Christmas Day Planning: Preparing for a Full House

With Christmas Day quickly approaching, this time of year can feel quite stressful if you're planning on inviting family and friends over for the big day - and rightfully so! There's a lot to clean, prepare and organise, which can be tough to stay on top of if you already have a family (or a few fur-babies) roaming around the household.

One of the best ways to keep on top of things and make a real dent in the to-do list, is to prioritise and make a Christmas plan. That's why we've put together our very own Rug Doctor guide to a Full House on Christmas Day.

Keep reading for our easy to complete checklist that'll have you feel all-festive and no-flustered before Christmas Day arrives.

1. Begin in the Bathroom

One of the very first places your guests will visit when they arrive (especially if they've travelled a long distance) is the bathroom, which naturally makes it one of the most important places to prepare for your up-coming visitors. Before your guests arrive, put some time aside to do a really thorough clean of your bathroom, including:

• Cleaning the bath/shower
• Wiping down mirrors
• Cleaning and disinfecting the toilet
• Removing any washing
• Putting bath towels and hand towels through the wash
• Vacuuming and mopping the floor

Luckily, the job of cleaning the bathroom doesn't have to be as long and painful as you might think! Just check out our recent blog 'Make Light Work of your Bathroom Spring Cleaning' for a few hot tips on how to save yourself some elbow grease.

2. Ready the Manchester

The next step is to make sure that you have enough linen washed and ready to go for your guests' beds, plus enough towels in the bathroom cupboard for everyone staying. On the next sunny day:

• plan sleeping arrangements early, along with pillows, duvets and the right sized sheet sets
• put everything through the wash
• hang it out to dry on a nice sunny day
• make the beds with the new, clean linen

Then you can rest easy knowing that as soon as your guests arrive they'll have a hotel-style set-up ready for them. Impressive!

3. Simplify your Kitchen

If you're planning on having a lot of guests over for Christmas Day, chances are you're also planning on cooking a feast or two. If this is the case, there are a few things you can do to make sure everything goes smoothly on the day and you've got everything you need on deck.

There's nothing worse than popping something in the oven and realising you're missing an ingredient! Before your guests arrive make sure to:

• Go through the depths of the cupboard and throw away anything out of date or you don't need. Remember, spices and herbs don't keep forever and if you can't smell them you won't be able to taste them!
• Give yourself a little space for preparation by clearing all surfaces of any clutter and rearranging appliances for more bench space.
• Make room in the fridge for incoming produce. If it's been a while since you've given the fridge a good clear out, this is the time to take everything out, throw away outdated food and give the shelves a good wipe-down.

4. Decorate the Christmas Tree

The most fun of all the Christmas related activities - decorating the tree! Climb up into the storage cupboard and pull out the box of decorations, put the tree in the living room and get the kids involved. Having a beautiful Christmas tree for your guests to admire will set off the festivities and bring the Christmas spirit.

5. Napkins, Table Runners and Cutlery

One of the most important things to have stocked up and ready to go if you want to create a magnificent Christmas table setting, is napkins, table runners and cutlery.

There are a tonne of different options at your local dollar store if you don't want to spend too much, but having Christmas themed tableware ready to go will separate your table setting from the next! Plus, going the extra mile with placemats and tablecloths will mean a lot less clean-up on your part after the meal is done.

6. Deep Clean the Carpets

Did you know that for a family with young children, it's recommended that carpets are cleaned once every six months? If you're having guests over for Christmas celebrations (especially if they have children), there's no better time to do a complete, deep clean of your carpets and upholstery.

Plus, it'll have a few benefits you may not have considered:

• High-traffic paths in your home will mat over time because of fibre abrasion, which can eventually lead to fibre loss. Removing the dirt and grime regularly will reduce wear and tear.
• Studies show that your carpet actually serves as a magnet for all kinds of pollutants, contaminants, bacteria and odours, not to mention nasties such as fleas, cockroach eggs and dust mites, a major cause of asthma in children. Cleaning your carpet will keep the family happy and healthy not only during the holiday period, but all year round.

Plus, your living areas will look beautifully presentable to your guests!

7. Get Your Outdoor Area Set for Entertaining

One of the oldest tricks in the book when it comes to entertaining, is to move the party outside. If you can avoid eating and festivities indoors, you also avoid cleaning up the mess afterwards - plus, we're lucky enough that in New Zealand we experience a beautiful summer Christmas, so why not make the most of it!

Here's a few quick tips to get the back yard ready to handle the family, friends and festivities on the big day:

• Sort out enough seating outdoors for your guests, by rallying up the chairs, beanbags, or even picnic blankets
• Get together an outdoor kitchen, complete with a washing-up tub, bbq and an outdoor pantry.
• Keep the pests away from the guests with some forethought, through buying a few citronella candles and investing in mossie repellent.

If you haven't checked it out already, we've put together a blog with some genius outdoor entertainment tips to save you a bit of time, that should make life a little easier!

Once the party is over...

Of course, after such big festivities, family, friends and a tonne of preparation, there's always going to be a thing or two that doesn't quite go to plan! If you end up with a few spills, no worries, we've got you covered. Download the FREE stain guide below and your home will be back to normal in no time.

Merry Christmas everyone!