Christmas is quite possibly one of the most fun times of the year (for those who celebrate it!). All those presents, the good food, the feeling of community as you come together with friends, family, and neighbors. And once lunch is out of the way, you can nap on the sofa and simply wake up for ham and leftovers in the evening!
But it’s not all good news. Christmas can also do a lot of damage to your home. It’s true! We’ve all had to go through that cleanup phase on Christmas morning once all the presents are unwrapped, and when the time comes to take the decks down, plenty of scrapes and blemishes are left behind!
Your house can look like a very festive bomb has gone off before everything is packed away. So, if you’re sick and tired of having to clean up and plaster over when January rolls around, we’ve got some tips for you below. Keep them in mind for the upcoming year!
Be Careful with Your Decorations
Decorations can break quite easily, especially when they’re already a few years old. Indeed, if you’ve inherited a set from your grandparents and still like to use them, there’s a good chance this’ll be the year they finally smash! So it’s best to store them very well, at least in a couple layers of bubble wrap, especially if there’s no original packaging for them to sit in.
Aside from that, try to make sure that once the decorations are hung up, they’re not touched until it’s time to take them down again. If they’re weirdly shaped, such as a bauble shaped like a star or a simple line of tinsel, this may require them being tacked in place, or being put higher up on a tree branch. Line the tops of walls and the ceiling with them, but try to prevent them from being placed near the floor!
A Party Can Cause a Lot of Mess
Christmas parties are some of the most fun you can have as an adult during the festive period. But once again, as soon as all the guests are gone, you’ve got to clean all that up! This is why you may want to consider cleaning as you go for the upcoming year.
Keep a garbage bag on standby to put all general refuse in, and make sure any dirty dishes and wine glasses are moved to the sink as soon as possible. You can also try out a zero-waste party by having all drinks in decanters and all food set out in reusable trays, and simply use lighting and music as the decorations instead.
Double Check Your Central Heating
The majority of us have both central heating and air conditioning units in our homes, and when the winter period is in full swing, we tend to only use the former function. And seeing as the heating comes on at least once a day for a good few hours, it’s best to double-check your system from time to time.
After all, heavy and extensive use can cause the quality of the equipment to break down faster. You may also experience blockages, and even an interruption to your water flow if you use radiator heating. Make sure you stay on top of cleaning out your vents and changing your filters regularly. If you’re not careful about doing this, you may need to call in heating and air repair technicians during this expensive peak time of the year! Double-check now, and save money later.
Prepare Properly for the Tree
The tree is the worst offender when it comes to festive damage. It can scratch the ceiling, mark the walls, and leave dents on the floor. As such, it’s best to measure the space before heading out to buy a tree and ensure you’ve got a concrete number in your head. If a tree measures above this, it simply can’t come home with you, no matter how fluffy it looks!
You can also lay out protective material on the floor for the tree to sit on. Something that spreads the weight and prevents the carpet and even the hardwood from suffering. Some people recommend plywood, but even just a bit of tarp or even rubber can work here. It’ll also catch all the leaves that have fallen off, so less cleanup once you take it down.
Make sure and contact your sanitation service and find out what day they will pick up and properly dispose of your tree or you may be able to take it to a recycling center that will turn it into mulch.
Don’t Poke Holes in the Walls
Holes in the wall are normal around Christmas time – you’ve got to hang those decorations up somehow! But after a few years of this, your walls will start to look like slices of cheese. For next year, why not just use adhesive hangers instead?
You can get a line of tape or even just sticky ‘hooks’ from the store and use these to hang lights, tinsel, garlands, and stockings without a problem. This certainly saves the plaster for another day and gives you peace of mind.
Keeping Pets Away
If you’re a pet owner, you know just how enchanted both cats and dogs can be by Christmas decorations. They may try to rip things down and chew on them, or simply climb the tree to see what’s up there. And that’s just a no-no! But how can you stop them?
A lot of it is through distractions. Use toys and treats and call their name whenever they approach the tree. You can also reward them even more during quiet times, so they come to associate being away from the decorations with getting something yummy to eat. Keep at this and they’ll soon forget all about trying to touch the star you’ve placed on the top branch!
Christmas can be a very messy time of year! Make sure the January blues don’t bite you again next year by properly preparing your home for it. Protect your floors and walls, try to clean things up as you go, and always double-check the integrity of your decorations. And most of all, use adhesive to hang tinsel and garlands, rather than nails!
