Holidays Archives - Bruzzese Home Improvements

Undoubtedly, a squeaky-clean home is one way of keeping yourself content with your surroundings. Everyone wants to keep their home in pristine condition, especially when expecting guests and holidays are just around the corner. But keeping the dirt off your floor and windowpanes is not easy when you have a full-time job and a toddler to look after.

The key to achieving a tidy home before holidays is working smart, rather than putting in hours of cleaning effort without success. If you desire a clean house, you will need to develop a housekeeping plan several days in advance. Probably a sound tactic would be to break down maintenance tasks on a seven-day cleanup schedule. This way, seasonal cleaning would be considerably easier, and your guests will be delighted when they arrive. This article highlights some valuable tips that can make your home guest-friendly.

Put Things Where They Belong

As you clean up your home, you’d probably come across certain household items or appliances that have gone obsolete and are no longer required. An easier way to dump them would be to throw them in your garage or backyard, where your guests won’t find them. However, there’s a drawback to this option. If your guests manage to peek into your garage, they won’t leave with a good impression. So, rather than piling unnecessary household items in your garage, you can seek refuge by renting self-storage units. These storage units are a perfect place to safely store those household items that might slacken the splendor of your living space.

If you are a tenant of Billing, MT, you don’t need to worry at all. You can find multiple-sized Billings MT storage units by browsing the net and that too at affordable prices. Besides, these self-storage units are well-maintained and have a foolproof security system to secure your belongings.

Gather Cleaning Supplies

Before you start cleaning your home for the holiday season, it is essential to stockpile all the cleaning supplies you might need. Check if you have sufficient home-cleaning agents to tidy up your entire home. Keep an eye out for floor wipes or disinfectants you might need during your home cleaning phase. Also, make sure that your vacuum cleaner is working properly, or whether it requires some fixes. Besides, don’t forget to pile up cleaning sprays, garbage bags, floor cleaners, and cleaning wipes for your home. All these cleaning supplies and tools must be readily available once you begin scrubbing your home.

Note the Imperfections

To make your home guest-friendly, you must look at it with a visitor’s eye. Note down imperfections as you move around your home and see if anything requires urgent consideration. For example, a worn-out doormat, plants with dead leaves, untidy shelves, or dusty windowpanes must be on your to-do cleaning list. You should also look out for grimy window screens, curtains, and mirrors that require proper cleaning. Plus, if you own a pet, watch out for pet hair on the floor.

Cleaning your entire home is cumbersome, so it’s prudent to join hands with your family members and make holiday cleaning a group effort. You should mobilize your close family members and assign cleanup duties to make holiday cleaning easier and swifter.

Cleanup High-Traffic Areas

As you continue with your cleanup efforts while making your home guest-friendly, concentrate on specific areas for cleaning. It would be wise to aim for high-traffic areas of your home first, as they are easily accessible by guests. Your home entrance is one of those areas that will be most passed-through, so it’s wise to make it sparkle. This includes scrubbing your front door with a floor cleaner, cleaning grimy windows, and giving your doormat a good shake. Plus, it would be best to get rid of clutter that has no space in your home entryway. Probably, making room in the front closet for shoes can minimize cluttering.

Organize your Bedrooms

Nothing is more welcoming than a clean and organized bedroom if you are expecting guests. Toss the bed linens, pillow coverings, and blankets in the washer to ensure they are neat and smell fresh. You can put out fresh towels for the guest bath and wipe down coffee tables to make your guests feel at home. You should also remove cushions from the couch and give it a thorough vacuuming to get rid of dust and popcorn that might reside beneath them. Don’t forget to check whether all ceiling lights and bedside lamps are working properly.

Be mindful that cleaning your bathroom is equally important as tidying up the bedrooms. Your guest would be using the bathrooms, so don’t neglect cleaning them up. Use bathroom cleaners to effectively clean toilets, faucets, and sink to get rid of dirt. You should also stock up toilet paper if needed, empty the trash can and check if the drain is not bunged.

Tidy Up your Kitchen

The deliciousness of the holiday season starts with your kitchen, so making it shine can give your guests a good first impression. To make your kitchen sparkle, you’ll need to start with the dirty dishes. Use dishwasher detergents to make your crockery shimmer, and then dispose of garbage from your kitchen using compost bags. If need be, toss your dishtowels and table linens in the washer to clean them before using them again. Besides, don’t forget to give your kitchen countertop, cabinets, and appliances a thorough wipe!

A Final Touch

Wrap up your holiday cleaning efforts by dusting your entire home a day or two before your guests arrive. It’s time to replace the old flowers in the vase with fresh ones for a sweet and refreshing experience. Or you might want to light a few candles to enhance the atmosphere of your home and reward yourself for the cleaning efforts. You can also fluff the pillows and flatten the bed skirts to make the bed look hospitable. You can even put on some music to complement your tidy home.

Conclusion

The holiday season is the perfect excuse to spend time at home with your friends and family. But while you spend your days off from work, you should focus on your home. The best thing you can do is tidy up and make your home more welcoming for guests and family. It not only promises you a stress-free break but also makes family time more comforting and memorable. Perhaps cleaning your home is the ideal start you need for the holiday season.

Set a festive holiday Cheer throughout your house with our fantastic Christmas Decoration Ideas. All ideas featured in the “11 Cost- effective, Fun and Festive Christmas Decoration Ideas Infographic” are easy and low cost. Whether you have a modern home or prefer a traditional Christmas look in your home, our Awesome ideas will inspire you. From Fireplace Mantle Decoration to Staircase Decoration with garlands and twinkling string lights, we have included all possible sections in this Infographic.

Take a look at this awesome Infographic designed by Choice Furniture Superstore on “11 Cost-Effective, Fun and Festive Christmas Decoration Ideas” and transform your Christmas home into a holiday haven.

If you’re looking to save big on Christmas Decoration, surely try these awesome and pocket-friendly Christmas Decoration ideas this festive season.

Most people think that Halloween is all about the kids. We think it’s time to turn the tables and have a little scary fun!

This infographic will give you some great idea’s on how to scare your kids this Halloween! It’s all in good fun 🙂 Enjoy!

How to scare your kids this Halloween by Terrys Fabrics.

It is impossible to incorrectly dress up a home for the holidays, because decorating rules do not apply to the Christmas season. Since not everyone wants to have their home look exactly the same as their neighbor’s, taking a little time to think creatively about how to add some special touches to each room will make all the difference. The perfect Christmas decorations can be bought, made, or found in nature, so there is no limit to what can be done or incorporated.

The Kitchen and Dining Room

The holidays are the perfect time to throw dinner parties, so this makes Christmas-themed dinnerware a great investment. There are casual dishes with cute snowmen or Santa patterns, as well as elegant settings with beautiful seasonal floral patterns and colors. Drape greenery over the dining room chandelier and suspend Disney Christmas ornaments beneath it. Cut small tree branches and suspend them from the curtain rods in all the dining room windows. Make “curtains” by attaching strings of ornaments, snowflakes or holiday cards to the branches. Use pine cones as placeholders, or make individual “gingerbread” houses from graham crackers and label them with the guest’s name.

Family Rooms and Dens

Make Christmas trees stand-out with themes like all handmade ornaments or all vintage designs. An edible tree is unique as well. Use cranberries and popcorn for garland and make gingerbread ornaments. After Christmas the tree can be placed in the yard for the birds to enjoy. Beautifully decorated ornaments should not be hidden away within the branches of the tree. Display your favorites on shelves or fireplace mantels. Fill a large wooden bowl with ornaments and place on the coffee table. Purchase throw pillows in colors that match the theme to use for the sofa and on the floor around the tree.

For a special touch in your family room, make a collage of all Christmas cards that have been received and saved over the previous years. Put this collage in a gold or silver frame and display over the mantle or over a table that is displaying cards from the current year.

Bedrooms and Bathrooms

Hang a wreath or evergreen swag on the wall or window of the bathroom and add a dish or two of seasonal-themed soap. These could be hand-crafted bars of red and green, or soaps with holiday scents like pine or peppermint. Hang Christmas lights around the mirror and add ornaments to the shower curtain hooks.

In the bedrooms, create a dramatic look by surrounding the bed with flowing white curtains resembling a canopy, and add strings of lights around the entire perimeter. Tie varying lengths of fishing line to snowflake ornaments and attach to the ceiling above the bed. In nurseries, place alphabet blocks on shelves, spelling out holiday messages. Use decals of Christmas trees on the wall, or create a tree from felt so toddlers can decorate (and redecorate) how they like.

It is easy to purchase items that will look holiday-appropriate, but can be used through the rest of the year as well. Red and white striped tablecloths, red, green or blue throw pillows, blankets, and candlesticks colored silver and gold are just a few examples of items that can be used every day. While there will always be trendy colors or themes, Christmas is a great time to be eclectic and daring. Everyone should feel free to use whatever colors or designs they like the best.

The holiday season may be the most wonderful time of the year, but it’s also a time when more homes are burglarized. For homeowners who want to protect their property and reduce the risk of a break-in, there are several steps to take. It will not only prevent theft, but can help to increase the safety of residents in the home.

Install a Steel Screen Door

Approximately 33 percent of intruders enter through a front door, making it important to secure the point of entry instead of allowing them to kick through a hallow door. Installing a screen door will make it difficult for the burglar to break through with a sturdy material that will protect the entrance.

Use Motion Sensor Lights

Motion sensor lights can be installed near the front and back door of the home, which will prevent intruders from lurking in the dark and attempting to get in. The light will turn on seconds after motion is detected, which will cause the individual to be visible to other neighbors. This will also startle them and can make them believe that someone is home, which can cause them to quickly exit the property.

Use a Wireless Security System

A wireless security system will help to monitor the property 24 hours a day, even when you’re away from the home. This can alert the authorities and sound an alarm when suspicious activity is detected. By having the home monitored on a routine basis, it will likely thwart a burglary or can catch the intruders before they escape from the home. In addition to a security system, you can reduce your risk of loss by signing up for insurance through a company like the Marine Agency, which will offers coverage for personal belongings that are damaged or stolen.

Make the Home Look Occupied

It’s normal for many people to travel during the holidays and leave their home unoccupied for several days at a time. Intruders are less likely to break in if they think someone is home, making it important to leave a vehicle in the driveway, keep one or two lights on, and ask the local post office to hold your mail.

Although many homes are burglarized during the holidays, it’s possible to prevent your home from becoming a target. With the right steps taken, you can have peace of mind knowing that your home is protected and that your personal belongings are safe.

For many families, one of the highlights of the holiday season is decking the halls. As you wrap lights around your tree or light candles in the menorah, though, you are not just spreading holiday cheer – you’re also increasing the chances of fire in your home.

The holiday season is notorious for home fires, with an average of 47,000 occurring at this time of year, every year. Fortunately, there’s plenty you can do to protect your home and, more importantly, your family. Follow these four tips for a cozy, safe holiday season.

1. Keep Your Tree Hydrated

One of the biggest fire hazards in your home is your Christmas tree. Many homeowners neglect to regularly water their tree, which results in it drying out. Having a dry tree is a recipe for disaster. Think of it this way: Pine trees are used to make turpentine, an incredibly flammable substance. Your dried-out tree could light up in as little as 30 seconds.

That’s why it’s imperative that you properly care for your tree. First and foremost, buy one that’s not already dried out: Check the needles to make sure they’re still healthy. Have the seller chop the trunk to reveal a healthy, thirsty new layer. Then, stay on top of your watering schedule. It turns out that a well-watered tree is very, very difficult to set on fire, because it has water within its branches and leaves.

Finally, you can prevent a fire by putting your tree in a spot that’s far from any sources of heat. Newer string lights don’t emit much heat, either, so perhaps you’ll have to upgrade your decor as well. To further reduce your risk, you could even swap out your live tree for an artificial one.

2. Mind Your Candles

Flickering candles set a romantic, festive scene, but they also pose a fire hazard when left unattended. The number of candle fires is higher in December than in any other month, likely due to the fact that so many people use them to decorate. The best way to avoid this is to invest in a set of LED flameless candles, which glow and flicker like lit candles do. You could even pair them with a scent diffuser if you miss the fragrance of your candles.

This is especially troubling as a recent study by Fisher-Price found that only 29% of children engage in outdoor play, and that number is assuredly lower in the winter. Meaning there is a high risk of your little one possibly injuring themselves from a candle flame, or worse. If you love traditional candles too much to say goodbye, always supervise them while they’re burning and be sure to blow everything out before you leave the house. Also, be sure to leave space around and above your candle so it doesn’t ignite other pieces of decor.

3. Clear the Fireplace

Another fire hazard to consider in December: your fireplace. Everyone loves to gather around a crackling fire, but only do so after you have cleaned out the chimney. Have an expert inspect chimney walls to make sure they’re clear of any hardened soot, which becomes flammable. You should also invest in a screen if your mantle doesn’t have a built-in door to stop embers from crackling out and onto something flammable, like your carpet, furniture or tree.

Also, while many Christmas mornings involve homeowners throwing wrapping paper into the flames, you’re better off sticking to wood only, even when starting your fire. Accelerants and other liquids can cause things to get out of control.

4. Inspect Your String Lights

You probably only use your string lights once a year, meaning they sit in a box for the other 11 months. During that time – and during last year’s use – they may have become frayed to expose wires, whether they’re bent the wrong way or chewed by some type of pest. Exposed wires can be the spark to start a fire on Christmas, so make sure all of your string lights’ inner workings are protected before plugging them in.

Be aware of how you hang your lights, too. The convenience offered by a staple gun is negated by the fact that staples can cause your wires to break and open, increasing the risk of a fire. The same goes for nails. The safest way to hang your lights is with hooks or another type of hanger that simply holds the wires without piercing them. Finally, always turn your lights off when you go to bed or leave the house. If you must display your outdoor lighting masterpiece regardless of whether or not you’re inside, put your lights on a timer so that they’re not overworked.

Clearly, it takes a bit of preparation and dedication in order to safeguard your home over the holidays. With these precautions, the only thing you’ll have to worry about this December is whether or not you’ve got a gift for everyone on your list – that one is on you.

Megan Wild is a home improvement writer who cares deeply about function and form in the home. You can read more of her musings at Your Wild Home.

If you consider yourself to be one of the people who love to decorate their home for Christmas, then you have clicked on the right link. Here we’ll share easy Christmas décor ideas that will spice up your home for the holidays and make it more festive.

1. DIY snow globe

What you need:

Mason jar
Fake snow
Styrofoam balls
Small twigs
Sharpie
Felt

To make the snowman, start off by sticking two Styrofoam balls together and glue twigs to their sides for the illusion of its hands. Now place felt at the top of the lid and stick the snowman on it. You can also draw some snowflakes on the back of the mason jar and then pour fake snow inside it. Now just put the lid back on and turn the mason jar upside down and you have your snow globe ready to be placed on the mantel.

Credits: www.pinterest.com

2. Chalkboard sign

What you need:

Flat wood
Chalkboard paint
Tape
Paint brush
Chalk

Start off by taping the edges of the wood so that you have a clean line when you remove the tape. Paint the wood with two coats of chalkboard paint and let it dry overnight. Once it’s dry you can write whatever message you want on it. To give it a Christmas feel draw snowflakes on it. This is a fun way to add holiday cheer to your house and the best part is that you can change the message whenever you want to fit whatever time of the year it is.

Photo credits: www.pinterest.com

3. Colorful pinecones

What you need:

Pinecones
Paint
Paintbrush
Cinnamon(optional)
Glitter

This is a very easy craft idea. All you need to do is to paint the pinecones with the color you want and if you want the pinecones to be sparkly then you can add glitter as well. Place the finished pinecones in a bowl, glass jar or vase.

Photo credits: www.lifehacker.com

4. Tinsel tree

What you need:

Styrofoam
Tinsel
Bells
Hot glue

You can make tinsel trees in different colors and sizes and put them all around your house. Start off by wrapping the tinsel around Styrofoam and hot glue it as you place it. Stick the bells to finish it off and that’s it. You have your tinsel tree ready.

Photo credits: www.sodahead.com

Author Bio: This article was written by Rida Maqbool. She has recently written an article about weight lifting liquid chalk.

Photo Credit

People often grumble about all the irksome elements that can come with the holiday celebrations: the dreaded in-laws visiting, the hassles of gift buying, get-togethers with people they don’t like. You get the drift.

However, one thing is for certain: you’ll take the visit from the overbearing in-laws or the bratty niece any day over that of a calculating burglar who can turn your holiday celebrations into a total nightmare.

Ensure you do not get that dreaded visit from shady characters by taking the following home security measures to heart.

By far one of the easiest crimes to thwart, burglary is also one of the most prevalent, especially during the Christmas holidays. Sadly, in some instances, victims of break-ins oftentimes lose more than just their material possessions.

It goes without saying an incident of similar nature can largely impact one’s sense of well-being and safety.

Statistics show that burglaries happen every 15 seconds in the U.S. alone. Fortunately, there are lots of ways you can employ to boost security and make your property burglar-resistant. For starters, ensure your house always looks occupied even if you are away attending parties and socializing. To effectively pull this off, you can use light timers to create the illusion of movement in your place.
An unlocked door or window can make it very easy for burglars to access your property. In line with this, it will work to your advantage to not leave any doors or windows unlocked. Also, consider installing locks with internal anti-saw pins. This will make it more difficult for shady characters to get in.
If you intend to travel for a few days, ensure all windows and doors are locked, including your garage door. Also, make it a point to only use top of the line security locks. In addition, arrange to have all mail and newspaper deliveries to be put on hold so it’s not obvious that you are not around to pick them up.
If you are using blinds and drapes at home, ensure it is only opened when necessary, especially during the holidays. Not only will this keep your home warm, it will also help ensure your home’s safety. Suffice it to say; when it comes to beefing up your security, you need to have everything covered. While not many may be aware of it, likely intruders will use any means to gauge how they can get in, including peering through open drapes and blinds.
When left unattended, limbs of trees that hang over your roof can provide burglars easy access to your property. Ensure tree limbs that extend to your roof are cut, alongside lower tree branches that are situated near your property. In the same manner, ensure you do not leave any ladders outside as this can be used to get in your place with ease.
When it comes to safeguarding your property, it is best to leave no stone unturned. With this in mind, consider adding ‘double protection’. That means apart from making sure all the entry points are locked, consider investing in home safes to keep your important valuables protected.

While proper preparation will not always guarantee your home remains burglar free, at least it can dramatically increase your chances of celebrating the holidays with your belongings safe and your sanity intact.

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Holiday Cleaning: 7 Tips To Make Your Home Guest-Friendly

11 Cost-Effective, Fun and Festive Christmas Decoration Ideas- Infographic

How To Be The Scariest House On The Street This Halloween

Your Guide To Fabulous Outdoor Christmas Decorations

Home for the Holidays: Great Christmas Decor Ideas for Your Abode

The Kitchen and Dining Room

Family Rooms and Dens

Bedrooms and Bathrooms

How to Prevent “Harry and Marv” from Burglarizing your Home Over the Holidays

How to Keep Your Family Safe From Holiday Fires

Handmade Crafts for Christmas

1. DIY snow globe

2. Chalkboard sign

3. Colorful pinecones

4. Tinsel tree

Home Safety and Security during the Holidays

Christmas Cleanup Tips for the Not Naturally Organized

Bruzzese Home Improvements

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