How To Prepare Your Home for the Holidays
As the holidays get closer none of us want to be stuck frantically cleaning before guests come over or dealing with clutter as we try to decorate. If you’re like most people, you probably have some areas in your home that seem to attract clutter and those piles continue to get bigger.
Take the time to declutter and clean your home now and put a plan in place to maintain it through the holiday season.
Declutter
Start by taking an inventory of the areas to be decluttered in your home. Try not to get overwhelmed, we’re going to break this down and make it as simple as possible.
Now that you know what rooms or areas need to be cleaned, prioritize them in order of importance. Hopefully, you will have enough time to get everything done but if that’s not possible then block off time in your planner to tackle the most important areas in your home and let the rest go.
There are a few tools you will need to gather before starting your decluttering project. Don’t worry, they won’t cost you a dime, they’re simply a trash can, a recycling bin, and a donation box. Once you have those three items in a place you can start decluttering!
Deep cleaning
Now that you have decluttered the important areas of your home the next step is to deep clean those same areas that will be used by your guests. Spend extra time in the bathrooms, kitchen, and dining room.
Maintaining
The key to maintaining a clean home is to literally clean up every night after dinner. Put things back where they belong, wipe down counters, and vacuum or mop any areas that need it. By doing this nightly and getting your family to help, it will be a relatively painless task that you can continue into the new year. Plus, you get to wake up to a clean home every morning!
Preparing for guests
If you’ll be having guests stay with you this holiday season you will want to be completely prepared. If you have a guest room great, if not, you'll need to make sure they have enough privacy, especially in the mornings and evenings.
Hopefully, you will be able to put them in a private area of the house, but if that's not possible, consider using a privacy screen to separate their sleeping area from the rest of the home.
Be sure to give them enough space to unpack and store their clothing. If possible add nightlights in the hallways and keep a lamp next to the bed so they won’t be stumbling around in the dark.
Roughly plan out your meals for the duration of their stay and be sure to ask if anyone has any special dietary needs so you can be prepared.
Be extra aware of the bathroom your guests will be using. Put away any personal items and be sure that extra toilet paper and a plunger can be found easily. There’s nothing more embarrassing than needing either of those in someone else’s home and not being able to find them.
The extra touches
Keep extra pillows and blankets near your guest’s sleeping area so they can easily help themselves and stay comfortable. You might also want to add a fan in case they like it cooler than your home’s temperature.
Have plenty of towels and washcloths in an easy-to-find place in the bathroom. You can also display a small basket with extra toiletries like toothbrushes and travel-sized items such as toothpaste, mouthwash, and deodorant.
Provide them with a written password for your WiFi when they arrive so they can access the internet during their stay.
BEFORE YOU GO:
Here are a few more posts you might like:
See my Link Party Directory for a current list of blog parties I attend each week.
All printables are created and designed by Maria, the Krafty Planner Girl
FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY – Please Read Freebies Terms of Use.
(This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosures here.)
~ SHARE THIS POST ~
Did you like this post? Do you know someone else who might enjoy it? Please take a minute to share it on Pinterest, Facebook, or your favorite social media… Thank you!
Download free December 2025 planner printables—calendars, planning pages, trackers, & more. Stay organized this holiday season or shop the full planner on Etsy.
Get into the Christmas spirit with this free Holiday Movie Tracker printable! Check off your favorite films and plan cozy movie nights all Season long.
Stay calm this holiday season with these simple tips for planning ahead. Learn how to stay organized and enjoy Thanksgiving and Christmas without the stress.
The Pink Christmas Collection is here! Festive notepads, bookmarks, & stickers designed to bring a little joy to your holidays. Shop now for holiday cheer!
Plan a festive Pink Christmas with our December 2024 printables! Stay organized and add a touch of holiday cheer to your planner with these seasonal designs.
Get your home ready for a festive season with this complete guide! From decluttering to cozy decor, lighting tips, & guest prep, create a warm, welcoming space.
The holidays are for celebrating with loved ones. Today, I'll share the benefits of planning ahead so you can relax and enjoy the season without stress.
Prepare for March with our Free Printable Planning Pages! Stay organized all month long with customizable calendars, trackers, and goal-setting sheets.
Dive into February with Our Exclusive Free Printable Planners. Discover February planning tips, important dates, and more to make this month extraordinary.
Download your free printable January 2024 monthly planner today and start planning for a successful and productive year ahead.
Dive into the holiday planning spirit with our guide on creating your master plan for December. Get ready to make this your most organized and joyful December yet!
Download your free printable December 2023 monthly planner today and start planning for a successful and productive month ahead.
Here’s a look at some great ways you can stretch your dollar this year and make the most of your holiday season.
Christmas is right around the corner and I wanted to make it super simple for you to plan and organize your holiday so you can spend time with your family and friends instead of sweating over a hot stove. Here’s a quick round-up of all of my holiday tips and tricks plus a few printables to help you out.
As humans, our sense of smell plays a large role in our everyday lives, whether we realize it or not. Scents have the ability to change our mood, change how we interact with others, and even play a large role in our ability to recall memories. Keep reading to find out how to create a feeling of comfort and love.
Hey my Krafty Planner Pals! I have a new, fun printable for you today… A few weeks ago I told you to be on the lookout for a Christmas version of the doodle match games I’ve been making recently. I love Christmas and this one is my favorite! We’ve been playing with it all week.
We love word searches around here, and since Christmas is just around the corner, I thought I would make this super awesome holiday word search puzzle! Seek and find fifteen Christmas themed words in this free printable word search puzzle.
Hi My Krafty Planner Pals! I’m so excited to share this December Weekly Planning Page Printable with you today! I’ve been using this weekly planning page to keep track of my most important daily to-dos since last January. Click the link below to grab your free printable.
I am so ready for the holidays this year! How about you? The pretty lights, colorful decorations, and the warm cozy feelings of Christmas. Even though many of us will be making adjustments to our holidays this year because of the pandemic that doesn’t mean we can’t still celebrate. This planner has everything you need to plan and organize a traditional Christmas or socially distanced one. Let’s take a closer look…
I'm so excited to show you this month's bullet journal layout! With all of the beautiful colors and Christmas planning, I think it might be my most favorite month yet!
Here's a sweet 25 Days of Christmas Checklist to help plan all of your holiday activities. It has everything from watching your favorite Christmas movie to going on a sleigh ride.
I recently started decorating the house for the holidays and wanted to show you these adorable Christmas coasters I made a couple of years ago.
Holiday foods are some of the most unhealthy foods we eat all year. It's important to plan ahead and make healthy decisions when it comes to food this season.
Here are a few suggestions on how to Plan a Less Stressful Christmas and give you the chance to have your best holiday season ever!
Here are a few tips to help you clean and declutter your home now so you can put a plan in place to maintain it through the holiday season.
A fun Silhouette gift guide to help you choose which products are most useful, worth investing in, and those that would make the perfect gift for your crafty family member or friend this Christmas!
This time of year everyone is putting out a list of their favorite things, Whoopie, Mariah Carey, bloggers everywhere, and of course Oprah! So, today I thought I would share some of my favorite things with you.
Love free printables? Click here to subscribe and get access to exclusive planner pages, creative templates, and monthly freebies delivered to your inbox!
Join the Krafty Planner Club for monthly planners, journaling bundles, exclusive printables, and a supportive community—delivered straight to your inbox!
Browse a growing collection of free printables to help you plan, organize, and create with ease—from planners and trackers to journals, lists, and fun seasonal pages!
Practical planning tips, creative ideas, and free printables to help you organize your schedule, set goals, and make life feel more balanced and intentional.
Explore creative journaling tips, prompts, and inspiration to help you reflect, stay organized, and build a meaningful, consistent writing habit. Learn more...
Recent Posts
Discover 4 top online invitation platforms for weddings and celebrations, comparing elegant designs, RSVP tracking, pricing, and guest management tools.
Master college life with effective planners! This post covers goal setting, time blocking, monthly overviews, daily task lists, and academic tracking.
Transform your favorite printable planner pages into a stunning custom photo book! Capture your best memories creatively and preserve them for years to come.
Download free August 2026 planner printables, including calendars, weekly and daily pages, a habit tracker, and more to stay organized all month long.
Download free July 2026 planner printables, including calendars, weekly and daily pages, a habit tracker, and more to stay organized all month long.
Discover the 5 best Austin photography studios for professional employee headshots, from enterprise-scale automation to elite executive portraits.
Discover the best replacement windows for coastal homes. Compare vinyl, fiberglass, and aluminum to prevent salt corrosion, leaks, and storm damage effectively.
The June Prime Purchases is here, featuring craft room upgrades, sewing essentials, storage finds, & everyday favorites I’m using in my home and business
Get your free printable 2026–2027 calendar (Landscape format) with color & black/white options, plus Sunday and Monday starts. Perfect for school year planning!
As temperatures rise, ants move indoors. Learn why warm weather triggers infestations & discover simple, actionable tips to keep your kitchen & home pest-free.
Download free January 2026 planner printables including calendars, weekly and daily planning pages, habit trackers, and more to start the new year organized.