonable limit.

Oct 26: Organize dishes on display in your breakfront. With guests and festivities coming up the pipeline, make sure all your items in your display cabinets are clean, organized and ready for use for special occasions.

Oct 27: Organize the dishes in your cabinets. On a similar note, clean out one cabinet shelf at a time. Give away or donate the dishes you no longer use and arrange the rest neatly on the shelf.

Oct 28: Clean out your utensil drawers. Make sure all your utensils are ready for company. Wipe out the drawers and clean the utensil drawer organizer. Then replace everything neatly.

Oct 29: Go through your spices. Dust off the spice rack, and replace your spices in alphabetical order to ensure each item is readily identifiable.

Oct. 30: Make a list of special foods and spices to buy. Think of the foods you make every year for special holiday occasions and stock up on special spices you’ll need that you don’t normally keep on hand. Also, stock up on canned goods that are staples for special family meals, gatherings and holiday dishes – like tomatoes, broth, condensed milk and other items your household uses heavily during the holiday season.

Oct. 31: Make your junk drawer go away permanently. Finally, spread a towel or an old tablecloth on the floor. Dump the drawer and decide what goes, what stays, and where to put it. Then designate your former junk drawer for holding event planners and other supplies you’ll need when you plan your holiday events.

So get ready for the crowds, the open houses, the potlucks and the flow of guests that come with the holiday season. When November arrives, you’ll be ready for the festivities – and so will your home!

And if you missed our first blog on the subject, read it here so you can get started now and still be ready for Thanksgiving.

Are you looking for a new home with lots of storage options in Orange County, Long Beach or the Los Angeles metro area? Brandywine Homes is opening six new communities this year offering a combined 265 single-family homes and townhomes. Visit Brandywine Homes for more information.